C.O.S.H.H. 

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

Why COSHH matters

Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put people’s health at
risk, so the law requires employers to control exposure to hazardous substances to
prevent ill health. They have to protect both employees and others who may be
exposed by complying with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations 2002 (COSHH) (as amended).

COSHH is a useful tool of good management which sets eight basic measures that
employers, and sometimes employees, must take. These are set out in this leaflet
with a simple step-by-step approach which will help you to assess risks, implement
any measures needed to control exposure and establish good working practices.
If you as an employer fail to adequately control hazardous substances, your
employees or others may become ill. Effects from hazardous substances range
from mild eye irritation to chronic lung disease or, on occasions, death.

This may:

• result in lost productivity to your business;
• leave you liable to enforcement action, including prosecution under the COSHH
  Regulations;
• result in civil claims from your employee
• There can be positive benefits to your business from carefully following through the
  requirements of COSHH:
• improved productivity as a result of using more effective controls (eg less use of
  raw material);
• improved employee morale;
• better employee understanding and compliance with health and safety
  requirements.

Details of all publications mentioned here are available direct from the HSE website.