Croner's Guide to Coshh

COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988.

It was enacted through the broad framework of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 ( the HSW Act), and applies specifically to health through exposure to hazardous substances. Supporting the COSHH Regulations there are three Approved Codes of Practice.

COSHH places duties on the employer and employee, to prevent, or adequately control, exposure of employees to substances which are hazardous to health, through a process of assessment and control. Recommended is a step-by-step approach in the following sequence: identify the hazardous substances; identify properties and hazards; identify the work activities; assess the risks; inform employees; reduce risk by simple change; control the residual risks; check the effectiveness of control measures; health surveillance; records; audit in the procedures which have been put in place.

Each step of the process is dealt with by an individual chapter of this book; at the end of the process readers should have a clear idea of hoe to go about implementing COSHH-fit work activities.