COSHH assessment
COSHH assessment is a procedure of identifying hazard and assessing risk, which is based on Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations issued in 2002 in United Kingdom. It is necessary to state that this procedure doesn't cover all the risk management issues, and hazards are not limited to hazardous substances.
The COSHH regulations cover several types of substances that are hazardous to health including: chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours, mists, nanotechnology, gases and germs. It doesn't cover e.g. lead, asbestos or radioactive substances.
In United Kingdom regulations apply to all enterprises, including SME sector. In case of the smallest enterprises, that have no employees (only owner) some requirements are excluded (e.g. monitoring or health surveillance).
Assessment procedure
The procedure of assessment consists of several steps:
- Identification of substances
- Determining whether the substance is harmful to health
- Determining when the exposure to the substance can happen
- Review of records about accidents
Identification of substances
The walk around the workplace should help detect any substances that are hazardous to health. The source of hazard can be e.g. process during which some dust of fume is emitted. It is important not to limit a list of substances to those that are stored in the enterprise only. It is necessary to look at process of work. Most of the fumes and mists are not stored, but thay arise in process. They also are hazardous to health.
Determining whether the substance is harmful to health
Analysis of safety data sheet or trade magazines can help in assessment of typical substances. But some substances that arise from production processes have no safety data sheet. In that case it is necessary to find data on Health and Safety Executive website or ask professional consultant for help. Examples of substances that have no safety data sheet are: fumes from welding or gases from silage.
Determining when the exposure to the substance can happen
Not only identification of substances is important. For each hazardous substance there should be noted in which jobs or tasks the employee can be exposed. In case of such substances, most of the companies have already some control measures in use. They also should be described.
Review of records about accidents
Review of records about accidents can help in a fuller identification. An accident book or similar document can help remind about past situations related to hazardous substances.
Dealing with hazards, limiting risks
There are several ways of limiting risks related to hazardous substances, e.g.:
- Substitution - some substances can be substituted with another, which present less risk or are not hazardous to health. That solves the problem, however it is not always possible.
- Limiting exposure - only about 500 substances have Workplace Exposure Limits. For those substances proper monitoring procedure is required. The employees can be exposed by breathing, skin contact, injection into the skin or swallowing.
- Chemical safety data sheets - they contain information about hazards related to substances. Every chemical that is sold and can be dangerous should have such information. The sheet doesn't contain risk analysis - it can only serve as the source of information.
- Control measures - the control measures can use control equipment, describe procedures of control or describe worker behaviour. The control equipment can help to detect that substance (e.g. fume) is present in the workplace. The procedures can describe how qualified employees should control substances, how they should be trained and supervised. Sometimes it is sufficient if workers are trained to behave properly, e.g. wear personal protective equipment, use control equipment, follow hygiene procedures.
- Permits to work - In case of high risk, some more strict control can be required. The permit to work is a procedure that authorises employees to carry out tasks. It describes for how long the task can be performed.
- Personal protective equipment are e.g.: respirators, protective gloves, clothing, footwear, eye protection. It is necessary to determine whether using of PPE is necessary and what type of it should be used. It is important to train workers in using PPE. The PPE should fit correctly, be comfortable, compatible with other PPEs, not interfere with job being done.
- Monitoring - monitoring is necessary to check whether control is adequate, control and protective equipment works well enough. It doesn't cover worker's health.
- Health surveillance - the result of surveillance should be information about employees' health, which helps protect them from additional risks.
- Training for employees - well trained employees know how to behave when using hazardous substances, therefore the risk of accident decreases. Employees should be aware what hazards and risks are, what are exposure limits, how they should protect themselves, what are results of health surveillance, etc.
- Dealing with emergencies - The emergency procedures to cope with foreseeable accidents, incidents or emergencies should be prepared and trained.
Examples of COSHH assessment
- Identifying hazardous chemicals and materials in the workplace: Conducting a COSHH assessment helps to identify hazardous chemicals and materials that are present in the workplace, and assess potential risks associated with their use. This can involve inspecting the workplace and reviewing any relevant health and safety policies.
- Assessing the risks of hazardous substances: A COSHH assessment also involves assessing the potential risks of hazardous substances that are present in the workplace. This includes looking at the type of chemical or material, its use, and any potential health effects that may result from exposure.
- Establishing safety procedures: Once potential risks have been identified, COSHH assessments can be used to develop appropriate safety procedures to minimize any potential health risks. This can involve providing employees with the necessary information and training, as well as implementing control measures such as wearing protective clothing and equipment.
- Monitoring employees' health: COSHH assessments can also be used to monitor employees health to check for any signs of health problems associated with hazardous substances. This can involve conducting regular health checks and keeping track of any reports of health problems or incidents.
Advantages of COSHH assessment
A COSHH assessment provides a number of advantages, including:
- Identification of hazardous substances and other related risks to ensure the safety of workers and other people who may come into contact with them.
- Establishing control measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of exposure to hazardous substances.
- Ensuring that appropriate safety equipment is used to protect workers from hazardous substances.
- Identification of potential sources of contamination, such as ventilation systems and contaminated floors.
- Monitoring of the workplace environment to identify any areas where the concentration of hazardous substances is too high.
- Education of workers on the risks associated with hazardous substances and how to protect themselves from them.
- Keeping records of all hazardous substances and their associated risks.
- Ensuring that workers are aware of the risks associated with hazardous substances and know how to use the necessary safety equipment.
Limitations of COSHH assessment
- COSHH assessment does not cover all risks and hazards, and is limited to hazardous substances. It does not assess the risks of physical hazards such as noise, vibration, radiation or biological agents.
- It does not take into account the potential risks of hazardous substances that are encountered in the workplace.
- COSHH assessment does not provide complete information on the potential health impacts of a hazardous substance, or the measures that should be taken to control the risk.
- It does not provide a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impacts of hazardous substances.
- It does not provide information on the long-term effects of exposure to hazardous substances.
- COSHH assessment does not take into account any additional risks that may be posed by the combination of different hazardous substances.
- It does not provide information on the safe handling and disposal of hazardous substances.
- Risk Assessment - Risk assessment is a process of identifying and evaluating potential risks, and then taking steps to reduce or eliminate them. It involves assessing the likelihood of an event occurring, and the severity of its consequences. Risk assessment needs to be conducted regularly to ensure the safety of workers.
- Hazard Identification - This is the process of identifying potential hazards in the workplace. It involves identifying the source of the hazard, assessing the likelihood and severity of the hazard and determining the risk associated with it.
- Control Measures - Control measures involve taking steps to reduce or eliminate the risk associated with the hazard. These can include implementing engineering controls, administrative controls or personal protective equipment.
- Training - Training is an important part of risk management. Workers should be trained on the hazards present in their workplace and the control measures that need to be taken to reduce or eliminate potential risks.
In summary, COSHH assessment is a procedure of identifying hazard and assessing risk based on UK legislation. Other approaches related to COSHH assessment include risk assessment, hazard identification, control measures and training. These approaches are essential for ensuring the safety of workers and reducing the risk of accidents.
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References
- COSHH, Health and Safety Executive
- COSHH Assessment, University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering Health & Safety
- COSSH Risk Assessment, Newcastle University, Occupational Health & Safety Service
Author: Slawomir Wawak
