Working Safely with Hazardous Substances
(COSHH)
All employers are required to assess and deal with any risk to the health, safety and
welfare of staff, service users, pupils, visitors and contractors (including cleaning
staff and building maintenance) and anyone else who may be affected by our actions
i.e. other occupiers if shared premises.
Scope
Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put people's health at
risk, as can hazardous substances produced as a result of workplace activities. The
law requires us to control exposure to hazardous substances, preventing ill health.
KCC have to protect both employees and others who may be exposed by complying
with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) (as
amended).
In the course of their duties, KCC employees can encounter a wide range of
substances that may be hazardous to health including: liquids, solids, vapours,
fumes, gases, dust, fibres, mist and smoke e.g. cleaning materials, wood dust,
chemicals, paints and herbicides.
The COSHH regulations specify essential steps required to control hazardous
substances and protect people exposed to them.
The why, what and how?
Managers, where employees and others have to use substances that fall within the
COSHH regime, you are required to carry out a risk assessment to ensure such
substances are used safely so that the risk of exposure is prevented or controlled.
A risk assessment should cover specific actions and events, such as the use,
storage and disposal of the substance, the use of personal protective equipment,
monitoring of exposure and health surveillance. It also needs to cover the
requirement to provide suitable information, instruction and supervision.
What you will need to assess the risk
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COSHH risk assessment template (link).
Material Safety Data Sheets for each substance used (Obtain from
product manufacturer’s website).
If the products has a workspace exposure limit (WEL) – a copy of the
EH40 guidance to refer to.
Knowledge of how the task will be carried out, how much of the
substance (or mix of substances) will be used, how long the task takes,
where the task takes place and who else could be exposed other than
the main user.
The steps to complete a COSHH assessment [link] – see also diagram
on next page.
Below is a flowchart detailing how to assess a substance that is hazardous to health.
Click on link to view flowchart – Document - COSHH Flowchart.doc
Here is a link to an example safety data sheet – Example data sheet.pdf
Start
Are hazardous
substances
present/produced
in the work
place?
Assessment
required to
Evaluate the
risk to
health
Keep records
Review
assessments
as required
Monitor and
maintain
control
measures
Decide on
control
measures
Further guidance on carrying out risk assessments, safety data sheets and
Workplace Exposure Limits (WELS) can be found in Frequently Asked Questions.
However, should you require further information, please contact a Health and Safety
Adviser which you can find on the KELSI Health and Safety section and clicking on
team structure and contact details in the contact box on the home page. For
information on health surveillance contact Staff Care Services (Occupational Health).
Associated procedures and documentation
Listed below are related topics within Kent Education Learning Skills Information
(KELSI). To read a topic, select the link.
Topics
Managing health and safety - another Safetynet page
Risk assessment - another Safetynet page
Fire safety in the workplace - another Safetynet page
First aid - another Safetynet page
Personal protective equipment - another Safetynet page
Documentation
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act, 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
Link to the HSE website
Link to the HMSO website
Link to the DfES website
Link to EH40 to go here (http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/table1.pdf)
What is a substance hazardous to health?
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Hazardous substances include:
 Substances used directly in work activities (i.e. adhesives, paints,
cleaning agents).
 Substances generated during work activities (i.e. fumes from soldering
/ welding, sanding and grinding).
 Naturally occurring substances (i.e. wood dust).
 Biological agents such as bacteria and other micro-organisms i.e.
bodily fluids, contaminated water (ponds & streams).
Symbols include:
Click on link for symbols – Document - COSHH Symbols.doc
NB: This is not an exhaustive list, there are many other symbols.
Examples of the effects of hazardous substances include:
i) Skin irritation, dermatitis or burns as a result of skin contact.
ii) Asthma as a result of developing an allergy to substances used at work.
iii) Losing consciousness as a result of being overcome by toxic fumes.
iv) Cancer, which may appear long after the exposure to the chemical that caused it.
v) Infection from bacteria and other micro-organisms (biological agents).
When should I carry out a COSHH assessment?
A COSHH assessment should be carried out whenever a workplace task involves
using or coming into contact with a substance that is hazardous to health, before the
task is carried out.
How do I carry out a COSHH assessment?
a) Look at each substance:
Which substances are involved? In what way are they harmful? You can find out by:
 checking information that came with the product e.g. a safety data sheet;
 asking the supplier, sales representative and your trade association;
 looking in the trade press for health and safety information;
 checking on the Internet, e.g. HSE’s website pages for your trade.
b) Think about the task:
If the substance is harmful, how might workers be exposed? Consider the following:
Exposure by breathing in gases, fumes, mist or dust - once breathed in, some
substances can attack the nose, throat or lungs while others get into the body
through the lungs and harm other parts of the body, e.g. the liver.
Exposure by skin contact - some substances damage skin, while others pass
through it and damage other parts of the body.
Skin gets contaminated by:
 Direct contact with the substance e.g. if you touch it or dip your hands in it.
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Splashing.
Substances landing on the skin e.g. airborne dust.
Contact with contaminated surfaces – this includes contact with contamination
inside protective gloves.
Exposure by swallowing - people transfer chemicals from their hands to their
mouths by eating, smoking etc without washing first.
Exposure to the eyes - some vapours, gases and dusts are irritating to eyes.
Caustic fluid splashes can damage eyesight permanently.
Exposure by skin puncture - risks from skin puncture such as needlestick injuries
are rare, but can involve infections or very harmful substances e.g. drugs.
Click on link to view flowchart – Document - COSHH Flowchart.doc
c) Control measures
Control measures must be considered carefully and no measures, however practical,
can work unless they are used properly. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must
always be a last resort, not because it isn’t the right answer, however it only protects
the user and should it fail the user is exposed to the full force of the hazard. It is
normal to use PPE in conjunction with other control measures.
In order of priority control measures should be considered as follows:
1. Eliminate the use of a harmful product or substance and use a safer one.
2. Use a safer form of the product e.g. paste rather than powder.
3. Change the process to emit less of the substance.
4. Enclose the process so that the product does not escape.
5. Extract emissions of the substance near the source.
6. Have as few workers in harm’s way as possible.
7. Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, overalls and RPE
respirator or mask.
NB: PPE must fit the wearer and if your control measures include control measures 5, 6 and 7, make
sure they all work together. Click here for Personal Protective Equipment - another Safetynet page
D) Safe disposal of waste
Any waste products that could be classed as hazardous or harmful to the
environment must be disposed of in line with the advice: https://www.gov.uk/disposehazardous-waste
What is a Safety Data Sheet?
Manufacturers have to provide adequate information about certain articles so that
they can be safely used and stored without risk to health. Although there is no
standard design to these documents, certain specific information should always be
shown including:
 Substance.
 Reference.
 Supplier’s name and address.
 Components.
 WELs* (Workplace Exposure Limits).
 Dangerous substances supply category i.e. toxic, flammable.
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Physical appearance/odour: Description in everyday words (non-technical).
Hazards: Sometimes a highly detailed description of hazards posed by the
product is given (this is often very technical).
Suitable Protective Equipment: Details of items needed when handling
product.
Storage: Special storage requirements.
Spillage Procedures: Actions (sometimes including a telephone number) to be
taken.
First Aid Procedures: Procedures to follow in the event of chemical exposure.
*WELs: adequate control of exposure with good practice advice, see below.
What is a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL)?
Put simply, it is the maximum amount of time any individual should be exposed to a
certain substance before they are likely to be harmed by it. The substances involved
are listed in the document “EH40” produced by annually by HSE, to view please click
on the following link http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/table1.pdf
Few KCC establishments are likely to come into contact with any of these
substances and those that do should have the latest EH40 document. If any
establishment believes that it may have a harmful substance on the premises they
should seek advice from a Health and Safety Adviser on how to deal with it.
What should I do once I’ve completed the COSHH assessment?
All those involved with the chemicals/process must be made aware of the risk
assessment, findings and recommendations and given any required information,
instruction and supervision. This should include the hazards, control measures
including personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe systems of work. An
example COSHH training record can be found in Appendix 1 – Document - COSHH
V7 APP3 (Training record).doc The documents must also be kept readily accessible
to all those who may need to know the results, including staff, volunteers, Health and
Safety staff, HSE or local inspectors and other third parties. Consideration should be
given to keeping a log of all chemicals on the premises, their hazard status and
whereabouts in the fire log to inform the fire brigade, should a fire occur.
When should I review the COSHH assessment?
As well as reviewing your COSHH assessments once a year there are a number of
conditions prompting a review of a COSHH assessment, these include:
 An accident/incident or ill-health.
 Where there is a significant change in the work or work methods.
 A change in the substance used.
 Modifications to plant or equipment.
 Information on health risks, technological changes or a safer substitute
becoming available.
Can I use Bleach in my working Environment?
Bleach has to be risk assessed like any other chemical and a decision has to be
made at the end of that assessment by the assessor for its suitability for that specific
task i.e. bleach tablets being used for deep clean situations like Norovirus.
Read the HSE guidance Catering Information Sheet No 22 Safe use of cleaning
substances in the hospitality industry for other issues i.e. harmful gases caused by
mixing bleach and acidic toilet cleaners or ammonia.
HSE link
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cais22.pdf
You may wish to look at other cleaning chemicals besides bleach, washing- up
liquids, dishwasher detergents, rinse aids, drain-cleaning products, oven cleaners,
disinfectants, toilet cleaners, sanitisers and descalers.
Some of the above is day to day chemicals but you will still need to assess the risks.