COSHH Assessment Templates and Documents

A COSHH assessment is a health and safety document required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations. These regulations apply to any products or materials you use in your workplace, and it is mandatory to carry out a COSHH Assessment for each. A COSHH Assessment aims to identify any potential hazards associated with a product, even if it contains no hazardous ingredients. This is because a product's entire composition and usage can potentially cause harm, and it is only after a thorough COSHH Assessment that we know if it poses a risk to our health and safety.

A COSHH Assessment, essentially a risk assessment, is a vital tool that enables us to identify potential hazards and evaluate and control the risks associated with using a specific product. Taking this process seriously is of utmost importance as it enables us to minimise the risks of exposure to hazardous substances. It also demonstrates our commitment to actively safeguarding our health and safety in the workplace.

It's important to note that health hazards extend beyond substances labelled 'hazardous'. Some harmful substances can be generated by your processes, such as wood dust from sanding and silica dust from tile cutting. Understanding this broad definition of 'hazardous substances' is crucial for a comprehensive COSHH Assessment.

COSHH assessments help us identify which products and work systems can produce hazardous substances. Whenever possible, we should prevent exposure to these substances by substituting dangerous products with safer alternatives and changing work systems to reduce the risk of exposure.

Download your free COSHH Assessment template here. And use the video below to help create your own COSHH Assessments.

Regarding health and safety documents, a COSHH Assessment is quite specific in that a strict set of requirements 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 workplace 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 product 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 does not cover the following:

• Asbestos
• Lead products
• Radioactive substances