Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)

 

These regulations are designed to prevent people at work and any other person being exposed to substances that are hazardous to health. Lots of different substances have to be used when working; unfortunately many of them are in fact hazardous. In some cases they can cause persons exposed to them to become ill, or even die.

 

Hazardous substances cause injury by:

 

 Inhalation, causing damage to lungs, or asthma, e.g. from dusts, vapours.

 

Skin contact, causing dermatitis, skin cancer, e.g. from absorption of chemicals through the skin or via cuts.

 Ingestion, this is less common e.g. chemical poisoning.

 

 Puncture, chemicals injected under the skin through sharps etc.

 

Employees may be exposed to risks to health from hazardous substances during normal use, or as a result of accidents involving spillages, breakages or poor storage methods.