Occupational Health and Safety Acronyms : NS Labour and Advanced Education, Health and Safety

The following is a list of acronyms commonly used in Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Division materials. Note that the meanings given below are common meanings. However, in specific circumstances, an acronym may have a different meaning than the one listed.

To have an acronym added to the list, please contact Sergio Greguoldo at (902) 424-1742.

List of Acronyms
Acronym Meaning
ABIH American Board of Industrial Hygiene
AC Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Council
ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
AIHA American Industrial Hygiene Association
ANSI American National Standards Institute
APENS Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia
ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASME American Society of Mining Engineers
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
AWCBC Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada
BEI Biological exposure index
BS British standard
BSI British Standards Institute
CAALL-OSH Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation - Occupational Safety and Health Sub-Committee
Canmet Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology
CANS Construction Association of Nova Scotia
CBC Canada Building Code
CBRM Cape Breton Regional Municipality
CCOHS Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
CEC Canadian Electrical Code
CFIB Canadian Federation of Independent Business
CGA Compressed Gas Association
CGSB Canadian General Standards Board
CIH Certified Industrial Hygienist
CLC Canada Labour Code
CLC Canadian Labour Congress
CNS Communications Nova Scotia
CNSOPB Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
COHN(C) Certified Occupational Health Nurse (Canada)
CRBOH Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists
CRSP Canadian Registered Safety Professional
CS Central Services
CSA Canadian Standards Association
CSA, NSCSA Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association
CSP Certified Safety Professional
CSSE Canadian Society of Safety Engineering
CSST Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (Occupational Health and Safety Commission)
CSU Corporate service unit
CUPE Canadian Union of Public Employees
DCS Director of Central Services
DFS Director of Field Services
DM Deputy Minister
DNR Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources
DOE Nova Scotia Department of the Environment
DOJ Nova Scotia Department of Justice
DOL Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education
DTPW Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works
EA Environmental Assessment
ED Executive Director
EN European standard
ERTW Early return to work
EU European Union
FOPS Falling object protective structure
FP&SR Fall Protection and Scaffolding Regulations
FS Field Services
GSR Occupational Safety General Regulations
HFAC Human Factors Association of Canada
HRDC Human Resources Development Canada
HRM Halifax Regional Municipality
HSE Health and Safety Executive
HVAC Heating, ventilating and air conditioning
IAPA Industrial Accident Prevention Association of Ontario
IAQ Indoor air quality
IARC International Agency for Research on Cancer
IRS Internal responsibility system
IRSST L’Institut de recherche en santé et en sécurité du travail (Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute)
ISO International Organization for Standardization
JOHSC Joint occupational health and safety committee
LTD Long-term disability
MOL Ministry of Labour
MSHA Mine Safety and Health Administration
NAOSH week North American Occupational Safety and Health week
NFPA National Fire Prevention Association
NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NSFL Nova Scotia Federation of Labour
NSGEU Nova Scotia Government Employees’ Union
NSPI Nova Scotia Power Incorporated
NSCC Nova Scotia Community College
NSSC Nova Scotia Safety Council
OEL Occupational exposure limit
OH&S, OHS Occupational health and safety
OS&H, OSH Occupational safety and health
OHNANS Occupational Health Nurses’ Association of Nova Scotia
OSGR Occupational Safety General Regulations
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
P&P Priorities and Planning Committee
P&P Manual Policy and Procedures Manual
PEL Permissible exposure limit
P.Eng Registered Professional Engineer
PWGSC Public Works and Government Services Canada
R&R Report and Recommendation to Cabinet
REL Recommended exposure limit
RFP Request for proposals
RM Regional Manager
ROH Registered Occupational Hygienist
ROHT Registered Occupational Hygiene Technologist
ROPS Roll over protective structure
RTK Right to know
RTP Right to participate
RTR Right to refuse
SAE Society of Automotive Engineers
SCC Supreme Court of Canada
SOT Summary offence ticket
STD Short-term disability
STEL Short term exposure limit
TLV Threshold limit value
TWA Time-weighted average
TWTC Temporary Workplace Traffic Control
ULC Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada
UMR Underground Mining Regulations
WHMIS Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
WHO World Health Organization
WHSCC New Brunswick Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
WHSCC Newfoundland Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission
WSIB Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
WSIS Workplace Safety and Insurance System