Risk assessment COSHH

Foreseeable hazards associated with the operation (cross-reference to the risk assessments, COSHH assessments, manual handling assessments, etc.)... 

Major hazard aspects of the transport of dangerous substances 1991 Recommendations for training users of non-agricultural pesticides Health surveillance under COSHH. Guidance for employers Anaesthetic agents. Controlling exposure under COSHH Risk assessments of notified new substances... 

All methods should be carried out only by competent persons and with adequate supervision when necessary. All obligations under The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH), should be observed, and risk-assessment documentation completed. Appropriate personal protective equipment should be provided and worn whenever recommended. Persons carrying out the procedures in this manual do so entirely at their own risk, and neither the author, publishers, or anyone mentioned in, or connected with this publication can be held in any way responsible for any accidents no matter how caused. 

Flammable substances used and stored in the laboratory are also subject to further risk assessment and control in UK law under the the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the COSHH Regulations 2002, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR), and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 (COSHH) are set out under the HSWA and protect workers against risk to health from exposure to substances in the workplace. A risk assessment is required and must be made available to workers, with training given to those who might be exposed to such substances. The HSE is the competent authority for CHIP and COSHH in the United Kingdom. 

Act (1974) provides the main framework for health and safety, it is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations of 1994 and 1996 that impose strict legal requirements for risk assessment wherever chemicals are used. Within this context, the use of the terms hazard and risk are very important. A hazardous substance is one that has the ability to cause harm, whereas risk is about the likelihood that the substance may cause harm. Risk is often associated with the quantity of material being used. For example, a large volume of a flammable substance obviously poses a greater risk than a very small quantity. Your laboratory will operate its own safety scheme, so ensure that you are aware of what it is and follow it. 

Prior to commencing any experimentation, you are required to complete a hazard and risk assessment of the chemicals and apparatus that you will use, i.e. a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessment (see Chapter 1). 

Risk Assessment, Occupational Exposure Limits and the UK COSHH Regulations... 

These regulations were made undo- the authority of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and came into force from October 1989. They set up a basic framework allowing the United Kingdom to comply with EC health and safety directives. COSHH requires employers to assess risks from hazardous substances used in the workplace. A written risk assessment is required which is specific to each workplace this written assessment must be available to employees. These assessments are subject to examination by Health and Safety Executive inspectors. 

A contributory reason for the decline after 1993 may have been the introduction of the MHSW Regulations 1992, which required risk assessment and some notices for failure to undertake risk assessment in relation to hazardous substances may have been served under Regulation 3 of these Regulations. A further influence on the overall decline of notices served under COSHH was also likely to be the decline in the numbers of notices issued on... 

COSHH Essentials The HSE COSHH Essentials scheme provided guidance to chemical users - especially those in small and medium sized firms - through making available materials as aids to risk assessment and control along the lines described in the previous section. 

It is important to remember that all these tests should be preceded by an appropriate risk assessment in order to implement all the reasonable health and. safely measures. For instance the use of such toxic chemicals as dichloromethane is the subject of COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) regulation. Other activities where latent energy is involved, as in the application of hydrostatic pressure, and scattering of specimen debris from a fracture test, also pose a degree of hazard. Obviously the full circumstances are best known to the actual people engaged in any specific work, and therefore they are best placed to conduct a risk assessment and establish appropriate health and safety measures practices. 

A step by step guide to COSHH 5 steps to risk assessment... 

A risk assessment to comply with the UK COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health) regulations is more easily undertaken when handling chemicals for example. It can often be readily estimated whether a given emission from an operation will exceed the accepted occupational exposure limit (OEL). If it is well below the figure, then no further action is necessary. 

All hazardous and harmful materials are identified and the risks to people assessed. COSHH assessments are provided and the appropriate controls are implemented. Health surveillance is provided as necessary. 

The risk assessments carried out under the MHSW and COSHH regulations should show whether there any specific risks in the workplace. The following should be considered ... 

Before any roof work is started, a risk assessment should be undertaken. This should include an assessment of the structural integrity of the roof and the methods to be used to repair the roof and a COSHH assessment of any hazardous substances to be used. The risk assessment should be followed by the provision of a method statement by the sub-contractor. This should be examined to ensure a safe method of working is proposed and which does not conflict with other sub-contractors. Only competent and trained workers should be employed for roof work and any equipment used should be suitable for the job. 

Other risk assessments, such as COSHH, personal protective equipment and manual handling, should be appended to the method statement. 

A COSHH assessment Is very similar to a risk assessment but is applied specifically to hazardous substances. There are six stages to a COSHH assessment ... 

The 2002 COSHH Regulations have updated the 1999 Regulations with a few changes which include additional definitions like inhalable dust and health surveillance clarifying and extending the steps required under risk assessment introducing a duty to deal with accidents and emergencies. 

Regulation 7(7)(b) requires that the WEL must not be exceeded. The conditions described in 7(7)(c) are as follows for a substance that carries a risk phrase R42, R42/43, R45, R46 or R49 for a substance listed in schedule 1 of COSHH for a substance which is listed in section C of HSE publication Asthmagens Critical assessments of the evidence for agents implicated in occupational asthma or any other substance which the risk assessment has shown to be a potential cause of occupational asthma, the exposure must be reduced below that limit to as low as is reasonably practicable. 

The assessment should be recorded to document the conditions foxmd -both good and bad - and the actions that were judged to be necessary to reduce any risk. If conditions change within the plant or process, the COSHH assessment should be reviewed and may need to be repeated. Advice and guidance on carrying out risk assessments are contained in HSE publications. ... 

The risk assessment should identify the need for health surveillance under specific legislation, e.g. COSHH (see earlier section). The employer should also provide health surveillance where ... 

Health surveillance may already be required in order to comply with existing legislation, such as the COSHH. However, it may also be necessary where the risk assessment under these Regulations indicates that ... 

Risk assessment is the basis of the Regulations which came into operation on 1 January 1993. However, this duty is not new. Health risk assessments are required under the COSHH Regulations 1988 and hearing risk assessments under the Noise at Work Regulations 1989. The duties under the 1992 six jCm pack legislation are outlined below. 

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