COSHH frequently asked questions

What training / qualifications should I have to carry out COSHH assessments?

You don’t need any particular qualifications but you must be competent. This means you must have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to do the job properly. You should:

understand hazard and risk
know how the work can expose people to substances hazardous to health
have the ability (and authority) to collect all the necessary information
have the knowledge, skills and experience to make the right decisions about how to control exposure.

Look at the HSE website for advice about your trade under ‘Your Industry’, or under COSHH ‘Health & Safety Topics’. If you are a member of a Trade Association, ask them for help.

Training courses are now available from training providers and you can get further details directly from the from the further information part of this site.

I have just completed COSHH essentials, is this sufficient to use as my COSHH assessment?

‘COSHH essentials’ produces generic advice. The legal requirement is that the risk assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient’, so check that the downloaded sheets fully describe the task you do. If so, follow the advice in the sheets. Otherwise, think about how else you could use the advice to avoid workers’ health being harmed. You should take into account any information you have on levels of exposure, such as the results of monitoring, or health checks.

Does my employer have to provide me with a copy of the COSHH assessment?

Employers must provide information about the hazards, risks and control measures, and instruction and training to use the control measures. All employers must carry out a risk assessment and those employing five or more employees must also record significant findings. This record needs to be accessible so that safety representatives, inspectors, etc. can examine it.

Do we need to record COSHH assessments on a specific form?

No. Risk assessments may vary in their complexity, so you are free to use something that works for you. However, make sure you cover the key points:

what are the dangers, and to whom, doing what task
what control measures could prevent harm
using these control measures and checking that they work

What are the ventilation requirements when working with hazardous substances, what do the regulations require etc

Ventilation of the building – you need good general ventilation, which normally means five to 10 air-changes per hour - talk to a heating and ventilation engineer.

Ventilation of a process, usually called local exhaust ventilation (LEV) means extracting any gas, vapour, fume, mist or gas from a source of airborne contaminant. The rate of extraction depends on the size of the source. The shape of the hood that collects the contaminant cloud depends on the speed and direction of the contaminant cloud. You need to talk to a competent person. See:

See HSE’s local exhaust ventilation website

Don’t forget that ventilation has little effect on exposure of, or through, the skin

What needs to be included in a record of health surveillance?

Record:

The person’s name and National Insurance number
The substance they are exposed to, and when (start date, frequency of use)
The surveillance test that is done on them, and the tester
The outcome e.g. passed / retest / failed (but not the test data).

Remember that a Health Surveillance record is different to a medical record.

Medical records are generated by a health professional, namely a Dr or Nurse, who is competent as regards the hazard, risks and likely health effects. The information contained in a Medical Record depends on the nature of the ‘medical’ carried out. ALSO the Medical Record is medical-in-confidence material and it is the responsibility of the health professional that has created it to ensure that nobody else gets access without informed consent from the individual whose medical record it is.

What do I do with medical records if my company is going out if business?

They can be offered to HSE Employment Medical Advisory Service personnel locally. Alternatively it can be given to the employee/patient or, with their consent, give it to their GP, as information that may be useful in future.

Do the cleaning chemicals have to be kept in a locked cupboard?

Locking up cleaning chemicals is sensible if vulnerable people such as children or learning-impaired persons are able to gain access to them.

How do I get safety data sheets and how do I use them.

If a substance is ‘dangerous for supply’, the supplier must send you a data sheet when the product is first ordered, if the formulation changes, or if you ask for a sheet. If it is not ‘dangerous for supply’ the supplier should include instructions for safe use with the package. Report suppliers who refuse to provide safety information to HSE.
The parts of a safety data sheet you may find most useful are: