Compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 is essential where hazardous or dangerous substances are used or produced.
Substances hazardous to health are present in many different forms: liquids, fumes, vapours, smoke, and dust may all have adverse health effects when they come into contact with or enter into the body.
Safety Concepts Ltd has years of experience in dealing with substances hazardous to health. We can advise on the creation of COSHH risk assessments which will ascertain the potential exposure of your employees to any substances you work with. Following a risk assessment, we will consider engineering control measures to reduce the amount of substance in your workplace and control measures to reduce the exposure of your workers, whether the exposure is to liquid, dust, vapour or fume.
If your employees are required to use respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect them against hazardous substances in your workplace, you must ensure that the RPE is able to provide adequate protection for each individual wearer.
If a facepiece does not fit the wearer properly, it will leak and allow contaminants in the air to be inhaled.
Face fit testing ensures that the RPE is suitable for the wearer and is offering adequate protection.
The safety data sheet (SDS) which manufacturers must supply with their hazardous substances sets out information about the substance, including its ingredients and hazardous properties. However, the manufacturer does not know how you are using the substance. There are many factors which may affect the exposure of any employee to a substance, including methods of working, length of task, quantity of substance, control measures which may already be in place. A COSHH risk assessment specific to your task and workplace will allow you to assess the risk of exposure to your employees and take further measures if necessary.
If your risk assessment indicates that the substance you are using may cause harm by inhalation, and there is workplace exposure limit assigned to that substance, air monitoring may be necessary to ascertain exactly what quantities of it may be inhaled in the workplace. This will allow you to determine whether your employees are at risk, and to select appropriate control measures.
No. Lead is covered by separate regulation: the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002. Many of the principles are similar to those of COSHH but if you require specific information about working with lead please contact us.
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As an employer, landlord or employee, you have legal duties regarding the health and safety of your activities and premises.
