COSHH: A Comprehensive Guide

COSHH is a set of regulations designed to protect people from coming into contact with hazardous substances and experiencing ill health as a result. They cover all substances that are hazardous to health except asbestos, lead and radioactive substances, which are all covered by separate and specific legislation.

This comprehensive guide will explain the risks associated with these substances, ensuring a safe working environment. Let's begin by understanding the fundamentals of COSHH and its implications. To improve employee awareness, try our COSHH Training Course.

What does COSHH stand for?

COSHH regulations exist to help control hazardous substances in the workplace. The term COSHH is an acronym. COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. When it comes to COSHH, prevention is key.

What are hazardous substances?

Hazardous substances are those substances that can cause harm to health, and may include:

• Those used during work processes (such as glues and paints).
• Those produced by work activities (such as fumes, vapours and mists).
• Those which occur naturally (such as dust, gases and germs).

Learn more about welding fumes and metalworking fluids by visiting our dedicated FAQ page on Welding Fumes and Metalworking Fluids .

What are the routes of entry for hazardous substances?

Hazardous materials have several routes of entry into the body, where they can cause a lot of damage. The most common routes of entry for health hazards include:

• Absorption: when a substance comes into contact with the skin and is absorbed. This can lead to skin irritation and conditions such as dermatitis.
• Inhalation: when a substance is breathed in. This can be very dangerous because it makes it easy for a substance to reach the lungs and enter a person’s bloodstream and many of their organs.
• Ingestion: when a substance enters the mouth and is swallowed. This is usually the fault of poor working practices (such as a workplace failing to extract airborne dust) or poor personal hygiene (such as a person failing to wash their hands before eating food).

What are their effects?

Contact with a hazardous substance can have a range of effects that are classified as one of the following:

• Acute: These are short, rapidly occurring effects caused by a single or short-term exposure, such as asthma-type attacks, dizziness, nausea and fainting.
• Chronic: These serious health hazards are gradual, often irreversible illnesses caused by prolonged or repeated exposure to harmful substances, such as cancers and respiratory diseases.

How can I tell that a substance is hazardous?

There are several ways to tell that a substance is hazardous. The packaging of substances may contain hazard information or COSHH hazard symbols.

The EU’s Globally Harmonised System (GHS) and the UK’s Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulations set out a series of hazard pictograms that must be present on a substance’s packaging if it poses a hazard to health.

The Meaning of COSHH Symbols

These pictograms are black symbols inside a distinctive red border in the shape of a diamond. These are as follows:

Physical Hazards

Physical hazards are depicted by:

• a flame pictogram
• a flame over a circle pictogram
• a gas cylinder
• a pictogram of an exploding bomb

Physical and Health Hazards

This symbol signifies a substance that can cause corrosion to the skin. Common substances with this label are drain cleaners, bleach, and pesticides.

Health Hazards

Health hazards are symbolised by:

• an exclamation mark
• a health hazard to internal organs or the central nervous system
• a skull and crossbones

Environmental

Substances that can cause harm to the environment show an image of a tree and fish.

Alongside pictograms, any hazardous substance that is being supplied for use at work must come with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). This sheet will outline the hazards associated with a specific substance, making it easier to assess and control the risks that the substance poses in a specific workplace.

COSHH Regulations and Responsibilities

The COSHH Regulations impose duties on employers to protect employees (and others) who may be exposed to hazardous substances. It requires employers to control exposure to such substances. COSHH also offers a framework for employers to build a management system to assess the health risks associated with hazardous substances and implement effective control measures.

What does COSHH require from employers?

Employers need to protect workers from harmful substances. They should:

Assess:

• Evaluate health risks from exposure to dangerous substances and decide on necessary actions (regulation 6).

Control:

• Prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances. If prevention isn't possible, ensure exposure limits aren't exceeded. Use methods other than personal protective equipment if possible. Any required protective gear must meet standards (regulation 7).

Manage:

• Properly use and maintain control measures. Keep records and review work systems regularly (regulations 8 and 9).

Monitor:

• Monitor employees exposed to certain substances and keep records for at least 5 years, or 40 years if employees can be identified (regulation 10). Provide health checks for employees exposed to other specific substances and keep these records for 40 years (regulation 11).

Plan:

• Prepare plans for emergencies involving hazardous substances, including warning systems.

Inform:

• Provide information and training to employees about health risks and safety precautions (regulation 12).

Assessing the risks

One of the main duties that the COSHH Regulations places on employers is to complete a COSHH risk assessment. This is used to identify any relevant hazardous substances that an employee may come into contact with, and establish how to adequately control exposure to them.

What is covered by COSHH?

Not all hazardous substances are covered by the COSHH Regulations.

• A COSHH assessment is required for the following:
  • Substances that have workplace exposure limits listed in the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘EH40 Occupational Exposure Limits’ publication.
  • Substances that are listed in the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulations.
  • Biological agents that are directly used within the workplace.
  • Airborne dust.
  • Any substance creating a comparable hazard to those listed in the CLP Regulations that, for technical reasons, is not explicitly covered by them.
  • A substance that does not have any warning symbols on the container (such as bottled water).
  • Biological agents which are not directly used in the workplace (such as an influenza virus).
  • Hazardous substances which are subject to their own regulations (asbestos, lead or radioactive substances).

  

  How do I complete a five-step COSHH assessment?

  A COSHH assessment is very similar to a risk assessment, but it applies specifically to hazardous substances. The HSE suggests that a five-step process is used to complete a COSHH assessment.

  The assessment should focus on:

  • gathering information about the substances, their quantities, and potential risks to workers.
  • evaluating the health risks by determining exposure levels and comparing them to Workplace Exposure Limits.
  • deciding on necessary control measures, including the effectiveness of existing ones and additional steps required, such as maintenance, emergency planning, and health surveillance.
  • recording the assessment findings, ensuring they are accessible to relevant parties.
  • reviewing the assessment periodically or when significant changes occur.

  For a step-by-step guide and to download a free risk assessment template see: Risk Assessment and COSHH - What You Need To Know in the Commodious Knowledge Bank.

  Conclusion

  In conclusion, understanding the importance of completing a COSHH assessment is vital in ensuring the safety and well-being of workers when dealing with hazardous substances. By following the recommended five-step process, organisations can effectively identify, evaluate, and control risks associated with such substances. Remember, regular review and updating of the assessment are key to maintaining a safe working environment. For further awareness for you and your team, take our COSHH Awareness Online Course.