Barrels and containers with hazardous substances inside. The COSHH regulations impose duties on businesses to protect employees against health risks that may arise from activities exposing them to hazardous substances at work.

New COSHH Essentials E-Tool launched

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health.

These substances include:

  • chemicals
  • products containing chemicals
  • fumes
  • dusts
  • vapours
  • mists
  • nanotechnology
  • gases and asphyxiating gases and
  • biological agents (germs)

COSHH does not cover lead, asbestos and radioactive substances, which have their own specific regulations.

The HSE has developed a COSHH e-tool to help companies manage the substances that they use at work.  The e-tool can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/coshh-tool.htm

The HSE has also published a number of Direct Advice Sheets for the control of substances commonly used in specific tasks in a range of different industries.  The relevant page on the HSE website is at http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/index.htm.

For more information about the COSHH e-tool, or any other health and safety requirements, contact the Aegis team today.