Glossary Papakupu

Explanations of abbreviations and acronyms.
All ' 1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

    S

    S-class carriage
    An “S” (Scenic) class carriage is a corridor-type passenger carriage.
    Safe place
    A place where people and equipment cannot be struck by passing rail traffic.
    Safe Working Authority (SWA)
    A form used to authorise rail traffic movements not otherwise permitted under the normal system of safe working.
    Safety case
    A comprehensive document that outlines the safety risks associated with a system or installation and explains how these risks are managed
    Safety moment
    Discussion and reflection on a health and safety topic or news.
    Safety observation assessment
    An eight-monthly observation conducted by a certified assessor to review the practical competence of a rail staff member.
    Safety observations
    ‘In the field assessments’ of rail personnel applying practical skills to activities specified in their licences to operate
    Safety system
    A written record of all the management and operational policies and practices that relate to the safe conduct of rail activities, including the operational and training manuals.
    Safety-critical
    Activities that, if not performed correctly, could lead to serious harm or injury.
    Safety-critical activities
    Activities that, if not performed correctly, could lead to serious harm or injury.
    Safety-critical workers
    A worker whose action or inaction may lead directly to a serious incident affecting the public or the rail network.
    Safety-observation assessment
    An assessment, carried out by certified rail personnel, to ensure locomotive engineers complete various tasks correctly in order to maintain their licence to operate train services.
    SAR
    Search and rescue
    Satphone
    A satellite telephone installed on all the operator’s aircraft as the primary means of communication with the OCC.
    Say again
    “Say again” is a standard radio transmission made when one station has not heard or understood a transmission and requests a repeat of the transmission, while “barely readable” is an assessment on the legibility of a transmission.
    Scientific buoys
    Scientific buoys used to record weather conditions at sea level.
    Sea Lane
    Regularly used maritime route for vessels
    Seaworthy
    Broadly, to be described as seaworthy a “ship must be in a fit state as to repairs, equipment, and crew, and in all other respects to encounter the ordinary perils of the voyage” (as explained by Parke, B in Dixon v Sadler [1839] 5 M&W 405). Alternatively, the ship must meet “that degree of fitness which an ordinary careful and prudent owner would require [his/her] vessel to have at the commencement of [his/her] voyage having regard to all probable circumstances of it” (see Channel J in McFadden v Blue Star Line [1905] 1 KB 697 at 706).
    Secondary protection
    An additional protection method, used in multi-worksite protected work areas.
    Sector
    A sector is one flight from a departure point to a destination point.
    Selcalled
    A function of KiwiRail’s radio system that sends an audible alert and caller identifying information to a train control radio display. When radio traffic is busy, this function allows the train controller to prioritise the order of communication and selectively call back as required.
    Self-venting fuel cap
    Fuel cap with an integrated breather: the vented cap allows for air to come into the tank as fuel is consumed and levels drop, as well as allowing for air to escape via a surge plug.
    Semi-permanent couplers
    The coupler interconnects into a pneumatic connection and is released through an in-cab electrical circuit.
    SEND
    Satellite Emergency Notification Device
    Senior person
    The Operations Manual Part A Section 1.1 list the individuals who have been nominated by the operator as Senior persons for specific designated roles, and these must be individually approved by the CAA.
    Service director
    The senior cabin crew person.
    Service speed
    The normal operating speed of the vessel while in service
    SFV
    Skipper Fishing Vessel – Limited
    SFV-U
    Skipper Fishing Vessel – Unlimited
    Shackle
    One shackle is a length of anchor chain equal to 27.4 m
    Shipping agent
    Person who acts for one or more of the parties with an interest in the vessel charter; the same agent may act on behalf of the ship owner and the charterer
    Shoal
    A natural submerged ridge, bank or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material and rises from the seabed to near the surface. A shoal is a navigational hazard.
    Shoe piece
    A structural member of the stern frame.
    Shooting the net
    Deploying the net to start fishing
    Shroud
    Shrouds (also known as ‘visors’) are fitted to signals to improve visibility in bright sun.
    Shunt
    A generic term for the movement of locomotives, wagons and carriages using a purpose-built railway engine (shunt)
    Shunting
    Movement of rail vehicles for formation or positioning of trains
    Shunting movements
    The positioning and connecting of rail vehicles or wagons together or disconnecting them.
    SID
    Standard Instrument Departure procedure from an aerodrome
    Siding
    Low-speed track section used for loading unloading or passing
    Sighting distance
    The distance from a signal to its sighting point. The sighting distance is designed for 12 seconds’ uninterrupted at maximum train approach speed, but 10 seconds is the absolute minimum in difficult situations
    Signal
    A line side device that displays the movement authority to proceed to a train driver
    Signalling and Interlocking Arrangements
    A general term applied to the controlling of the setting and releasing of ‘signals’ and ‘points’ to prevent unsafe conditions arising.
    Signals maintainer
    A person qualified in repairing and maintaining railway signaling equipment, including signals and points.
    Signals technician
    A person qualified in repairing and maintaining railway signalling equipment, including signals and points. Of the two technicians referred to in this report, one specialised in signals maintenance while the other was a communications specialist who was assisting the signals technician. For the purposes of this report, both are collectively referred to as signals technicians as that was the nature of the work being performed.
    Signal gantry
    A framework suspended across train tracks upon which signals can be mounted.
    Significant wave height
    The average wave height, from trough to crest, of the highest one-third of the measured or observed waves.
    Simulated flight
    Simulated flight in instrument meteorological conditions by restricting the pilot’s view outside and with a safety pilot for aircraft separation.
    Simulated in flight
    Simulated in flight with a safety pilot present, but without entering instrument meteorological conditions
    Sink
    Sink is the opposite of lift. It is air flowing downwards towards the ground.
    Site Protector (SP)
    The person responsible for all personnel and equipment in a worksite, and who reports to the RPO.
    Situational awareness
    Situational awareness relates to an individual’s understanding of their surroundings. This includes their perception of data from their environment, comprehension of the meaning and significance of the situation, and projection to future states and events.
    Skills
    Skills are activities that have been either learnt or acquired and result in a predictable and often better outcome.
    Skipper
    The captain of a boat or ship
    Skipper Restricted Limits certificate
    Endorsed for up to 24-metre vessels.
    Sky glow
    Effects of solar light present in the sky until the sun is approximately 18 degrees below the horizon.
    Slave latch block
    The latch block to which the handle is attached is considered the master and the other three are termed slaves.
    Sleeper
    Transverse support for rails distributing loads to ballast
    Slew
    Movement of the crane boom in the horizontal plane.
    Slight seas
    Waves caused by 15 kt wind in the immediate vicinity, typically about 0.5 m high but can occasionally rise to 1.5 m
    Slip
    In regions with hilly or mountainous terrain, a ‘slip’ refers to rockfalls or landslides that may endanger railway activities.
    Slip-detector alarm
    In regions with hilly or mountainous terrain, a ‘slip’ refers to rockfalls or landslides that may endanger railway activities. Slip detectors within this context are trackside equipment designed to detect rockfalls or landslides and initiate an alert and provide details of the location to the responsible rail personnel.
    SLM
    Senior Launch Master
    Slot
    Allocated time window for aircraft takeoff or landing
    SMS
    Safety Management System
    SOLAS
    International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
    SOP
    Standard Operating Procedure
    Sounding
    Measurement of depth of water or tank liquid level
    SPA
    Specific approvals (European Union)
    SPAD
    Rail terminology for the act of a signal having been passed at danger. This occurs when a train should have stopped for a red signal but has continued past it.
    Special Bulletin
    An internal memorandum issued to KiwiRail staff containing information and instructions temporarily altering a normal method of operation.
    Speed boards
    Trackside equipment displaying the maximum speed for that section of track.
    Speed indicator
    A numeric indicator illuminated to advise the safe speed for the route set. Normally associated with a warner route (a specific type of route provided at some signals, selected by the signaller, where the full overlap of a signal may not be available).
    Spidertracks
    A satellite flight data tracking device made by Spidertracks Limited.
    Spiny dogfish
    A small species of shark found throughout the seas surrounding the southern half of New Zealand; taken as bycatch they are considered a nuisance, as they can severely hamper fishing operations when they become fouled in fishing nets.
    Sprag clutch
    An overrunning sprag clutch automatically disengages the engine from the rotor when the engine RPM is less than the rotor RPM.
    Spring pack
    The damping system that absorbs in-train forces to the carriage-coupler connections
    SRL
    Skipper Restricted Limit
    SSSS
    Site-specific safety score
    Stabilised approach
    The stabilised approach, based on aviation practices, has been developed by RSSB into the non-technical skills training as the Observe, Understand, Decide and Act model.
    Stanchion
    A vertical support structure used to secure cargo, such as logs, on the upper deck of a vessel
    Stand
    Parking position for an aircraft on the apron
    Stand-on vessel
    Under the collision-prevention rules – a vessel that is required to maintain its course and speed and monitor the give-way vessel.
    Standing orders
    The rules posted by the vessel’s captain and/or the operator to be understood by each watchkeeper operating the vessel
    STAR
    standard arrival route
    Starboard
    The right side of a vessel when the viewer is facing forward
    Startle effect
    Defined in SKYbrary as an uncontrollable, automatic reflex that is elicited by exposure to a sudden, intense event that violates a pilot’s expectations. SKYbrary is an international repository of aviation-related information managed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Flight Safety Foundation.
    Static excercise
    The testing was done in the field rather than in a rail vehicle.
    Station
    Fuselage station numbers identify locations fore and aft along an aircraft’s fuselage with the numbers being measured from a reference datum (station zero).
    Station limits
    Tracks within arrival and departure signals of a station. Trains within this area may move on verbal authority of a train controller or signaller.
    STC
    A Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) is a Type Certificate issued when an applicant has received approval to modify an aeronautical product from its original design. The STC approves not only the modification but also how that modification affects the original design.
    STC
    Supplemental Type Certificate
    STCW-F
    International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel
    Steaming
    Making way through the water
    Stern
    The rear of a vessel.
    Stern frame
    A heavy structural member in the stern that supports a ship’s propeller shaft and rudder system.
    Stop drill
    A stop drill hole is drilled at the end of a crack to spread the cracking force around the hole and prevent the crack propagating.
    Stowage Plan
    Plan showing placement of cargo within a ship or aircraft
    Stranded
    When a ship or a boat is aground and cannot be refloated without assistance
    Sub-tropical low
    Sub-tropical low is a type of weather condition that can bring heavy rain with possible thunderstorms and downpours. It may also bring strong and gale-force winds.
    Sump
    The internal space at the bottom of an engine where lubricating oil accumulates, or as in this case drains into the lube-oil tank below.
    Superstructure
    Structures built on top of a vessel’s freeboard deck
    Support desk
    The KiwiRail support desk takes incoming communications and network-related issues and organises staff to complete various maintenance tasks on and inspections of the rail network.
    Swell
    Ocean waves not generated by wind in the immediate vicinity
    Swim failure
    A person is no longer able to swim or remain afloat.
    Swing
    A swing shift is a work schedule that falls outside normal business hours and spans both daytime and nighttime. The crew Fiordland Navigator crew operated on a week-on/week-off swing with change-over days on Thursdays.
    Switch
    Mechanism enabling rail vehicles to move from one track to another