The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, or COSHH, are the regulations that

require all employers to ensure that they are sufficiently controlling harmful
substances in the workplace.

A chemical risk assessment needs to be created before any particular task is carried
out that uses, involves or exposes employees to substances that are hazardous to
their health.

A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what could cause harm

to peoples health when they're carrying out a task. You're then able to
determine whether you have already taken adequate precautions, or that
you need to do more to prevent harm to health.

It entails:

1. Identifying the specifics of a task, and outlining the details of that task being
carried out.

2. Identifying the hazards.

3. Deciding who might be harmed, and how.

4. Evaluating the risks and deciding on controls and precautions.

5. Implementing the controls required to reduce risk.

6. Reviewing the assessment, monitoring controls, and updating, where necessary.

Best Practices:

 Read the product label and follow directions, as instructed.

 Store chemicals in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.
 Wear appropriate personal protective equipment as listed on the label.
 Keep spilt materials isolated, and follow label directions for clean-up and disposal
 Always follow the product label and safety data sheet instructions regarding
disposal.
 Keep containers covered to protect chemical products from moisture and other
contaminants.
 Ensure you have emergency plans and conduct regular drills.
  Where possible, buy only the amount of a substance you will need and use.
 Use up any leftover materials you have before buying new.

Course Structure:

The course is structured into 8 sections that cover eight simple steps to creating a

chemical risk assessment.

Learning outcome:

 understand the chemicals you use in your company,

 what safety precautions you need to adopt when using those substances, and
 you will be competent in implementing this information into your chemical
risk assessments.

What is COSHH?
COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and is a body of
regulations that requires employees to control exposure to hazardous substances in
their workplace. The COSHH legislation in Great Britain is enforced by the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE), and Local Authorities (LAs).

Other countries have similar enforcement bodies. For example, the enforcement body
for the United States is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

You can prevent or reduce workers exposure to hazardous substances by:

1. Identifying health hazards.

2. Deciding how to prevent harm to health.

3. Providing control measures to reduce the risk of harm.

4. Making sure implemented controls are used.

5. Keeping all control measures in good working order.

6. Providing information, instruction, and training for employees and others.

 7. Providing exposure monitoring and health surveillance in appropriate cases.

8. Planning for emergencies.

In the above picture:

1. Identifying health hazards: Chemical spash/vapour can be inhaled or come into

eye contact
2. Deciding how to prevent harm to health: Local exhaust ventilation and PPE
3. Providing control measures to reduce the risk of harm: Local exhaust ventilation,
PPE distribution
4. Making sure implemented controls are used: Monitoring to ensure
established controls are effective and being used
5. Keeping all control measures in good working order: Inspect \ppe and ventilation
condition
6. Providing information, instruction, and training for employees and others:
Training lab employees on PPE use and
7. Providing exposure monitoring and health surveillance in appropriate cases:
Measure WEL and annual health checkup
8. Planning for emergencies: Eye wash facility

Hazard:

The term 'hazard' is used to describe anything that can cause harm.

Therefore, a 'substance hazardous to health' is something that could cause harm to

anyone who comes into contact with it. That could include illness, injury, or physical
harm of any kind.
Risk:

A risk is the likelihood or probability that the hazard will cause actual harm.

Health hazards caused by substances do not change, but the level of risk changes
depending on the way that the substance is used or managed in the workplace.

Hazard- Constant
Vs

Risk-Varies based on 03 Criteria

Control level e.g. best PPE, Latest Ventilation, Auto dosing system

Method of use e.g. High concentration, Improper TDS follw etc.

User e.g. Pregnant women, Young worker etc

Pregnant Nursing
Sick

Some Real Health and Safety

Statistics
Respiratory Diseases Vehicle spray painters and bakers
have the highest rates of asthma
Contact dermatitis, caused by irritants or Beauticians, cooks, hairdressers,
allergens. and florists have the highest rates of
 dermatitis.
Mesothelioma (cancer) caused by past Silica, diesel engine exhaust and
exposure to asbestos. mineral oils were amongst the top
categories for occupational cancer

Part 02

Deciding who will Carry out the

Assessment
Small Business and Simple Tasks With risks that are less serious, or simple
to understand, there will be less of a need
for technical expertise in occupational
hygiene to complete suitable and
sufficient assessments.
Larger Companies and More Greater variety of situations will usually
Complex Tasks require a range of different skills and
knowledge from different individuals

What could be a Hazardous

Substances?
 Substances used directly when carrying out tasks (e.g. adhesives, paints, or
cleaning agents).

Directly used
 Substances generated whilst carrying out work (e.g. fumes from soldering or
welding).

Fume generated during process

 Biological agents such as bacteria and other micro-organisms.

Biological hazard virus

 Naturally occurring substances (e.g.

grain dust).

Grain Dust
What Forms can Hazardous
Substances Take?

Liquid Form
Hazardous liquids include solvents and detergents. 

Common products that contain solvents in the workplace include:

 Cleaning and de-greasing materials.

 Paints, lacquers, and varnishes.

 Paint removers.

 Adhesives.

 Inks.

Solid Forms
Hazardous solids that you may find in your workplace include:

 Broken glass.

 Rat poison.
Dusts and Powders
A 'powder' is the fine, dry form of a substance such as quick lime (calcium
oxide) that is added to cement. It is a dry substance and has been processed
into the finest particles. This is hazardous if it's inhaled.

'Dust' is an undesirable by-product of handling, and is harmful because if it is

inhaled it tends to stay in the lungs for life.

Common hazards include:

 Coal dust is a particular hazard for miners.

 Organic dust; such as grain dust, mushroom dust, or malt dust which are
commonly encountered by farmers.

 Silica particles associated with quarrying, stone cutting and potting, and
sandblasting.

 Wood dust associated with joinery and construction.

 Leather and rubber dust associated with shoe manufacturing.

Vapour
You may encounter solvents or adhesives in vapour form, which is just as
hazardous as in liquid form.

Gases
Hazardous gases may be given off as the by-product of your work activities,
such as welding.

Fumes
Exposure to hazardous gases in the workplace could include:

 Carbon monoxide from car exhausts or faulty gas appliances.

 Fumes released from chemicals, such as ammonia.

Biological Agents
Biological agents include bacteria, viruses or fungal spores.

These are present in a wide range of workplaces where humans and animals
are found and are particularly hazardous because unlike other hazardous
substances, they can reproduce.

Occupational Risk
There are many different hazardous substances in day-to-day work tasks
across a broad range of occupations, each varying in the level of hazard. This
is described as occupational risk.

To be properly aware of substances that could be hazardous to your health,

you need to be familiar with the different forms that these substances could
take.

Let's take a look into each of the hazardous activities below to get a better
understanding of these occupational risk substances.

Substances Used Directly in Work

Activities
Substances used directly in work activities, such as paints or cement products, are
hazardous as they cause severe dermatitis (redness and itching of the skin) if the
substance makes contact with the skin.

Extra care must be taken when using substances such as spray paints as
they can cause respiratory sensitization (asthma and coughing) following
inhalation.

Substances Generated During

Work Activities
Substances generated during work activities, such as welding, can produce metal
fumes.

These fumes can then be inhaled and can contribute to some cancers.

Naturally Occurring Substances

Naturally occurring substances can be produced during activities such as working with
animals. Grain dust, animal/poultry dander, feathers, and dry waste are all examples of
naturally occurring substances.

These substances can cause lung diseases and irritate existing conditions, like asthma.

Biological Agents
Biological agents are found in abattoirs or in livestock handling. These hazardous
substances can cause infectious diseases or degenerative nervous diseases as a result
of poor hygiene.

Regular hand washing can help to control exposure.

Routes of Entry
Hazardous substances can enter the body in a number of different ways -
ranging from inhalation through to the food that we eat when at work.

Inhalation
The most common route of entry is breathing in hazardous substances in the form of
vapours, gases, fumes, or dust.
Once inhaled, some substances can attack the nose, throat, or the lungs. Others can
enter the body through the lungs and pass into the bloodstream, therefore potentially
harming other parts of the body - for example, the liver, kidneys, and even the brain.

To help prevent this, it is important that work areas are well-ventilated to ensure that
hazardous substances are not inhaled.

Ingestion
Hazardous substances can enter the body through the mouth, through
inadvertent swallowing.

It is therefore essential that any dangerous substances are kept away from
areas where food and drink might be. This prevents, or adequately reduces,
the risk of contamination.

It's extremely important to wash your hands to remove harmful substances

that may be on them before eating to avoid consuming them.

Absorption
The skin offers great protection against hazardous substances entering the
body, but contact with some hazardous substances can damage the skin.
Other substances can even pass through the skin and into the bloodstream.

The skin can become contaminated by:

  Direct contact - touching it, or dipping your hands into it.

 Splashing.

 Airborne dust.

 Contaminated surfaces.

 Poor PPE - inappropriately selected protective equipment, such as gloves made of

the incorrect materials.

Sometimes, visible changes to the skin cannot be seen, but in most cases, contact with
substances will cause noticeable conditions such as dermatitis.

A simple measure to avoid this would be to wear adequate gloves when handling
hazardous substances.

Injection
The protective barrier of the skin to hazardous substances may be
compromised if the skin is forcefully broken in some way - for example, a
simple cut, or by accidental injection of a needle or other sharp object.

This can cause hepatitis C infections, or more severe complications from

very harmful substances, such as drugs.

It's important to look out for anything that could accidentally pierce the skin,
such as rusty nails.

Starting a New Assessment

lubricating a door hinge with WD40 

you need to consider:

What are the task specifics?

For our lubricating  a door hinge with WD40  chemical risk
assessment, we outline the task like this:

1. Open the door to at least 90 degrees to expose hinge(s).

2. Remove the red straw from the side of aerosol and push one end into
the aerosol nozzle.
3. Spray two quick sprays of WD40 in quick succession directly onto the
hinge(s).

4. Open and close the door to work the WD40 into the hinge(s).

5. If required, repeat steps 3 and 4.

6. Lightly dab the hinge with a paper towel to remove any excess WD40.

7. When finished, replace the red straw and ensure the aerosol cap is
replaced.

8. Store the can in an adequate storage cabinet when not in use.

9. Now we know what the task involves, you can add this to the task details area
of your assessment. You can emphasise headings and crucial information by
changing text formatting, colour, and size.
10. You can also add images, tables, and you can even insert hyperlinks to
link to additional content if the viewer is reading the assessment on a computer,
phone, or tablet.
11. The screenshot below displays the task details section of the lubricating
a door hinge with WD40 assessment, displaying a bold title, a simple image of
the task, and the list of task instructions that we discussed on the last page.
12. It also contains a hyperlink that allows readers to watch a YouTube video
of the task being carried out.

13. Once your assessment is published, this section in the

final document will look like this:
 Who could be affected when this task is carried out?

Evaluating Risks to Groups or

Individuals
As chemical safety requires you to take precautions to protect every
employee, in many cases, the risks to each individual can be determined by
considering groups with the same or similar working characteristics. This
means that you can concentrate on a few people who are representative and
typical of each group.

For example: in a factory making footwear, shoes are assembled on

production lines. At each stage in the line, a number of workers carry out
identical work. In this case, it is not necessary to assess individual exposures
to arrive at reliable conclusions for all the members of the group.

So now let's think of the groups (or individuals) that could be affected by the
task as it is carried out.

Examples of these include:

 Employees.

 Operators.

 On-site contractors.

 Site visitors.

 Lab users.

 Disabled individuals.

 New and expectant mothers.

 Members of the public.

 Teachers or students.

If applicable, remember to review the task being carried out in different

locations and situations, such as indoor, as well as outdoors. Also, consider
everyone else that could potentially be affected.
 What are the chances of being Exposed to
Hazardous Substances?
To understand the chances of being exposed to hazardous substances, let's consider the following
two questions. Also, we need to keep in minds the various ways harmful exposures can occur.

1. Do people work with the substances directly?

2. Are they nearby the substance when it is handled, transported, used, worked upon,
collected, packed, stored, disposed of, discharged, or give off, etc, or is it simply present
in the environment?

Let's look at a textile company using a number of reactive dye powders. These dyes are potent
respiratory sensitisers that require a high standard of control.

As well as those working directly with the powders, the following are examples of others that are
potentially at risk of exposure:

 Dye storekeeper.

 Maintenance staff.

 Cleaners.

 Workers adjacent to weighing and mixing stations.

People Affected

In the assessment details area of our assessment, we can specify exactly who would

need consideration as the task is being carried out.

Entries can be easily selected from the pre-populated drop-down list in the people
affected area.

In the screenshot below, you can see the people affected element of the assessment

details section on the lubricating a door hinge with WD40 assessment.
You can see we have added operators and employees.

The Effects of Exposure

Exposure to hazardous substances through the various routes of exposure
we have discussed, such as absorption or inhalation, can result in harmful
effects on your body and overall health.

There are three different types of effect;

Short term Effect Intermediate Effect Long Term Effect

Short-Term Effects
The first of the three types of effects are short-term. Exposure to some
hazardous substances can cause acute effects.

Acute effects are immediate effects on the body that lingers for only a short
amount of time.

The effects include a variety of symptoms, such as:

 Headaches.

 Dizziness.
  Nausea.

 Eye irritation.

 Burns.

 Unconsciousness.

Intermediate Effects
Intermediate effects due to the exposure of hazardous substances do not
appear immediately - usually, only a short while longer than acute effects.

Once developed, these kinds of effects of exposure can stay with the
individual for a long time, but symptoms usually stop when contact stops.

Intermediate effects can affect different people in different ways.

They include the following conditions:

 Dermatitis.

 Asthma.

 Allergic reactions.

Long-Term Effects
Long-term or chronic effects of exposure to hazardous substances take a
significant period of time to develop.

There may be no accompanying short-term symptoms, which may indicate

future illness.

Long-term effects develop - often unnoticed - over a longer period of time.

They include the following problems:

  Cancer.

 Lung disease.

 Liver dysfunction.

 Kidney dysfunction.

Hazardous Substance Impacts on

the Skin
The impact of hazardous substances on the skin is often harmful and can
arise from a number of work situations.

Dermatitis is the inflammation of the skin and develops when hazardous

substances come into contact with it. When this happens in the workplace,
this is known as 'occupational dermatitis' or 'work-related dermatitis.'

Hazardous substances that may cause dermatitis included physical agents

such as rubber, chemicals, and biological agents such as bacteria, fungi,
and certain plants. Mechanical forces such as abrasion and vibration can
also cause inflammation of the skin.

Dermatitis
There are two types of dermatitis caused by exposure to hazardous
substances or mechanical forces. These are Irritant Contact
Dermatitis (ICD) and Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD).

 ICD may arise as a result of short or long-term exposure to hazardous

substances (such as cleaning products and materials) that can alter the outer
layer of the skin. This then increases the possibility of absorption.

 ACD develops in stages and begins with sensitisation. This is where an allergenic

substance is absorbed through the skin. The body responds to this, and then any
future contact with the substance can result in an allergic response such as
itching, redness, swelling, blisters, and pain.
 Hazardous Substance Impacts on
the Lungs
Your lungs are vital organs and any potential hazards that may occur causing
them to be damaged should be controlled and minimised.

Let's have a look at the following types of effects hazardous substances can
have on your lungs.

Damage Short-Term Effects Long-Term Effects

Lung Damage
Damage to the lungs and respiratory system is caused by breathing
in certain hazardous substances such as:

 Harmful gases.

 Fumes.

 Fine dust particles.

The effect of these substances in the workplace on the lungs can either
be acute or chronic (short or long-term).

Both acute and chronic effects on the lungs can cause serious damage and
ill-health. We will discuss these later on.

Short-Term Effects on the Lungs

Acute effects on inhaling hazardous substances can include headaches,
nausea (sickness) and asphyxia (choking).

Asphyxia can be caused by overexposure to gases such as nitrogen,

methane, and carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is commonly known for causing ill-health due to faulty

gas appliances. Carbon monoxide leaks are extremely dangerous.
Asphyxiation typically occurs when working in a confined space and
methane is present. Examples of confined spaces include sewer drains and
tunnels.

Long-Term Effects on the Lungs

Long-term effects of hazardous substances on the lungs are often related to
specific jobs and tasks.

These include:

 'Miner's lung' (pneumoconiosis).

 Breathing in silica particles from sandstone or granite mining (silicosis).

 Breathing in asbestos fibres (asbestosis).

 Lung cancer.

In addition, lungs can also become sensitised to substances breathed in

regularly over a period of time such as flour, grain, hay, wood, dust,
and soldering flux.

Sensitisation can cause rhinitis and conjunctivitis that produce short-term

effects such as a runny nose and itchy eyes. Long-term sensitisation can
cause occupational asthma.

Hazardous Substance Impacts on

the Kidneys and Liver
Engineers will use solvents such as carbon tetrachloride and toluene that
are found in cleaning and degreasing products every day.

Prolonged exposure to these vapours and absorption through the skin can
damage the kidneys and the liver.

If you swallow these particular hazardous substances the effect on your liver
and kidneys will be immediate and may cause severe poisoning. It can
cause partial or complete organic failure and death.
Hazardous Substance Impacts on
the Nervous System
The nervous system performs the regulatory function of the body, which
includes controlling the body's heart rate. The nervous system can be
affected by contact with substances such as carbon
monoxide, methanol, organic solvents, and benzene.

Identifying Hazardous Substances

Identifying substance hazards involves looking at separate task activities to
see which hazardous substances are present.

To do this, you need to think about the substances that could be generated
as the task is carried out, but it is extremely important to identify the
hazards associated with the substances that are introduced to the task.

What are Safety Data Sheets?

A safety data sheet is a document that gives a detailed description of

 a substance,

 advice on its properties and

 correct handling procedures.

Employers have a duty to inform individuals of the information on the data

sheets, which will help them to know what actions and measures to take to
minimise the risks to their health.

What does a Safety Data Sheet

Contain?
Each safety data sheet contains 16 sections.

These are listed below: 

 Identification.
1. 9. Physical and Chemical Properties.
10
2. Hazard(s) Identification. Stability and Reactivity.
.
11
3. Composition/Information on Ingredients. Toxicological Information.
.
12
4. First-Aid Measures. Ecological Information.
.
13
5. Fire-Fighting Measures. Disposal Considerations.
.
14
6. Accidental Release Measures. Transport Information.
.
15
7. Handling and Storage. Regulatory Information.
.
16
8. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection. Other Information.
.

Why are Safety Data Sheets so

Important?
Safety data sheets are very important when it comes to creating chemical
risk assessments.

A lot of people mistakenly think that a safety data sheet can be used as a
chemical risk assessment. Just to help clarify this query, a safety data
sheet cannot be used as a chemical risk assessment.

Safety data sheets cannot highlight task-based hazards and risks. Safety
data sheets will, however, indicate the hazards of a substance. It will also
highlight information regarding control and first-aid measures that can help
when assessing the risk of harm arising when the substance is used.

CLP Regulations
Different countries, in the past, had different systems for classification and labelling of
chemical products. This situation became expensive for governments to regulate and
enforce, making things very costly for companies who have to comply with many
different systems, and confusing for workers who needed to understand the hazards of
a chemical in order to work safely.
The CLP Regulation adopts the United Nations Globally Harmonised System (GHS) on
the classification and labelling of chemicals across the world.

Hazard Statements
A hazard statement is a phrase in the safety data sheet that describes the
nature of a hazard in the substance or mixture. A hazard statement will be
determined by the application of the classification criteria.

Examples of hazard statements include:

 Causes serious eye damage.

 Toxic, if swallowed.

 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.

 May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties, if inhaled.

Hazard statements replace the 'risk or R-phrase' used in CHIP (Revoked and

replaced by CLP in June 2015).

Precautionary Statements
A precautionary statement is a phrase that describes recommended
measure(s) to minimise or prevent adverse effects resulting from exposure
to a hazardous substance or mixture due to its use or disposal.

Examples of precautionary statements include:

 Wear eye protection.

 Do not eat, drink, or smoke when using this product.

 Avoid release to the environment.

 In case of inadequate ventilation wear respiratory protection.

Suppliers determine the appropriate precautionary statements based on the

required hazard statements.

Precautionary statements replace the 'safety or S-phrase' used in CHIP

(Revoked and replaced by CLP in June 2015).
Signal Words
The CLP Regulation also introduces two new signal words: 'Danger' and
'Warning.'

If the chemical has a more severe hazard, the label includes the signal
word Danger.

In the case of less severe hazards, the signal word used will be Warning.

Product Labelling
All commercially supplied hazardous chemicals are required to be labelled in a
standardised way.

1. Substance Name:

The name of the substance must be present, as well as any commonly used
alternative names (e.g. acetone/propane) or the trade name if it is a preparation
- for example, bleach/Domestos.

2. Hazard Symbol:

All labels must show the correct hazard symbol for the type of hazard being
presented.

3.  Signal Word:

A signal word may be present to help emphasise the hazards of a chemical and
indicate the relative level of hazard severity (lesser hazardous substances may
not display a signal word.)

4. Hazard Statements:

There must be a description of the type of hazard posed by the chemical.

5.  Precautionary Statements:
 
The product should also display warnings and safety advice as well as
recommendations of what to do in the event of an accident while using the
product. These provide useful information and advice for anyone using the
substance.
 6. The Supplier Details:

All labels should show the full name, address, and telephone number of the
supplier.

WD40 Safety Data Sheet

Substance Information

You are now familiar with GHS pictograms, signal words, hazard statements, and
precautionary statements outlined in a hazardous substance's safety data sheet.

If we now take a look at the WD40 safety data sheet we are using in our lubricating
a door hinge with WD40 assessment, the following can now be identified:

Assessment Implementation
Substance Information

The safety data sheet information we have just identified for WD40 can now be added
to our lubricating a door hinge with WD40 assessment.

Storing Hazardous Substances

As well as understanding various control measures, it is also very important
to know how hazardous substances should be stored. 
Storage Design and Information
Please note: Before deciding where to store hazardous substances,
you should first check the substance's safety data sheets and
product labelling to identify information regarding storage.

Making the above checks will highlight any special precautions that must be
taken in relation to the substance. For example; if a substance reacts with
water, it's paramount that it is stored away from all water sources.

Storage areas should be suitably designed and labelled. It is a good idea to

have copies of safety data sheets with stored substances.

Storage areas should be easily accessible, and there should be enough space
to store the substances separately. This will help to prevent substances from
being mixed together.

The Storage Environment

Containers used to store hazardous substances must be appropriate for the
substance itself.

Activities such as smoking, eating, and use of naked flames should be

prohibited near hazardous substance storage areas.

Appropriate signs and detection devices should be used to alert anyone near
the storage areas of harmful substances

Storing Safety Equipment

Equipment should also be made available near the storage area that will be
used to make the use of hazardous substances safer.

This equipment includes:

  Fire extinguishers.

 Emergency shower and eyewash solutions.

 Respirator and breathing apparatus.

 Personal protective equipment (PPE).

Storage of WD40
If we take another look at the safety data sheet of the WD40 we are using in
our lubricating a door hinge with WD40 assessment, we can see that there is a
precautionary statement that states 'P405 - Store locked up.'

These types of precautionary statements are a good indicator as to how a substance

should be stored when not in use.

If we explore the WD40 safety data sheet a little more, it also informs us to:

 Store in a dry place.

 Store cool.

 Store in a well-ventilated place.

Using this information, we can add additional storage information to the Spillage, Storage, and Waste area of
our WD40 substance in the substance information section of our assessment.

Spillage, Storage, and Waste

Earlier, we discussed the precautionary statements being added to the substance

details section of our assessment, and so the 'P405 - Store locked up' has already
been added.

The screenshot below displays the spillage, storage, and waste section of the WD40
substance in our assessment. Using the additional storage information we identified
(store in a dry place, store cool, store in a well-ventilated place), you can see that
a storage statement has been added. 
Task Hazards
We have discussed hazardous substances and how safety data sheets
provide us with information about the kind of hazards they present.

Now let's look at the hazards associated with the task - both the task hazards
that the substance introduces and the hazards by carrying out the task itself.

For example; a baker is creating a chemical risk assessment for the task of
making bread. While the assessment will include the warning and health
hazards of using the substance wheat flour to mix the dough, the
assessment would need to include task hazards such as 'high
temperature' and 'hot surface' when putting the dough into the oven.

Task  Hazard Examples

 WD40 Task Hazards
Now that we know what task hazards are, we can look at adding hazards to
our lubricating a door hinge with WD40 assessment.

Firstly, we would need to add the task hazards associated with the substance. 

These would be specified in the safety data sheet, and would include:

 Fatal, if swallowed.

 Extremely flammable material.

 May cause drowsiness and dizziness.

We could also include additional task hazards such as a 'Trapped finger warning' as
fingers could be trapped as the WD40 oil is worked into the hinge by opening and
closing the door, or if someone unknowingly tries to close the door from the other side.
Assessment Implementation
Task Hazards and Controls

The screenshot below shows the four identified hazards that have been added to
the task hazards and controls section of our assessment.

As you can see, each hazard has been added separately, allowing us to add controls to
them individually, and to assess each hazards risk.
 Hierarchy of Control Measures
Control measures are actions and/or activities that are taken to eliminate, or
at least to reduce, the occurrence of a hazard taking place.

Below you can see the order in which control measures should be
considered and carried out.

At the top, you can see Elimination, and at the bottom, we have personal

protective equipment.

It is far safer to eliminate the dangers first - rather than opt to simply wear
personal protective equipment.

1. Elimination:

Reviewing the substances and processes used in a workplace helps to identify

hazardous substances that are no longer necessary. Eliminating these hazardous
substances altogether will mean that control measures are no longer necessary
for them.

2.  Substitution:

The next way to reduce the risks from using a hazardous substance is to replace
it with a safer alternative. Water-based paints instead of solvent-based paints in
decorating is a good example of this.

3.  Enclosure:

Enclosure creates a physical barrier between the people at risk and the
hazardous substance or process. For example; total enclosure by using pipework
to deliver a liquid directly into a closed production unit.

4. Isolation:
 Isolation relates to moving a hazardous substance or process into a controlled
area. Procedures would need to be established, such as a 'permit to work'
system, for limiting controlled area access to those with training and authorised
people only.

5.  Local Ventilation:

Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems can be implemented to draw dust or

vapour through a small hood or booth. This will redirect hazardous vapours and
dust away from the worker before it can be inhaled.

6.  General Ventilation:

General ventilation, like opening a window, is a great way to provide a good

supply and circulation of fresh, clean air to help clear out minor air contaminants.

Controlling Substance and Task

Hazards
When carrying out a task, having controls in place will help to reduce risk!

We can implement a number of control types to reduce the likelihood of a substance or

task hazard from occurring. These control types
include prohibition and mandatory controls.

Controlling Substance and Task

Hazards
When carrying out a task, having controls in place will help to reduce risk!

We can implement a number of control types to reduce the likelihood of a substance or

task hazard from occurring. These control types
include prohibition and mandatory controls.
Control Measures in our
Assessment
If we look at the hazards in our assessment, we can implement controls to them to help
reduce the risk of them taking place.

Let's take a look at the flammable hazard. We need to introduce controls to this hazard

to help prevent a fire from occurring, and so we could implement the following controls:

 No smoking.

 No naked flames.

 Do not pierce or burn - even after use.

Making sure that no-one is allowed to smoke or use a naked flame anywhere near the task as it is being
carried out will dramatically reduce the chance of a fire taking place. Also stating that the WD40 aerosol must
not be pierced or burned will also reduce the risk.

Assessment Implementation
Task Hazards and Controls (continued...)
Now that we have identified the controls to help our flammable hazard from happening,
we can add them to the flammable substance hazard in our assessment. Once we
have added the pictorial for each control, we can modify the text associated with them
to define exactly what that control represents.

See the screenshot below to see what the implemented controls look like:

In the same manner, as above, controls would need to be added to all other remaining hazards in our
assessment, choosing appropriate control measures to reduce the risk of each hazard from happening.

Personal Protective Equipment

Another crucial type of control is personal protective equipment (PPE). Employers
are responsible for providing PPE.

PPE should be used when all other measures are inadequate to control exposure to
hazards. It protects only the wearer and only protects them while being worn. That said,
if PPE fails, it offers no protection at all.

There are a number of PPE types, including:

 Respirators and masks.

 Protective gloves.

 Protective and high visibility clothing.

  Protective footwear.

 Head protection.

 Eye protection.

When deciding about PPE, you can ask the substance supplier, the substance
manufacturer or your trade association the following: 

 Is it suitable for the conditions of the job?

 Does it offer the right level of protection?

 What sort of training or maintenance is required?

 How do I know when it needs replacing?

Protecting your Eyes

Similar to skin, our eyes are very delicate, and hazardous substances such as
liquids, dust, and fumes can irritate them. So it's important to take extra care
to avoid potential damage to them.

By wearing eye protection, we can protect them against any substance

splashes, or dust and fume exposure.

Washing your hands after coming into contact with harmful substances will
help to make sure you don't end up rubbing your eyes with contaminated
fingers

Assessment Implementation
Task Hazards and Controls (continued...)

If we look at the 'May cause drowsiness and dizziness' hazard in our assessment,

we could implement a PPE control that states that anyone carrying out the task should
wear a face mask to ensure they do not breathe in hazardous vapours.
 Maintaining Personal Protective
Equipment
As PPE is used on a daily basis, it can get quite dirty, or it can even become
faulty or damaged. All PPE items should be regularly cleaned, checked, and
maintained. It is very important to keep up-to-date records of all
maintenance.

Any problems or damage to PPE equipment should be reported immediately

to ensure it is repaired or replaced.

Having alert signs allocated around hazardous work environments will help
to caution team members and anyone close by to wear the correct PPE.

Making Sure Controls are Used

Where control measures are in place, it is important to make sure they are
being used, and secondly to ensure they are being used properly as
intended.

This includes:

 Wearing any PPE necessary.

 Using control equipment.

 Following hygiene procedures.

 Warning supervisors if anything appears to be wrong.

Supervision is a key method of ensuring controls and PPE are being used as day to day
tasks are carried out. A simple warning that random inspections are likely to occur can
help to make sure all controls in place are used.

Monitoring Exposure
Employers are legally required to ensure that exposure to task and
substance hazards is either prevented or properly controlled. To do this,
employers monitor the exposure to substances.

Methods to monitor exposure include checking to see if there are any

workplace exposure limits (WELs) to adhere to, ensuring records of them are
kept.

If exposure monitoring is not conducted internally by staff, the help of an

occupational health service can be used.

Examples of monitoring exposure are employers measuring the level of

exposure in the air in particular workspaces, or monitoring the level of noise
a worker is exposed to. Employers could even test workers' blood and urine
for the presence of harmful and by-product substances.

Assessing Risk
Once we have identified all hazards associated with the tasks, and we have
implemented all necessary controls to help reduce the risk of exposure to
those hazards, the last step is to then assess the risks.

The risk of Each hazard is assessed twice:

1. A risk rating before any controls are introduced to determine the true risk of a

hazard taking place with no controls to prevent it.

2. A risk rating after all controls have been implemented to demonstrate a risk

reduction made by the controls in place.

The after controls risk will always be less than the before controls.

For example; if we had a manual handling hazard associated with lifting a

heavy barrel, having controls in place such as training required and list
correctly would reduce the change of injury.
Risk Matrix
When we are assessing the risk for both before and after controls, we use a 5
x 5 Risk Matrix to determine the risk rating (between 1 & 25).

This matrix uses two key factors - the severity of harm and the likelihood

of harm.

Assessment Implementation
Task Hazards and Controls (continued...)

Now that we understand a little more about the theory of assessing the risk
of a hazard for both before and after controls, we can add before and after
risk ratings to all our hazards in our lubricating a door hinge with
WD40 assessment.

In the screenshot below, you can see that we have added a before
control risk value, and an after control risk value for each hazard.

We can see the risk reduction we have achieved by implementing controls. If you
look at the flammable hazard above, you can see that we have reduced the risk
rating before controls of 16 to an after controls rating of 8. This also means that we
have reduced the flammable hazard from high risk to medium risk.

Once you have exhausted all possible control

measures to help reduce the risk of a hazard,
you then need to prepare for hazard emergencies.
The goal of preparing for hazard emergencies is to mitigate the effects of the
incident, restore the situation to normal as soon as possible while limiting the
extent of any risks to health. Preparing in advance of an accident or
emergency is very important.

Emergency procedures could include:

 Warning and communication systems to ensure an immediate response.

 Making sure information on emergency arrangements is available to all who may

need it, including the emergency services.

 Frequent safety drills, where necessary.

Where applicable, an employer should also contact the local fire service and
offer to make available: 

 A copy of the emergency procedures.

 Details of the specific hazards likely to arise in the event of an accident, incident,
or emergency involving a substance hazardous to health at the workplace.

Spilliage
Spillages of large quantities of some hazardous substances need to be
treated with great care.

For example; if there were a large spillage of a cleaning product containing

ammonia, the fire and rescue services may need to be involved.

All team members should be aware of the procedures to deal with a spillage,
but it's likely that the clean-up would be the responsibility of some properly
trained individuals.

A spill kit of a suitable absorbent material could be used for spillages of

smaller quantities of non-fuming materials.
Chemical Splashes
If a hazardous chemical comes into contact with the skin, the recommended
procedure is to wash for a sustained period under running water.

If a chemical sticks to the skin, soap and gentle rubbing should be used to
remove it.

After you've washed, inspect the affected area of skin for reddening or
blistering, and if necessary, seek first-aid assistance.

If you are unsure what to do, always refer to the substance's safety data
sheet for more information.

Swallowing Chemicals or Getting them into the eyes

Getting a hazardous chemical in your eyes, or swallowing it are both
potentially very serious incidents.

If someone has swallowed chemicals, the procedure is to wash their mouth

out (without swallowing the water) and take the casualty to a hospital with
the full details of the substance(s) involved.

If the chemical has gone into someone's eyes, you should call for first-aid
while immediately washing their eyes in slowly flowing water with their
eyelids held back. After this initial treatment, the casualty should be taken to
a hospital with the full details of the substance(s) involved. This will help the
medical staff to act appropriately.

Inhaling hazardous gases

If a harmful gas has been inhaled, the first thing to do is to remove them
from the area of exposure so that they can inhale fresh air and exhale the
harmful substance. Outdoors may not always be appropriate. For example; if
there may also be contaminated air there from the leak.

It's a good idea to try and sit the casualty down to reduce their risk of harm
from fainting and make sure someone stays with them until first-aid arrives.

Spillage, Storage, and Waste (revisited)

Earlier in this course, we added storge information to the spillage storage and
waste section of our lubricating a door hinge with WD40 assessment.

The screenshot below shows the same spillage, storage, and waste section, but this
time you can see there are two more additions to it.

The spillage instructions have
been added to explain to the reader what to do if the substance is spilt.

We can also see that we have added the waste information. This informs the reader of
how to dispose of the WD40 aerosol when it is empty.

Remember, this type of information is added to each substance in your assessments.

Emergency Controls
In the event of an accident or emergency, immediate steps must be taken to
minimise the harmful effects.

As well as devising emergency procedures, you can also implement

emergency controls directly into your risk assessment, allowing anyone who
reads it to know exactly what to do if a potential emergency situation arises.

For instance; if there is a flammable hazard, a fire

extinguisher emergency control could be implemented into your
assessment as an emergency control.

The screenshot below shows the flammable hazard that we previously discussed and

implemented, along with its control in place.

As you can now see, the fire extinguisher control has been added to the emergency
controls sections. You will also notice that another emergency control has been added,
stating 'If medical advice is needed, have product container or label at hand.'

Anyone reading through this assessment will now be aware that a fire extinguisher will
be nearby in the event of a fire.
Just like we did earlier when adding the controls, we need to add emergency
controls into each hazard in our lubricating a door hinge with
WD40 assessment.

Health surveillance 

A system that is used to monitor if and how hazardous substances have

entered and affected the body. It will help to detect early signs of ill-health.

It is an optional requirement, but if confidence in hazard assessment

conclusions declines, the need for health surveillance will become
progressively more important. Types of health surveillance can include ear
tests for individuals working in loud environments, or regular health checks.

For example; a welder that is wearing all the correct PPE could be advised to
go for frequent eye tests to ensure there is no slow deterioration of their
eyesight as a result of prolonged exposure to bright lights and sparks.

First Aid
First-aid is very important within the workplace and can prevent a minor
injury from becoming a serious accident. There should be first-aid facilities in
all workplaces and they should be suited to the needs of the workplace, the
workforce, and the nature of the work carried out.

An assessment should be conducted to establish these requirements. First-

aid should be available to everyone in the workplace. Guidance on first-aid is
usually provided in a substance's safety data sheet and will contain all
relevant information.

As we discussed in the last section of this course, first-aid controls can be

implemented in your risk assessment.

 Chemical safety requires that employees are made aware of:

 The names of the substances to which they are liable to be exposed to, and the
risks to health created by exposure.

 Any relevant exposure limits or similar self-imposed (in-house) work standard

that applies to the substance.

 The information contained within the safety data sheets of substances being
used.

 The significant findings of the risk assessment.

 The precautions they should take to protect themselves and their fellow
employees.

 The results of any monitoring of exposure.

The principle here is to provide employees with information that is in a form

most appropriate to their immediate needs. Providing huge amounts of complex
and detailed technical information does not have many benefits, but access to
more detailed information should be provided for times when it is required. For
example; all team members need to have immediate access to all safety data
sheets of the substances they are using.

The extent of information, instruction and/or training required will be

dependent on the nature of the individual task or situation.
If there are few employees working lower risk situations, the requirements
can be met very simply. But on the other hand, larger and more varied
workforces, subject to greater risks, will require more attention for
instruction, information and training.

That said, employees who work under a minimum of supervision, the

provision of suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training
is especially important. They need to be capable of evaluating and
reacting correctly to exposure to hazardous substances on their own
initiative. They would not be able to achieve this unless they have the
necessary skills.

For example; an office typist is potentially exposed to fluid vapours and

ozone generated by photocopiers. The risks are very low and compliance
with simple instruction mounted on the photocopier and label
recommendations on the correction fluid is all that is required.

t is vital that all team members are fully trained to carry out a task safely.
Team members carrying out a task could be considered to be at a high level
of risk if they are not fully in tune with procedures of the task, the
environment condition hazards, and those hazards presented by the
substances they are using.

Before carrying out a task, it is important for all employees to ensure they
understand and acknowledge the contents of the task risk assessment. It is
also important for employers to ensure they obtain that acknowledgement
from their team members.

It is very common for an assessment to have a page to collect signatures of

all individuals who will be carrying out the task. This section of the
assessment is called the sign off sheet.

A sample of this statement could be:

'I confirm that I have read and understood the content of the above
assessment and that I have been instructed on the hazards and control
measures associated with the task, including the task-specific information.'

When all relevant information has been added to an assessment, the final
step is to publish it. This routine signs off the assessment to indicate that
the risk assessment is suitable and sufficient and all risks are considered to
be assessed and acceptable.

When publishing the assessment, a review date can be allocated to the

assessment to give the published document a period of validation. We will
talk more about assessment reviewing and review periods in the final section
of this course.

Publishing Assessment

Let's revisit our lubricating a door hinge with WD40 assessment. Now that we have
added all assessment content, and we are satisfied that it covers all task details,
hazards, controls, and risks, we can finish the process and publish the assessment.

The screenshot below shows the review and publish step of our assessment. We
can view a draft version of our assessment to view a proof of it first before
we publish it. 

Sign Off Sheet

We can also include a sign off sheet when we publish the assessment. Once the
assessment is published, the sign off sheet will be appended to the end of the
assessment.
There are no legal time frames for your risk assessments to be reviewed. It is
at your discretion to decide when a review is deemed necessary, but the risk
assessment is a working document and, as your business experiences
change, this information should be recorded and updated.

The review interval is not specified in the COSHH regulations, but the period
between the assessments last publish date and the next review will depend
on the extent of the risk, the work and the judgement on the likelihood of
changes.

As a guide, it is recommended by the HSE that risk assessments are

reviewed on an annual basis.

When it comes to reviewing a particular assessment, you will need

to consider the following:

 Have there been any significant changes?

 Have you introduced new substances to the task?

 Is there any new evidence about the hazards?

 Have any monitoring or health surveillance results show any loss of

control?
  Are there improvements that still need to be made?

 Have you and your team members spotted a problem?

 Have there been any accidents or near-misses that need to be

reviewed?

 Are there any additional vulnerable team members (such as

pregnancy)?

If the answer is yes to any of the above considerations, its time to review the
assessment.

A good thing to remember is that reviewing assessments does not mean

that the whole assessment process needs to be repeated. Instead, you
simply examine the existing assessment to check if it is still suitable and
sufficient. If it is, then you do not need to do any more, and you can
republish it.

On examination, if it appears that the assessment is no longer accurate, it

does not mean the whole assessment has to be revised. Only those parts
that do not reflect the new situation need amending before republishing.

Even if there are no real changes in the situation, please note that there is
an absolute requirement to review them on a regular basis. Without such
discipline, there is a danger that gradual change over time goes unnoticed and the
previous assessment revision becomes unsuitable and insufficient by default.