COSHH Compliance: IOM share our experience of providing Safe Workplaces
Supporting organisations to maintain compliance with workplace safety legislation remains a top priority for IOM, The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations provides a legal framework that enables UK employers to effectively manage occupational exposure to hazardous substances. Its purpose is clear; to protect employee health through systematic risk assessment and trusted exposure controls.
Getting the most out of COSHH Assessments
COSHH assessments must be thorough, effective, actionable and contribute to a safer and healthier workplace.
To meet COSHH requirements, employers must conduct appropriate risk assessments for all processes involving potentially harmful substances. This includes implementing measures to prevent or control exposure in line with the hierarchy of control, as well as monitoring exposure concentration and employee health. Employees must be informed of the associated risks, while organisations are also required to maintain a comprehensive emergency plan.
Creating a safe working environment requires proactive, continuous management of hazardous substances. This not only safeguards employee health but also demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to best practice.
Common Pitfalls in COSHH Compliance
Despite these clear guidelines, many organisations face challenges with compliance. Regular reviews of COSHH assessments often reveal common pitfalls: outdated or missing risk assessments, failure to identify hazardous substances, inadequate control measures, and insufficient employee training. These issues often arise when COSHH is treated as a one-time task rather than an ongoing responsibility.
The COSHH Compliance Cycle
COSHH compliance demands sustained attention. It operates as a continuous cycle involving four key elements:
- Conducting suitable and sufficient risk assessments
- Preventing and controlling exposures while monitoring employee health
- Delivering appropriate training at every stage
- Maintaining a robust emergency plan.
Each component is essential for effective risk management. Linking training to measurable performance outcomes, using indicators like incident rates and audit scores, is a strategic investment in workplace safety.
Building Strong COSHH Foundations: Risk Assessment
Risk assessments form the foundation of COSHH compliance. They must be thorough, capturing all relevant information and demonstrating a deep understanding of the substances and processes involved. Engaging qualified personnel is essential—those conducting assessments must have the right expertise to ensure accuracy. Regular reviews are crucial, particularly following changes to processes, substances, controls, or personnel. As these assessments may be scrutinised in legal situations, they must be thorough, well-documented, and defensible.
Ensuring Competence in COSHH Assessments
The effectiveness of a COSHH assessment relies on assessor competence. They must be able to compile, analyse, and communicate information clearly, and possess a thorough understanding of each process to accurately identify risks and apply the correct controls. Without the necessary expertise, organisations will struggle to achieve compliance. A practical approach is to develop a competency matrix that aligns organisational roles with the COSHH skills and certifications required.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Exposure Controls
A critical component of COSHH compliance is ensuring that exposures are effectively controlled. The hierarchy of control must always be applied, with PPE as the final line of defence. Organisations should regularly ask:
- Can we eliminate the exposure entirely? Are our control measures adequate, effective, and well-maintained?
- Are local exhaust systems checked often enough?
Monitoring is essential to verify the effectiveness of controls and inform assessments. Quantifying targets, such as maintaining exposure levels, provides a clear benchmark for success and highlights the importance of ongoing vigilance.