Health and Safety Executive

What is a hazardous substance?

The COSHH Regulations apply to any substance which is listed in Table 3.2 of part 3 of Annex VI of the CLP Regulation and for which an indication of danger specified for the substance is very toxic, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant.

  • Any preparation (mixture) that is dangerous for supply, as above.
  • Any substance which has a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL).
  • Any biological agents used at work.
  • Any dust other than one with a WEL at a concentration in air above 10 mg/m3 averaged over 8 hours, or any such respirable dust above 4 mg/m3 over 8 hours.
  • Any other substance that creates a risk to health because of its properties and the way it is used or is present in the workplace.

Hazard symbols

These hazard symbols will be replaced with the new international hazard symbols over the next few years.

New International symbols

Aquatic environment hazardAcute toxicityCompressed gasCorrosiveExplosiveFlamableHealth hazardOxidizingRespiratory hazard

International symbols will replace the European symbols from 2009. Some of them are similar to the current symbols but there is no single word describing the hazard. Information on these is available on the Globally Harmonised System webpages.

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12.09.11