COSHH Regulations 2002 FAQs

COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. It refers to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, which require employers to assess, control, and reduce the risks from hazardous substances in the workplace to protect workers’ health.

For more information, please read our article, What is COSHH?

COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. COSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health.

The COSHH Regulations are the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

They require employers to:

• Identify hazardous substances in the workplace
• Assess the risks to health (COSHH assessments)
• Put control measures in place to prevent or reduce exposure
• Provide information, instruction, and training
• Monitor exposure and health where needed

The aim is to protect workers from ill health caused by hazardous substances.

The COSHH Regulations cover the control of substances hazardous to health in the workplace to prevent illness or injury. They include guidance on identifying hazardous substances, such as chemicals, fumes, dust, biological agents, and nanomaterials, and require employers to assess and manage the risks associated with exposure.

The regulations also mandate measures such as proper storage, labelling, safe handling practices, and the provision of protective equipment, training, and monitoring to ensure workplace safety.

The purpose of COSHH Regulations is to protect workers and others from health risks posed by hazardous substances in the workplace. They aim to ensure that these substances are properly identified, assessed, and managed to prevent illness, injury, or long-term health issues.

By enforcing safe practices, COSHH helps maintain a healthier and safer working environment.

COSHH was first introduced in 1988. It is now enforced through the updated Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, which replaced the original regulations and remain in force today.

COSHH does not cover:

• Asbestos (covered by separate asbestos regulations)
• Lead and lead compounds (covered by specific lead regulations)
• Radioactive substances (covered by radiation safety legislation)
• Substances that are hazardous only because they are flammable or explosive (covered under fire and explosives law)

However, most other hazardous chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours, and biological agents used at work are covered by COSHH.

Yes, COSHH regulations apply to cleaning products if they contain hazardous substances, such as strong acids, alkalis, or other chemicals that could pose health risks.

Employers must assess the risks associated with these products, provide appropriate training, and ensure safe storage, handling, and use. This includes supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary and ensuring employees understand the potential hazards and how to manage them safely.

Asbestos is not covered under COSHH regulations because it is specifically regulated by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 in the UK. These regulations provide detailed requirements for managing and working with asbestos to prevent exposure.

While COSHH deals with hazardous substances broadly, asbestos requires its own regulation due to the significant health risks it poses.

COSHH regulations generally do not apply to medications that are prescribed for personal use by individuals.

However, they do apply to hazardous substances, including some medications, when they are handled or used in a workplace setting, such as in pharmacies, hospitals, or laboratories. In these environments, employers must assess and control the risks associated with handling hazardous medications to protect workers’ health.

No, lead is not covered by COSHH.

Lead and its compounds are regulated under separate legislation: the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002. These set specific requirements for assessing exposure, medical surveillance, and controlling lead risks in the workplace.

A substance hazardous to health that has one or more hazardous property. These substances come in many forms which includes:

• Chemicals
• Products containing chemicals
• Fumes
• Dusts
• Vapours
• Mists
• Nanotechnology
• Gases and asphyxiating gases
• Biological agents (germs)

The legislation for hazardous substances in the UK is The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. These regulations require employers to control exposure from any substances that may be hazardous to health. The Health and Safety Executive has produced a COSHH Essentials guidance note that helps explain Employers responsibilities and duties.

The internationally recognised system for COSHH symbols is called the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and use pictograms and symbols to help recognise the chemicals risks.

These symbols distinguish the hazards associated with each particular substance. These pictograms appear in the shape of a diamond with a red border and white background.

A COSHH assessment focuses on the hazards and risks from substances in your workplace to establish controls to prevent harm.

A COSHH data sheet or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided by the supplier of a chemical or substance and provides information about the potential hazard/s a substance or chemical presents and provides information about safe handling, storage and emergency procedures.

Data sheets are not a replacement for a risk assessment – you need to undertake your own risk assessment separately however the SDS might be helpful in achieving a suitable assessment.

A COSHH assessment covers the risks to health from hazardous substances used or created at work and how those risks are controlled, in line with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

It normally includes:

• The hazardous substances involved
• Who may be harmed and how
• Routes of exposure (e.g. inhalation, skin contact)
• Current control measures (ventilation, PPE, safe storage)
• Whether controls are adequate
• Emergency procedures
• Training and information provided
• Review dates.

For more information, please read our article, What should a COSHH risk assessment include?

COSHH assessments should be reviewed regularly and immediately if there is any reason to believe they are no longer valid, in line with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

In practice, they should be reviewed:

• At least annually as good practice
• Whenever there is a change in substances, processes, equipment, or work methods
• After an incident, near miss, or ill-health case
• If new information becomes available about the hazards or controls

A review is required whenever risk levels may have changed.

Employers have a legal duty to provide information to their employees about workplace risks and hazards, as well as suitable instruction and training to use appropriate control measures.

Effects from exposure to a hazardous substance vary depending on the substance – they can range from effects which might be acute and go away such as dermatitis to severe chronic effects such as respiratory diseases like asthma. Long-term or intense exposure can also cause diseases such as cancer.

There are a number of ways a worker might be exposed to a hazardous substance, including:

• Inhalation or breathing in substances
• Contact with the skin or eyes
• Ingestion swallowing a substance from contaminated hands
• Injection such puncturing the skin

Hazardous substances should be properly controlled and stored safely often being locked away safely from workers not authorised to use them or if there are vulnerable people who may be at risk of accidentally accessing them, such as patients, children or those with visual impairment.

Under COSHH regulations, employers are responsible for protecting employees and others from the health risks associated with hazardous substances in the workplace. This includes conducting thorough risk assessments, implementing measures to control exposure, and providing adequate training and information to employees.

Employers must also ensure proper storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous substances, as well as monitoring exposure levels and providing health surveillance where necessary.

For more, please read our article, Your guide to COSHH: responsibilities of employees and employers.

COSHH Regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK, along with local authorities. These bodies ensure compliance through workplace inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions.

Non-compliance can result in penalties, including fines or prosecution, to protect workers’ health and uphold safety standards.

Under COSHH Regulations, legal responsibilities fall on both employers and employees. Employers are required to assess and manage the risks of hazardous substances, provide training, and implement safety measures.

Employees also have responsibilities, such as following workplace safety procedures, using protective equipment correctly, and reporting any concerns about hazardous substances to their employer.

Both parties must work together to ensure compliance and maintain a safe working environment.

Failing to follow COSHH Regulations can result in significant consequences, including harm to employees’ health, such as illness, injury, or long-term health conditions.

Employers who do not comply may face legal action from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or local authorities, including fines, prosecution, or even imprisonment in severe cases.

Non-compliance can also damage an organisation’s reputation and lead to increased costs from compensation claims or disruptions to business operations.

Yes, COSHH training is a legal requirement where workers are exposed to hazardous substances.

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, employers must provide suitable and sufficient information, instruction, and training so employees understand:

• The risks from hazardous substances
• The control measures in place
• Safe working practices and emergency procedures

This is not optional where COSHH applies.

Under COSHH, employees must follow the safety procedures and guidelines provided by their employer for handling hazardous substances. They should use any personal protective equipment (PPE) supplied, follow safe working practices, and attend training sessions as required.

Employees are also responsible for reporting any safety concerns, incidents, or exposure to hazardous substances to their employer to ensure risks are managed effectively.

For more, please read our article, Your guide to COSHH: responsibilities of employees and employers.

COSHH applies wherever work is carried out, including employees’ homes, if they are using hazardous substances for work.

If an employer provides hazardous substances for use at home (for example, professional cleaning products, adhesives, solvents, or chemicals for assembly work), they have the same legal duties as they would in a workplace. This includes:

• carrying out a COSHH assessment,
• providing information, instruction, and training, and
• ensuring appropriate control measures are in place to prevent exposure.

COSHH does not apply to everyday domestic products used for personal, non-work activities.

To manage COSHH for mobile workers, assessments must be task-based, not tied to a single location.

In practice, this means:

• carrying out COSHH assessments for each task involving hazardous substances,
• ensuring workers have appropriate controls at all times (such as PPE, safe storage, and spill kits in vehicles),
• providing clear instructions and training they can apply wherever they are working, and
• making Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accessible to them while on the move.

The duty to assess and control exposure remains with the employer, regardless of how many sites the worker attends.

Health surveillance is mandatory under COSHH when all three of the following apply:

• There is an identifiable disease or adverse health effect linked to the substance or process (for example, dermatitis, asthma, or hearing loss from solvents).
• There is a valid and reliable way to detect early signs of that disease or effect (such as skin checks, lung function tests, or biological monitoring).
• There is a reasonable likelihood of the disease occurring under the specific working conditions.

When required, health surveillance must be proportionate, ongoing, and carried out by a competent person. Records must be kept, as many COSHH-related conditions develop over long periods.

Under COSHH, health surveillance records must be kept for at least 40 years from the date of the last entry.

This is required because many work-related diseases have long latency periods. Records must be kept securely and in line with UK GDPR, but they must not be destroyed early, even after an employee leaves.

Yes. COSHH Safety Data Sheets (SDS) can be stored digitally, provided that:

• They are easily accessible to employees at the point of use (without needing special permissions or delays).
• Staff know how to access them and can do so in an emergency.
• Critical first-aid, firefighting, and spill response information is still accessible if systems or Wi-Fi fail (for example, via offline access or printed summaries).

If digital access could reasonably fail, you must have a backup arrangement to ensure safety information is always available.

The Golden Thread in chemical management is the continuous, accurate, and accessible record linking a hazardous substance to how it is assessed, controlled, used, and monitored throughout its lifecycle.

This means there is a clear line of information connecting:

• the Safety Data Sheet (SDS),
• the COSHH risk assessment,
• the control measures (such as substitution, ventilation, or PPE),
• training records for those using the substance, and
• any health surveillance or incident records.

The aim is to ensure nothing is missed, safety decisions are evidence-based, and information is always available to those who need it.

No. Under COSHH, PPE must not be the main or only control measure. Employers are legally required to follow the hierarchy of control, which means they must first eliminate the substance or substitute it with a safer alternative. If that isn’t possible, they must use engineering controls (such as ventilation or enclosed systems) and safe systems of work.

PPE is a last resort, used only where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means, and it must be suitable, maintained, and supported by training.