Course and certificate
COSHH Awareness
For anyone in the UK who uses, or may be exposed to, hazardous substances at work, from cleaners and kitchen staff to care workers, hairdressers, warehouse staff and the building trades. Ten short lessons in plain English explain the COSHH Regulations, hazard labels and safety data sheets, risk assessment, the hierarchy of control, PPE and RPE, exposure limits, health surveillance, spills and your own duties, followed by a 25-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Languages
- English, Български, Español, Italiano, Polski, Português, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 10
- Time needed
- About 50 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 3 years
- Content updated
- 27 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- £12.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Cleaners, janitors and housekeeping staff
- Kitchen, catering and hospitality staff who use cleaning chemicals
- Care, health and nursery workers
- Hairdressers, beauticians and nail technicians
- Warehouse, manufacturing, maintenance and construction workers
- Anyone starting a job in the UK where hazardous substances are used
02Syllabus
- 01What COSHH is and why it matters
- 02What counts as a hazardous substance
- 03How substances get into the body and what they do
- 04Hazard labels, pictograms and safety data sheets
- 05The COSHH assessment: the employer's duty
- 06The hierarchy of control and Schedule 2A
- 07PPE and RPE: the last line of defence
- 08Exposure limits, monitoring and health surveillance
- 09Storage, spills, emergencies and first aid
- 10Your duties at work, and the training your employer must give
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- HSE — COSHH basics
- HSE L5 — COSHH ACOP and guidance
- HSE — Chemical classification and labelling (GB CLP)
- HSE — Safety data sheets
- HSE EH40/2005 — Workplace exposure limits
- COSHH Regulations 2002, reg. 8
06Questions
Is COSHH training a legal requirement?
Yes. Regulation 12 of the COSHH Regulations 2002 requires employers to give employees suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training about the hazardous substances they work with. The law does not name a particular course or certificate.
Is this certificate accredited?
No. It is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished this general COSHH awareness course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification, and your employer decides whether this training meets their needs.
Does this course replace the training my employer must give me?
No. It teaches the general rules that apply in any UK workplace. Your employer must still train you on the substances used at your workplace, the findings of their own COSHH assessment, the controls, PPE and RPE you must use, and the emergency procedures. A face-fit test for a tight-fitting respirator is also arranged by the employer.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 25-question test in about an hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: £12 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no expiry date. Refresher training about every three years is common practice, so the certificate shows a renewal date three years after you pass.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.