First published on Monday, January 20, 2025
Last updated on Monday, January 20, 2025
The 2002 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations were put in place to protect workers exposed to hazardous substances at work.
Their purpose is to ensure that you as an employer:
Assess the risks associated with substances and products
Prevent and control exposure to hazardous substances and byproducts
Reduce the risk of injury, illness, accidents and emergencies
That’s why we’re going to explore what COSHH means and how important COSHH training is for the health & safety of your workplace.
What does COSHH stand for?
COSHH stands for The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. There are many types of chemicals and substances used and or generated within work activities in a wide range of industries.
From products containing chemicals to fumes, dusts, and gases, COSHH covers a range of hazardous substances. According to the HSE these substances include:
Dusts
Fumes
Vapours
Mists
Gases
Biological agents
Germs that can cause disease
Chemicals as well as products which contain chemicals, such as cleaning products
Businesses can conduct a COSHH assessment to identify the hazards and risks from hazardous substances within the workplace. This can be done either by a competent member of staff or an external professional.
The eight principles of good control practice
The HSE has outlined eight principles to follow for the control of hazardous substances. They’re in no particular order, with each principle just as important as another:
Minimise emission, release and spread
Consider routes of exposure
Choose control measures proportionate to the risk
Choose effective control options
Personal protective equipment – the final control option
Review the effectiveness of controls
Provide information and training
New measures, new risks
One of these principles is to provide information and training for your employees. This is an important element of helping to implement control measures, protect staff from hazards, reduce risks, and keep your business compliant with COSHH regulations.
Failure to comply is a crime and could lead to a hefty fine.
The basics of COSHH training
Basic COSHH training must outline and explain the following information:
What hazards and risks employees face
The exposure limit required to protect staff
How to monitor exposure and the outcomes of doing so
Health surveillance
What to do if there is an accident or emergency in the workplace
Who needs to complete COSHH training?
Whether or not your employees require COSHH training will depend on their specific role. If they’re exposed to hazardous substances or products, or if they oversee the work of staff which generates hazardous substances, such as dust or gases.
COSHH training isn’t just applicable in typically “dangerous workplaces”, it can be required in places such as hair salons, bakeries, school canteens, and for cleaning roles.
Other types of substances hazardous to health:
While COSHH training is detailed and educational, it doesn’t cover all types of hazardous materials and substances.
Other relevant training courses for employees exposed to hazardous substances include:
Asbestos awareness training
Lead exposure training
Silica Awareness training
COSHH training online
Employees can complete COSHH training online. Covering the basics of COSHH helping them to identify, measure and control exposure to harmful substances.
Online training offers many benefits. For example, online courses can be completed at anytime from anywhere, making it a more accessible training solution for businesses with a greater demand for health & safety training.
With RoSPA Assurance, the BrightSafe Hazardous Substances e-learning course meets the high standards for technical content and compliance. Offering a detailed and engaging e-learning course that can be completed by a range of employees.
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