Responsibilities

The COSHH Regulations aim to protect workers (and others who may be affected) from the adverse health effects of substances used at work. COSHH obligates employers to assess the risks arising from their use of substances hazardous to health and to take steps to prevent or adequately control exposure. A training organisation is responsible for exposure by trainees.

The existing requirements to follow good practice have been brought together by the introduction of eight principles of good practice for the control of exposure to substances hazardous to health and are set out in Schedule 2A of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) Approved Code of Practice and guidance.

The eight principles are reproduced below:

  1. Design and operate processes and activities to minimize emission, release and spread of substances hazardous to health.

  2. Take into account all relevant routes of exposure – inhalation, skin absorption and ingestion – when developing control measures.

  3. Control exposure by measures that are proportionate to the health risk.

  4. Choose the most effective and reliable control options which minimize the escape and spread of substances hazardous to health.

  5. Where adequate control of exposure cannot be achieved by other means, provide, in combination with other control measures, suitable personal protective equipment.

  6. Check and review regularly all elements of control measures for their continuing effectiveness.

  7. Inform and train all employees on the hazards and risks from the substances with which they work, and the use of control measures developed to minimize the risks.

  8. Ensure that the introduction of control measures does not increase the overall risk to health and safety.

If employers apply the principles correctly, exposure should be below any relevant WEL. Control by personal protective equipment should only be used when other measures are not reasonably practicable. The list of WELs applies to concentrations of hazardous substances breathed in by the worker and are used to determine the adequacy of control measures. There are several publications which give advice and guidance on what is required under the COSHH Regulations.