---
title: "Glossary of Irish Construction and Engineering Terms"
description: "The abbreviations used across this site for Irish regulations, standards and the bodies behind them, each spelled out and defined in a sentence."
url: "https://www.petruf.ie/glossary"
---

# Glossary of Irish Construction and Engineering Terms

> The abbreviations used across this site for Irish regulations, standards and the bodies behind them, each spelled out and defined in a sentence.

## PSDP

**Project Supervisor Design Process.** Appointed in writing by the client under the Construction Regulations 2013 to coordinate safety and health across the design of a project, the temporary works included.

## PSCS

**Project Supervisor Construction Stage.** Appointed in writing by the client to coordinate safety and health on site while the project is built, usually the main contractor.

## HSA

**Health and Safety Authority.** The Irish state body for safety and health at work. It publishes the guidelines on the Construction Regulations and enforces them on site.

## RF2

**Temporary Works Design Certificate.** The form in the HSA's guidelines on the Construction Regulations, signed by the temporary works designer. Recommended rather than mandatory, and what most contractors ask for.

## BS 5975

**Code of practice for temporary works.** The British Standard for managing and checking temporary works, in two parts since 2024: management procedures, and falsework. Good practice in Ireland rather than law.

## I.S. EN 12812

**Falsework standard.** The Irish edition of the European standard for falsework: its performance requirements and general design. It does not cover formwork or access scaffolds.

## BCAR

**Building Control (Amendment) Regulations.** Statutory certification for new homes, extensions over 45 m² and work needing a fire safety certificate: a design certifier, an assigned certifier, and a Certificate of Compliance on Completion before occupation.

## NSAI

**National Standards Authority of Ireland.** The body that publishes the Eurocodes and other standards in Ireland, with the Irish National Annexes that set the national values.

## OPW

**Office of Public Works.** The state body that leads flood risk management in Ireland, and publishes the national flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

## CFRAM

**Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management.** The OPW programme that mapped flood extents and depths in detail for the areas at most significant risk.

## SFRA

**Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.** The council's own flood assessment behind its development plan, which flags the lands where a site specific assessment is needed.

## GSI

**Geological Survey Ireland.** The state geological survey, which publishes maps of historic and predicted groundwater flooding.

## GDSDS

**Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study.** The 2005 study that set the drainage criteria for the Dublin region, now applied far beyond it: interception, greenfield discharge rates and climate change.

## QBAR

**Mean annual flood.** The average yearly peak flow from the site as an undeveloped field: the greenfield rate a development is usually allowed to discharge at.

## IH124

**Institute of Hydrology Report 124.** The 1994 method for estimating flood flows from small catchments, used in Ireland to work out QBAR.

## BRE 365

**BRE Digest 365.** The method for testing how fast the ground soaks water away, and for sizing soakaways from the result. Councils commonly require it by planning condition.

## l/s/ha

**Litres per second per hectare.** A discharge rate for each hectare of the site: the unit a greenfield runoff limit is given in.

## DMURS

**Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets.** The national standard for roads and streets in towns, villages and suburbs, which puts walking, cycling and low speeds first.

## TII

**Transport Infrastructure Ireland.** The state body for national roads. Its standards govern national roads and set out how road safety audits are carried out.