COSHH Assessment Templates and Documents

As far as health and safety document go, a COSHH assessment is quite specific in that there is a strict set requirements that must be met. COSHH assessments must include:

• The Substance/material/product
• The suppliers/manufacturers address and phone number
• Any hazardous contents or ingredients
• If there is a work exposure limit and, if so, what it's set at
• Where the product is used
• How the product is used
• Product hazard levels
• The product's state
• Include any caution symbols that the product displays or that are displayed on the products safety data sheet
• Include any PPE to be used in conjunction with the product and the way or place that it should be used
• Health risks or hazards the product may have
• First aid and emergency measures
• Spillage and environmental data
• Fire and fire-fighting details

COSHH assessments informs people of the hazards of a substance and what PPE to wear in order to reduce risk of contact or exposure, but more than that, COSHH assessments inform of the correct way to dispose of a substance, and what to do if things go wrong. 

COSHH assessments hold essential information for hospitals, first aiders, fire marshals and firefighters, including correct fire extinguishing equipment, whether toxic gasses will be released on combustion, and which breathing apparatus to use.

The reason that a COSHH assessment are so comprehensive is that the products are actively being used, and there may not be an alternative, safer substance. In these cases, operators must understand the risks and hazards posed by using the substance to minimise risks. 

COSHH stands for Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations. Health and safety regulations define substances as solid, liquid, gas or vapour, including micro-organisms, products that are supplied and by-products that have been produced due to the task in hand.

A COSHH assessment is a health and safety document specifically relating to a single substance. As an example, you couldn't write a generic COSHH assessment for plaster. Instead, you would need to write one for multi-finish plaster, one for bonding plaster, one for browning etc. 

Even if a substance that you use doesn't pose an obvious hazardous to your health, a COSHH assessment must still be created to ensure that it is not hazardous.