The number of businesses that are required to deal with hazardous substances is constantly on the rise. But of course, so as not to put staff at risk, these hazardous substances need to be controlled and carefully dealt with. Here at Sypol, we have the knowledge and the skill to advise you how to deal with the substances while keeping your staff free from harm.
Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put people’s health at risk, causing diseases including asthma, dermatitis or cancer. COSHH is the key legislation that requires employers to control substances that can harm workers' health.
All organisations working in the UK must comply with the COSHH regulations. Most organisations use substances, or products that contain mixtures of substances that could cause harm to people working within the organisation, including contractors and other people.
COSHH covers all chemicals, products containing chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours, mists and gases, biological agents and asphyxiating gases. It does not cover working with radioactive materials or asbestos as these are subject to their own specific regulations.
Once an organisation recognises the level of responsibility it has to its employees and others under the COSHH regulations, it must decide on the system it will use to manage its compliance.
This begins with the identification of each hazardous substance in use and completing a risk assessment for each one before exposure occurs. The whole process of assessments, employee training and enforcement of a COSHH management policy can be a time consuming and expensive programme to institute and maintain.
With the help of a COSHH assessment, you can determine which hazardous substances you have in your workplace. This is not as straightforward as it sounds as anything from dust to solvents can be classified as a hazardous substance. Using the COSHH assessment, it is then possible to effectively deal with these hazards and continue ensuring the health and safety of your staff.