COSHH is an abbreviation of The Control to Substances Hazardous to Health – A set of Regulations which require employers to ensure that any substances they store, transport or use do not cause harm to people.
I don’t have any “hazardous substances” within my workplace, so these Regulations don’t apply to me!
Are you sure? You will be surprised how many times we have come across potentially hazardous substances during the course of our work when the employer was not aware of their responsibilities, or even that the substance was there!
More often than not, companies have caustic or corrosive cleaning chemical tucked away at the back of the cleaner’s cupboard, blissfully unaware of their potential to cause harm until the day that someone – with good intentions – digs them out and starts to use them without the necessary precautions
So are you suggesting that I throw out all my old cleaning chemicals?
Far from it. We recognise that sometimes, these chemicals are necessary to deal with a particular problem. But we are suggesting a simple five point plan to ensure that they do not cause harm to your staff or visitors:
1. Knowledge is power – Create an inventory of all the potentially hazardous substances at your workplace including cleaning, janitorial & maintenance chemicals. And make sure that your staff inform you of any new substances they intend to bring onto the premises.
2. If possible, remove very harmful substances, or consider replacing them with less harmful alternatives. For example, there are many cleaning substances that are significantly less harmful than bleach, but equally effective for most cleaning tasks.
3. Find out about the hazardous properties of the substances. Basic safety information is often contained on the bottle or container but more detailed information will be available on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which manufacturers’ & suppliers are legally obliged to provide. These can either be downloaded from the manufacturer’s or supplier’s website, or requested directly.
4. Look at how the substance is used, by whom and how often. Then assess the risks from that use and check that you have the necessary controls in place. In other words, carry out a COSHH Assessment.
5. Finally, ensure that the substance within your workplace are stored, used and disposed of in accordance with the information provided on the MSDS and your COSHH Assessment. That might involve providing information to your staff, supplying specialist equipment or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). And don’t forget to regularly review your procedures to ensure that the risks are still controlled.
If you require any further advice or assistance regarding the hazardous substances at your workplace, contact Essential Safety on (01536) 460 171