Regulation 6 of COSHH says an employer must not carry out work that may expose employees to a hazardous substance until they have made a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk to health. The assessment must also cover other people who may be affected.
The assessment is the foundation of everything else. Controls, training, monitoring and emergency plans all come from it.
Who does the assessment
The employer is responsible. The person who does it must be competent. This means they understand the work, the substances and the law. It may be a manager, a safety adviser or an outside consultant, but the employer remains responsible. Workers who do the job should be asked how it is really done.
What a good assessment looks at
- What hazardous substances are present, including those made by the work (dust, fumes) and not only those bought in.
- How harmful they are. The SDS and the label are the main sources.
- How people are exposed. This means the routes (breathing, skin, swallowing, injection).
- How much, how often and for how long. A quick splash once a month is not the same as sprayed mist all day.
- Who is exposed. Think of cleaners, maintenance staff, agency workers, visitors and young people.
- The existing controls, and whether they work.
- Workplace exposure limits that apply.
- What would happen if something goes wrong.
- Whether health surveillance is needed.
Steps after the assessment
The assessment must lead to action. The employer must decide what precautions are needed and put them in place. This can include prevention, substitution, extraction, safe working methods and PPE.
Recording the assessment
If the employer has five or more employees, the significant findings must be written down. Smaller employers still must do the assessment, but they do not have to record it in writing. In practice, most record it anyway. The record should say what was found and what controls are needed. It should be easy for workers to see.
Reviewing the assessment
An assessment is not a one-off. The employer must review it regularly. They must also review it straight away if:
- there is reason to think it is no longer valid;
- the work, the substance, the amount or the method changes;
- a new product is brought in;
- health surveillance, monitoring or an accident shows a problem.
What it means for you
- The assessment should tell you which products are hazardous, what controls to use and what PPE to wear.
- You should be able to see it or be told its main points.
- If your job changes, ask whether the assessment covers the new task before you start.
- If you think the control measures do not work, tell your supervisor. That is a reason to review the assessment.
- Your employer must tell you the significant findings as part of your training (regulation 12).
Simple steps to remember
HSE's advice for assessing risk is a simple pattern. Find the hazards. Decide who may be harmed and how. Decide on controls. Record the findings. Review them.