COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)

COSHH covers substances that are hazardous to health. Substances can take many forms and the HSE advise that these include:

• chemicals
• products containing chemicals
• fumes
• dusts
• vapours
• mists
• nanotechnology
• gases and asphyxiating gases and
• biological agents (germs). If the packaging has any of the hazard symbols then it is classed as a hazardous substance.
• germs that cause diseasessuch as leptospirosis or legionnaires disease and germs used in laboratories.

What's not included:

• lead
• asbestos
• radioactive substances

because these have their own specific regulations.

What you should do:

You need to ensure your risk assessments consider what you do that involves a hazardous substance, how would these cause harm and how can you reduce the risk of that harm.

The HSE advise always to try to prevent exposure at source through:

• Can you avoid using a hazardous substance or use a safer process – preventing exposure, eg using water-based rather than solvent-based products, applying by brush rather than spraying?
• Can you substitute it for something safer – eg swap an irritant cleaning product for something milder, or using a vacuum cleaner rather than a brush?
• Can you use a safer form, eg can you use a solid rather than liquid to avoid splashes or a waxy solid instead of a dry powder to avoid dust?

We work with businesses to ensure you are adequately controlling the use of hazardous substances and the risk of exposure through:

• Implementing risk assessments
• Completing chemical safety data sheets
• Ensuring all control measures are in good working order
• Exposures remain below the Workplace Exposure limit where this exists
• The exposure to substances that are known to casue cancer, asthma or genetic damage are reduce to as low a level as is possible.
• Issuing permits to work
• Advising on use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Providing information and training to employees

Industries

There are a wide range of industries that should be actively managing COSHH and we have experience in working with an advising all of the industries listed below. The following is not an exhaustive list:

• Agriculture
  eg dusts, chemicals, diseases, toxic gases.
• Baking
  eg dusts, enzymes, flavour concentrates, cleaning products.
• Beauty
  eg products that cause skin irritation, allergies and asthma, acrylic fumes.
• Catering
  eg products that cause dermatitis,skin allergies, asthma, fumes.
• Cleaning
  eg products that cause dermatitis, allergies and asthma, corrosive products.
• Engineering
  eg dusts, fumes, chemicals, germs in metalworking fluids.
• Hairdressing
  eg products that cause dermatitis, allergies, asthma.
• Printing
  eg products that can cause dermatitis,skin allergies and asthma, corrosive products, solvent vapours, ingredients that can cause damage to internal organs over a long period of time.
• Motor vehicle repair
  eg paints, fuels, brake fluid, lubricants, degreasing fluids, cleaning products, welding and cutting fumes, dusts, battery acid.
• Welding
  eg fumes, dust, chemicals, work in confined spaces, inert gases.
• Woodworking
  eg dusts, adhesives, paints, stripping fluids, lubricants, disinfectants to treat water systems.