This procedure is currently under review in the light of changes to legislation and the introduction of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations.
For information/guidance on this area of health and safety management please contact the Occupational Health and Safety Unit (OHSU) on extension 2167 or by e-mailing health.safety.askus@hounslow.gov.uk
Managers are reminded that under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
(COSHH) Regulations they are required to carry out an assessment of the risks to health when they or staff use or are exposed to hazardous substances.
Managers will need to ensure they have relevant advice/assistance from a competent person where hazardous or dangerous substances are in use and need assessment.
The following checklist should be used in deciding what action needs to be taken:-
Step 1. Identify all Hazardous Substances presently used or created in your service. (Form 1)
Step 2. Complete preliminary assessments of those substances (using the attached Form 2) and introduce necessary precautions.
Step 3. Prevent or eliminate exposure of employees (you need to consider this first). Where this is not reasonably practicable, then adequately control any exposure to the hazardous substances, by the use of appropriate control measures. (Advice is available from the OHSU)
Step 4. Review assessments, at regular specified intervals (usually 12 months), or when something has changed.
Step 5. Provide employees, that may be exposed to a Hazardous Substance, with suitable and effective Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
(Section 5A 018 of this Manual) and Respiratory Protective Equipment
(RPE), where necessary.
Step 6. Regularly maintain, examine, and test Engineering Control Measures following proper selection by a competent person.
Step 7. Regularly examine, maintain, and test the PPE & RPE issued to employees.
Revision Summary
First issued May 1985
Revision Number Revision Issue Date File Name/Author
3 September 2003 H & S MAN0174/JRL
Page of Total Pages
Page 1 of 4
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Step 8. Undertake any monitoring of exposures to Hazardous Substances that may be necessary to determine the effectiveness of control measures and confirm legal compliance.
Step 9. Identify & implement any health surveillance that may be necessary to observe adverse health effects, that may occur in the workforce. (See
Section 5A 010 of this Manual).
Step 10. Provide all necessary information, instruction, training, supervision and written codes of safe working practice to employees, and any other person that may be affected by exposure to a hazardous substance, so that they know the risks involved and what to do to reduce them.
Step 11. Control the purchase of all hazardous substances used by staff.
Step 12. Maintain appropriate records of Hazardous Substances in use; COSHH assessments; examination, maintenance, and testing of Control Measures, including PPE & RPE; exposure monitoring; health surveillance; & staff training. (Section 18 of this Manual).
For any information concerning hazardous substances please contact the OHSU on extension 2167 or by e-mailing health.safety.askus@hounslow.gov.uk
Revision Summary
First issued May 1985
Revision Number Revision Issue Date File Name/Author
3 September 2003 H & S MAN0174/JRL
Page of Total Pages
Page 2 of 4
Document 11

Form 1
(To gather substance information and decide if a COSHH assessment is needed)
LOCATION
SUBSTANCE OR PRODUCT
NAME
CURRENT
HAZARD DATA
SHEET
AVAILABLE ?
(IF NO OBTAIN
FROM SUPPLIER)
IS IT A
SUBSTANCE
HAZARDOUS TO
HEALTH ? (SEE
1.1b OF COSHH
POLICY)
LIST TASKS OR SITUATIONS
INVOLVING EACH SUBSTANCE
E.G. CARRIAGE, STORAGE,
DISPENSING/MIXING, USE, DISPOSAL,
MAINTENANCE ETC. ALSO
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS E.G.
SPILLAGE, FIRE ETC.
APPROX.
QUANTITY
INVOLVED
FOR EACH TASK
OR SITUATION
PRELIMINARY COSHH
ASSESSMENT NEEDED ?
(ANSWER YES UNLESS THE
RISK IS VERY LOW OR THE
SUBSTANCE IS NOT
HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH)
Revision Summary
First issued May 1985
Revision Number Revision Issue Date File Name/Author
3 September 2003 H & S MAN0174/JRL
Page of Total Pages
Page 3 of 4
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Form 2
(To make a preliminary assessment of the task and to decide if this is sufficient or if further help is needed)
WHAT IS YOUR HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE CALLED ? WHICH TASK ARE YOU ASSESSING ?
WHERE DOES THE TASK OCCUR QUANTITY IN USE ?
WHAT IS IN THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE
?
WHAT HARM CAN IT DO ? EXPOSURE LIMIT
(OES, MEL)
HAZARD
CLASSIFICATIONS E.G.
SYMBOLS ON LABEL
GROUP AND NO. AT RISK E.G. OPERATORS, VISITORS, MORE SUSCEPTIBLE EMPLOYEES ?
HOW DOES EXPOSURE OCCUR ?
WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THE RISK LOW ? CLOSELY EXAMINE YOUR HAZARD DATA SHEET (OR OTHER
RELEVANT INFORMATION) AND DETAIL ANY EXTRA PRECAUTIONS NEEDED BELOW
PRECAUTIONS;
PPE;
INFORMATION, INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING;
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES;
IS THE TASK QUITE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND OF SHORT DURATION? (PLEASE  )


YES
NO


WOULD A FAILURE OF PRECAUTIONS POSE AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK ?


NO
YES


CAN ANY PRECAUTIONS NOT YET PROVIDED BE QUICKLY AND EASILY PUT IN PLACE?

NO


YES


LOW RISK THIS ASSESSMENT IS SUFFICIENT SIGN OFF BELOW AND ENSURE ANY
EXTRA PRECAUTIONS ARE PUT IN PLACE BEFORE WORK CONTINUES
 HIGHER RISK
CONTACT THE OHSU
ON EXTENSION 2167
AS YOU NEED TO CONFIRM
THE RISK IS TOLERABLE
SIGN OFF BELOW
NAME IN BLOCK CAPS; TITLE
NOW ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR DATA SHEET
SIGNATURE DATE DISTRIBUTION REVIEW DATE
IT CONTAINS ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Revision Summary
First issued May 1985
Revision Number Revision Issue Date File Name/Author
3 September 2003 H & S MAN0174/JRL
Page of Total Pages
Page 4 of 4
Document 11