C&G Safety & Environmental Limited

Do they apply to your business?

Only if you use chemicals in your workplace. Things like washing up liquid and bleach don’t need assessing but your staff should still be informed of the correct way to use them.

Assessment is the responsibility of the employer. Persons preparing the assessment will need to have access to, and understand, COSHH related legislation, Codes of Practice and published Guidance. They will need to be competent to carry through the work of assessment and consult widely within the workforce and inform them of results accordingly. Assessment is a step-by-step approach: Identify what hazards there are. Evaluate the risks to people. For significant risks, decide on the action needed to remove or reduce them to insignificant levels.

COSHH risk assessments need to meet the requirements of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. So in simple terms your risk assessments need to be completed in ‘Sections’ ensure that you meet the requirements. These should be broken down as follows;

1. Date of assessment and review date. You should always have a review date even if the substance or method of using it isn’t going to change.
2. The Substance name, and a description of the process in which the substance is used.
3. You also need to list the hazardous properties of the substance, and any information on the possible health effects of using it.
4. A simple statement of the level, type and duration of exposure to the substance, and any relevant Occupational Exposure Standards should be stated.
5. You need to show how effective is your use of the preventative and control measures that you have put into place.
6. If you use chemicals that could cause sensitisation or irritation to the skin, or substances that can be breathed into the lungs, or can be absorbed through the skin then some form of Health Surveillance will need to be carried out. You will need to detail the type and results of this surveillance.
7. If you use Isocyanates or Chromate paints then the results of biological monitoring should be available for inspection by the Health & Safety Executive and it should be stated in the assessment that this is the case.
8. If you use substances in combination then the risk presented by the mixture should be stated.
9. Information, Instruction and Training for persons exposed.

Finally, all employees are to read and understand the details of the risk assessments. All employees should receive full instruction in relation to the substance involved and to the work processes in which it is used from a competent person. All employees are to attend a suitable awareness course related to the substances, the hazards to which they give rise to, and the preventative and control measures necessary for their protection. The proper fitting, use and care of PPE shall be included in the content of this training as shall Emergency measures, Fire fighting, Spill Control, and the recognition of symptoms related to exposure and First Aid measures. A record shall be kept to this effect in the personnel file for the employees concerned. Instruction and training should be reviewed annually or whenever the risk changes and records updated.

Our safety consultants can offer a service to carry out all of the above for you quickly and efficiently.  We will catagorise all of the substances there and make sure that you are compliant including exposure monitoring.  You might find that we can simplify your system and save you time and money.