Why COSHH is important in any workplace

There’s a strong possibility you’ve heard the abbreviation COSHH before in the workplace, typically in connection with risk assessments and worker safety. Whatever your position within the workplace, it is your duty to understand why COSHH is important and how failing to adhere to these rules could harm you and your co-workers.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, or COSHH, is a concept that isn’t simply used in workplace settings but also places like hospitals, classrooms, and practically anywhere people congregate in numbers.

The 2002 revision of COSHH serves as a legal framework for employers to use to safeguard employees and the general public from exposure to dangerous compounds. The laws seek to provide adequate protection and the availability of emergency response equipment in addition to restricting exposure.

The standards, created by the Health and Safety Executive, cover everything, from dangerous acids used in laboratories to common office cleaning supplies. And while identifying the dangers and safety precautions associated with each drug can seem overwhelming, the HSE has helpfully issued sector-specific guidelines to assist.

The first and most comforting thing to know is that while COSHH is important in the workplace, adhering to COSHH standards can be made simple by using the Be-Safe Compliance Genie.

The workplace risk assessment is arguably the most crucial step in the procedure because it helps to detect all potential dangers. Risk assessments will vary, but the health and safety officer or another pertinent specialist should identify any hazards within the workplace and decide on the best controls to keep them from endangering health.

Once this is done, the employer must make sure that everyone on staff is aware of the necessary precautions and that all safety gear is readily available and up to date. Using the Compliance Genie, you can adjust your settings to update your team whenever they log in. This will ensure you are providing all the necessary updates with the latest risk assessments and safety procedures, monitoring and tracking incidents to ensure compliance, and sourcing appropriate PPE.

Failure to keep track of any of these factors could jeopardise the welfare of employees or lab personnel, incur heavy fines, and result in legal repercussions. Employers who fail to provide sufficient protection for their employees may be subject to fines of up to hundreds of thousands of pounds.