Skip to content

HSE inspections up 47% - HSE carried out over 13,200 workplace inspections in 2024/25.

COSHH Specialists

COSHH Assessment
& Compliance Services

COSHH Regulations 2002 · EH40 Workplace Exposure Limits · Hazardous Substances

Professional COSHH assessments by IOSH Chartered consultants. Hazardous substance risk assessments, exposure monitoring, COSHH training, and compliance documentation aligned with EH40 and COSHH Essentials.

1,500+
Businesses Protected
50+
Countries
95%+
Retention
Book My Free Gap Analysis Call+44 (0)20 7947 9581
IOSH Chartered
COSHH Regulations 2002
EH40 Compliant
30+ Years H&S Experience
1
Your Info
2
Choose Time

Free Health & Safety Gap Analysis

30-minute Compliance Call Valued at £750+

What Happens on Your Free Gap Analysis Call:

  • 1.30-minute consultation
  • 2.We review your current H&S arrangements
  • 3.We identify 1-10 critical compliance gaps you're missing

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and consent to Arinite contacting you about your Gap Analysis. You may also receive helpful HSE tips (unsubscribe anytime).

No Card Details Required
Free Arinite factsheet (tailored to your gaps)
Honest recommendation (audit needed or not)

Identify 1+ gaps, or you receive a £50 gift card. Only 20 consultations are available every month.

COSHH Services

COSHH Assessment, Risk Assessment & Training

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH Regulations) require all UK employers to assess and control exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace. COSHH compliance is a legal requirement — not optional.

Arinite provides comprehensive COSHH services including COSHH risk assessments, COSHH training, gap analysis, safety data sheet (SDS) reviews, workplace exposure limit (WEL) monitoring, health surveillance coordination, and ongoing COSHH compliance support. Our IOSH Chartered consultants deliver practical, proportionate solutions aligned with HSE guidance — including HSE's COSHH Essentials methodology and EH40 Workplace Exposure Limits.

Speak to a COSHH Consultant
Understanding COSHH

What Is COSHH?

COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health.

The COSHH Regulations 2002 (as amended) are designed to prevent or adequately control exposure to hazardous substances that could damage health. COSHH covers chemicals, dusts, fumes, vapours, biological agents, nanomaterials, and substances created by work processes.

COSHH applies to all employers across every sector — from offices and schools to manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and laboratories. COSHH has been a legal requirement in the UK since 1988, with the current regulations in force since 2002.

Legal Compliance

Why COSHH Matters

The Impact of Hazardous Substances at Work

According to HSE data, exposure to hazardous substances at work causes an estimated 13,000 deaths per year in the UK — including occupational cancers, respiratory diseases, and skin conditions. COSHH compliance saves lives.

Many harmful substance exposures are:

Gradual and cumulative over months or years

Invisible — you may not see, smell, or feel the exposure

Linked to routine, everyday tasks that seem low-risk

Without effective COSHH controls, health damage can occur long before symptoms are identified. Occupational asthma, dermatitis, and occupational cancer may take years to develop.

Your Legal Duties Under COSHH

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH Regulations), employers must:

Identify all substances hazardous to health used or created at work

Carry out suitable and sufficient COSHH risk assessments

Prevent exposure where reasonably practicable, or adequately control it

Ensure control measures (including LEV, PPE, and safe systems) are used and maintained

Provide COSHH information, instruction, and training to employees

Carry out health surveillance where required (e.g. for isocyanates, silica, wood dust)

Monitor workplace exposure against Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) in EH40

Prepare plans and procedures for emergencies involving hazardous substances

Review COSHH risk assessments regularly and when circumstances change

Penalties for COSHH non-compliance include unlimited fines for organisations, imprisonment for individuals, civil claims for occupational disease, and HSE enforcement action including prohibition and improvement notices.

Hazardous Substances

What Substances Are Covered by COSHH?

COSHH applies to a wide range of hazardous substances found across virtually every workplace, including:

Chemicals and chemical products (cleaning agents, solvents, adhesives, paints)

Dusts — including wood dust, flour dust, silica dust, grain dust, and construction dust

Fumes — including welding fumes, soldering fumes, and exhaust fumes

Vapours and mists (solvent vapours, oil mist, spray paint)

Gases and asphyxiants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen, chlorine)

Biological agents — bacteria, viruses, fungi (including Legionella and blood-borne pathogens)

Nanomaterials and engineered nanoparticles

Substances generated by work processes (e.g. rubber fume, rosin flux fume)

COSHH also applies to substances created by work activities — not just those purchased or supplied in containers. If a process generates dust, fume, or vapour, COSHH applies.

COSHH Management

What an Effective COSHH Management System Involves

A robust COSHH management system should include:

A full hazardous substance inventory and register

COSHH risk assessments for all identified substances and work activities

Implementation of the hierarchy of control (elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, PPE)

Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) testing and maintenance records (at least every 14 months)

Safety data sheet (SDS) library — accessible and current

COSHH training records for all exposed employees

Workplace exposure monitoring where required (against WELs in EH40)

Health surveillance programme for relevant exposures

Regular review and update of all COSHH documentation

COSHH is not a one-off exercise — it is an ongoing management process that must be reviewed whenever substances, processes, or personnel change.

Risk Assessment

COSHH Risk Assessment — The 5-Step Process

A COSHH risk assessment is a legal requirement and the foundation of COSHH compliance. It must be "suitable and sufficient" as defined by the HSE.

1

Step 1: Identify the Hazardous Substances

  • •Review all product labels and safety data sheets (SDS/MSDS)
  • •Identify all hazardous substances used, stored, or generated at work
  • •Check Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) in EH40
  • •Identify hazard classifications and GHS pictograms
2

Step 2: Decide Who Might Be Harmed and How

  • •Identify all employees and others at risk of exposure
  • •Consider all routes of exposure — inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, injection
  • •Assess frequency, duration, and level of exposure
  • •Consider vulnerable groups — pregnant workers, young workers, contractors, visitors
3

Step 3: Evaluate the Risks and Decide on Control Measures

  • •Assess the level of risk from each substance and task
  • •Apply the hierarchy of control:
  • •1. Elimination — remove the substance
  • •2. Substitution — use a less hazardous alternative
  • •3. Engineering controls — LEV, enclosure, automation
  • •4. Administrative controls — safe systems of work, procedures, signage
  • •5. Personal protective equipment (PPE) — as a last resort
4

Step 4: Record Your Findings and Implement Controls

  • •Document all hazards, risks, control measures, and responsibilities
  • •Communicate findings to all affected employees
  • •Ensure COSHH assessments are accessible and understood
5

Step 5: Review and Update the Assessment

  • •Review COSHH assessments regularly — at least annually
  • •Update immediately when substances, processes, or equipment change
  • •Review following any incident, near miss, or health concern
  • •Record all reviews with dates and any changes made
6

Step 6: Monitor, Maintain, and Health Surveillance

  • •Monitor workplace exposure levels against WELs where required
  • •Maintain all control measures including LEV (14-monthly thorough examination)
  • •Provide ongoing COSHH training and refresher training
  • •Implement health surveillance for substances requiring it (e.g. isocyanates, silica, lead)
COSHH Training

COSHH Training

COSHH training is a legal requirement for all employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances at work. Under the COSHH Regulations, employers must provide suitable and sufficient information, instruction, and training.

Arinite provides practical COSHH training tailored to your workplace:

Your specific hazardous substances
Your work processes and activities
Your workforce and their exposure profiles

COSHH training covers:

Understanding COSHH regulations and employer/employee duties

Identifying hazardous substances and reading safety data sheets (SDS)

Safe handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous substances

Correct use of control measures including LEV and RPE

Correct selection and use of PPE

Emergency procedures for spills, leaks, and accidental exposure

Health surveillance — what it is and why it matters

Our Services

COSHH Services from Arinite

Arinite provides end-to-end COSHH services across all sectors:

COSHH Gap Analysis

Independent review of your current COSHH arrangements

Identification of compliance gaps and priority actions

Clear, actionable COSHH improvement plan

COSHH Risk Assessments

Task-specific and substance-specific COSHH assessments

HSE-aligned methodology using COSHH Essentials

Practical, usable documentation — not generic templates

COSHH Management Systems

Hazardous substance registers and COSHH documentation

Integration with existing health and safety management systems

Ongoing COSHH review and continuous improvement

COSHH Training & Awareness

Employee, supervisor, and manager COSHH training

COSHH toolbox talks and awareness sessions

Annual COSHH refresher training

Health Surveillance & Exposure Monitoring

Identification of health surveillance requirements

Workplace exposure monitoring against WELs (EH40)

Coordination with occupational health providers

LEV testing and examination coordination

Who Needs COSHH

Who Do the COSHH Regulations Apply To?

COSHH applies across all sectors and business sizes, including:

Offices and commercial premises (cleaning products, printer toner, hand sanitiser)

Manufacturing, engineering, and fabrication

Construction and maintenance

Healthcare, dental, and veterinary practices

Laboratories, research, and education

Facilities management and cleaning contractors

Food and drink production

Agriculture and horticulture

Even organisations that consider themselves "low risk" almost certainly have COSHH duties — cleaning products alone are hazardous substances under COSHH.

Why Arinite

Why Choose Arinite for COSHH Compliance Support?

IOSH Chartered Health & Safety professionals

Practical, proportionate COSHH advice — not over-engineered solutions

Bespoke COSHH risk assessments — no generic templates

COSHH documentation designed for real-world use and HSE inspection readiness

Support aligned with business objectives and operational needs

Available across London, the UK, and internationally

We help you protect health and achieve COSHH compliance — not just tick boxes.

FAQ

COSHH FAQs

Common questions about COSHH compliance

Still Have Questions About Health & Safety Compliance?

Our IOSH Chartered health and safety consultants are here to help with any queries about workplace safety, compliance, or our services.

Get in TouchCall: +44 (0)20 7947 9581