| A CoSHH risk assessment is a legal duty for an | | | | hazards. |
| employer. It involves a logical and structured set | | | | Establish control measures by identifying how the |
| of procedures which relate to activities in the | | | | risks are currently managed and how the risks |
| workplace and the consideration of what can | | | | can be further reduced. |
| possibly go wrong. It requires an established set | | | | Record an official record of the findings of your |
| of controls which minimise damage or risk to an | | | | CoSHH assessment and notify those at risk, of |
| employees' health. Hazardous Substances in | | | | the control measures. |
| particular, can cause short and long-term health | | | | Review the risk assessment frequently, e.g. if the |
| problems. | | | | workforce, the task, or the equipment change. |
| It is a crucial requirement for employers to | | | | When deciding on how to control the risks, certain |
| conduct CoSHH risk assessments. It is essential | | | | factors should be taken into account: |
| that employers examine all work related tasks | | | | Can the risk be prevented or even eliminated by |
| which could put their employees' health at risk. | | | | altering work methods? |
| This is a legal necessity. | | | | Can the process be modified to remove toxic |
| The CoSHH assessment should cover everybody | | | | substances? |
| that has some connection to the task. This will | | | | Can the risks be controlled at source? Exposure |
| involve not just employees but contractors, | | | | to the hazard should be controlled by either |
| temporary workers and the general public etc. | | | | engineering controls such as ventilation equipment, |
| Additional controls will need to be enforced if | | | | procedural controls such as reducing exposure |
| necessary for more vulnerable groups such as | | | | time, or by using personal protective equipment |
| young people and pregnant women. | | | | such as gloves or eye goggles. |
| A written record must be kept of any significant | | | | It is important to keep workers informed by |
| findings from the CoSHH assessment. | | | | giving them CoSHH training and instruction. The |
| It's imperative that CoSHH risk assessments are | | | | more well informed workers are, the more |
| carried out systematically. All possible risks | | | | thorough the assessment will be. |
| associated with dangerous substances need to be | | | | The workers involved in the activity being |
| considered. | | | | assessed should also be given some responsibility |
| The HSE advise employers to follow 5 steps | | | | in carrying out the actual CoSHH assessment, as |
| when carrying out their risk assessment: | | | | they are the ones with the most knowledge of |
| Identify the hazards relating to the work based | | | | the task. |
| task. | | | | The level of detail recorded in the assessment is |
| Identify whose health could be impacted by those | | | | relative to the size of risk involved. |