COSHH
Encyclopedia
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Statutory Instrument that states general requirements on employers to protect employees and other persons from the hazard
Hazard
A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment. Most hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm; however, once a hazard becomes "active", it can create an emergency situation. A hazard does not exist when it is not...
s of substance
Chemical substance
In chemistry, a chemical substance is a form of matter that has constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. It cannot be separated into components by physical separation methods, i.e. without breaking chemical bonds. They can be solids, liquids or gases.Chemical substances are...
s used at work by risk assessment
Risk assessment
Risk assessment is a step in a risk management procedure. Risk assessment is the determination of quantitative or qualitative value of risk related to a concrete situation and a recognized threat...
, control of exposure, health surveillance and incident planning. There are also duties on employees' to take care of their own exposure to hazardous substances and prohibitions on the import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
of certain substances into the European Economic Area
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
. The regulations reenacted with amendements the Control of Substances Hazardous to Work Regulations 1999 and implement several European Union directive
European Union directive
A directive is a legislative act of the European Union, which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. It can be distinguished from regulations which are self-executing and do not require any implementing measures. Directives...
s.
Breach of the regulations by an employer or employee is a crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, punishable on summary conviction with a fine of up to £400. If convicted on indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in the Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
, an offender can be sentenced to an unlimited fine. Either an individual or a corporation can be punished and sentencing practice is published by the Sentencing Guidelines Council
Sentencing Guidelines Council
The Sentencing Guidelines Council was a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom, created by s.167 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. It gave authoritative guidance on sentencing to the courts of England and Wales...
. Enforcement is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive
Health and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom. It is the body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare, and for research into occupational risks in England and Wales and Scotland...
or in some cases, local authorities.
Where a person suffers damage
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
caused by
Causation in English law
Causation in English law concerns the legal tests of remoteness, causation and foreseeability in the tort of negligence. It is also relevant for English criminal law and English contract law....
a breach of a duty
Duty of care
In tort law, a duty of care is a legal obligation imposed on an individual requiring that they adhere to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm others. It is the first element that must be established to proceed with an action in negligence. The claimant...
imposed by regulations, they have a cause of action
Cause of action
In the law, a cause of action is a set of facts sufficient to justify a right to sue to obtain money, property, or the enforcement of a right against another party. The term also refers to the legal theory upon which a plaintiff brings suit...
in tort
Tort
A tort, in common law jurisdictions, is a wrong that involves a breach of a civil duty owed to someone else. It is differentiated from a crime, which involves a breach of a duty owed to society in general...
against the offender.
The regulations are complementary to the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 (CHIPS) which require labelling of hazardous substances by suppliers. There are other regulations concerning the labelling and signage of pipes and containers (Sch.7), and from 2008 a further level of control mechanism on dangerous chemicals will be added by the EU regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).
European Legislation implemented
The regulations implement the following European Union (EU) directives:- CouncilCouncil of the European UnionThe Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
directive 78/610/EEC, on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of EU member states on the protection of the health of workers exposed to vinyl chloride monomer; - Council Directive 89/677/EEC, art.1(3) the importation, supply or use of benzeneBenzeneBenzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
and substances containing benzene, amending the Marketing and Use Directive, 76/796/EEC; - In part, Commission directive 96/55/EC, the second adaptation to technical progress of the Marketing and Use Directive;
- Individual directives under 89/391/EEC, Art.16(1):
- Council Directive 90/394/EEC, on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to carcinogenCarcinogenA carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes...
s at work, insofar as it relates to carcinogens other than asbestosAsbestosAsbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
; - Council Directive 98/24/EC, on the protection of the health and safety of workers from risks related to chemical agents at work, insofar as it relates to risks to health from exposure to substances other than asbestos or leadLeadLead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
; and - European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
and Council Directive 2000/54/EC, on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agentBiological agentA biological agent — also called bio-agent or biological threat agent — is a bacterium, virus, prion, or fungus which may cause infection, allergy, toxicity or otherwise create a hazard to human health. They can be used as a biological weapon in bioterrorism or biological warfare...
s at work.
- Council Directive 90/394/EEC, on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to carcinogen
The regulations are consistent with Commission Directive 91/322/EEC requirements on indicative limit value
Indicative limit value
In the law of the European Union, indicative limit values, more exactly indicative occupational exposure limit values , are human exposure limits to hazardous substances specified by the Council of the European Union based on expert research and advice.They are not binding on member states but must...
s.
Import prohibited
ImportImport
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
is prohibited into the UK, other than from another EU member state or member of the European Economic Area, of (reg.4(2)):
- 2-naphthylamine2-Naphthylamine2-Naphthylamine is an aromatic amine. It is used to make azo dyes. It is a known human carcinogen and has largely been replaced by less toxic compounds. 2-Naphthylamine is prepared by heating 2-naphthol with ammonium zinc chloride to 200-210 °C; or in the form of its acetyl derivative by heating...
, benzidineBenzidineBenzidine, the trivial name for 4,4'-diaminobiphenyl, is the solid organic compound with the formula 2. This aromatic amine is a component of a test for cyanide and also in the production of dyes...
, 4-aminodiphenyl, 4-nitrodiphenyl, their salts and any substance containing any of those compoundChemical compoundA chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
s in a total concentrationConcentrationIn chemistry, concentration is defined as the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Four types can be distinguished: mass concentration, molar concentration, number concentration, and volume concentration...
equal to or greater than 0.1% by mass; - MatchMatchA match is a tool for starting a fire under controlled conditions. A typical modern match is made of a small wooden stick or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by frictional heat generated by striking the match against a suitable surface...
es made with white phosphorusPhosphorusPhosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus as a mineral is almost always present in its maximally oxidized state, as inorganic phosphate rocks...
.
Contravention is an offence under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 rather than health and safety regulations.
Supply prohibited
Supply is prohibited, during the course of work or for use at work, of (reg.4(3), (4)/ Sch.2, item.11):- Any of the substances whose import is prohibited;
- BenzeneBenzeneBenzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
and any substance containing benzene in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by mass, but excluding:- Motor fuels covered by Council Directive 85/210/EEC;
- WasteWasteWaste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
covered by Council Directive 75/442/EEC.
Prohibited for specified purposes
Use of the following substances is prohibited for the purposes specified (reg.4(1)/ Sch.2):| Substance | Prohibited purpose |
|---|---|
|
Manufacture Manufacturing Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale... and use for all purposes, including any manufacturing process in which such a substance is formed. |
| Sand Sand Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal... or other substance containing free silica. |
Use as an abrasive Abrasive An abrasive is a material, often a mineral, that is used to shape or finish a workpiece through rubbing which leads to part of the workpiece being worn away... for blasting articles in any blasting apparatus. |
| A substance:
Silicon Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table... calculated as silica to the extent of more than 3% by weight of dry material, other than natural sand, zirconium silicate, calcined china clay, calcined aluminous Aluminium Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances.... fireclay, sillimanite Sillimanite Sillimanite is an alumino-silicate mineral with the chemical formula Al2SiO5. Sillimanite is named after the American chemist Benjamin Silliman . It was first described in 1824 for an occurrence in Chester, Middlesex County, Connecticut, USA.... , calcined or fused alumina, olivine Olivine The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula 2SiO4. It is a common mineral in the Earth's subsurface but weathers quickly on the surface.... ; or Dust Dust consists of particles in the atmosphere that arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind , volcanic eruptions, and pollution... or other matter deposited from a fettling or blasting process. |
Use as a parting material in connection with the making of metal Metal A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light... casting Casting In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process... s. |
| Carbon disulphide | Use in the cold-cure process of vulcanisation in the proofing of cloth with rubber Rubber Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined... . |
| Oil Oil An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils.... s other than white oil White oil White oil is a home made insecticide spray used for controlling a wide range of insect pests in the garden. The spray works by blocking the breathing pores of insects causing suffocation and death... , or oil of entirely animal Animal Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and... or vegetable Vegetable The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant.... , or mixed animal-vegetable, origin. |
Use for oiling the spindle Spindle (tool) In machine tools, a spindle is a rotating axis of the machine, which often has a shaft at its heart. The shaft itself is called a spindle, but also, in shop-floor practice, the word often is used metonymically to refer to the entire rotary unit, including not only the shaft itself, but its bearings... s of self-acting spinning mule Spinning mule The spinning mule was a machine used to spin cotton and other fibres in the mills of Lancashire and elsewhere from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century. Mules were worked in pairs by a minder, with the help of two boys: the little piecer and the big or side piecer... s. |
| Ground or powdered flint Flint Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and... or quartz Quartz Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,... other than natural sand. |
Certain uses in the manufacture and decoration of pottery Pottery Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery... (slops or pastes permitted for some purposes). |
| Dust or powder of a refractory material containing not less than 80% of silica other than natural sand. | Use for sprinkling the moulds of silica brick Brick A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:... s, namely bricks or other articles composed of refractory material and containing not less than 80 per cent of silica. |
| White phosphorus | Manufacture of matches |
| Hydrogen cyanide | Fumigation Fumigation Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within. It is utilized for control of pests in buildings , soil, grain, and produce, and is also used during processing of goods to be imported or... except where certain specified precautions are taken. |
| Benzene and any substance containing benzene in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by mass, but excluding:
|
Use for all purposes except:
Research and development The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of... or for the purpose of chemical analysis. |
|
Chloroform Chloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl3. It is one of the four chloromethanes. The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous... (CAS Chemical Abstracts Service Chemical Abstracts is a periodical index that provides summaries and indexes of disclosures in recently published scientific documents. Approximately 8,000 journals, technical reports, dissertations, conference proceedings, and new books, in any of 50 languages, are monitored yearly, as are patent... No. 67-66-3); Carbon tetrachloride Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names is the organic compound with the formula CCl4. It was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants, and as a cleaning agent... (CAS No. 56-23-5); 1,1,2-Trichloroethane 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, or 1,1,2-TCA, is an organochloride solvent with the molecular formula C2H3Cl3. It is a colourless, sweet-smelling liquid that does not dissolve in water, but is soluble in most organic solvents... (CAS No. 79-00-5); 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane is a chlorinated derivative of ethane. It has the highest solvent power of any chlorinated hydrocarbon. As a refrigerant, it is used under the name R-130.... (CAS No. 79-34-5); 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane is a chlorinated hydrocarbon. It is a colorless liquid with a sweet chloroform-like odor. It is used as a solvent and in the production of wood stains and varnishes.... (CAS No. 630-20-6); 1,1,1-Trichloroethane The organic compound 1,1,1-trichloroethane, also known as methyl chloroform, is a chloroalkane. This colourless, sweet-smelling liquid was once produced industrially in large quantities for use as a solvent... (CAS No. 71-55-6); — and any substance containing one or more of those substances in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by mass, other than: Medicinal product A medicinal product is defined in the European Union as any substance or combination of substances presented for treating or preventing disease in human beings... s; Cosmetics Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and... s. |
Supply for use at work in diffusive Diffusion Molecular diffusion, often called simply diffusion, is the thermal motion of all particles at temperatures above absolute zero. The rate of this movement is a function of temperature, viscosity of the fluid and the size of the particles... applications such as in surface cleaning and the cleaning of fabric Fabric A fabric is a textile material, short for "textile fabric".Fabric may also refer to:*Fabric , the spatial and geometric configuration of elements within a rock*Fabric , a nightclub in London, England... s except for the purposes of research and development or for the purpose of analysis. |
Exceptions
The following are excluded from the operation of regulations 6 to 13 concerning the general process for management and control of hazardous substances (reg.5):- Circumstances covered by the:
- Coal Mines (Respirable Dust) Regulations 1975;
- Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002;
- Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002;
- Substances hazardous to health solely by virtue of their radioactive, explosive or flammable properties, or solely because they are at high or low temperatureTemperatureTemperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
or high pressurePressurePressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...
; - RiskRiskRisk is the potential that a chosen action or activity will lead to a loss . The notion implies that a choice having an influence on the outcome exists . Potential losses themselves may also be called "risks"...
s arising solely from medical or dental treatment.
Risk assessment
Regulation 6 requires that an employer not carry out work liable to expose employees to a substance hazardous to health without a risk assessmentRisk assessment
Risk assessment is a step in a risk management procedure. Risk assessment is the determination of quantitative or qualitative value of risk related to a concrete situation and a recognized threat...
and implementation of the steps necessary to comply with the regulations. The assessment must include consideration of any information provided by the supplier of a substance (CHIPS) (reg.6(2)(b)) and must be reviewed regularly, and also when there is reason to think the assessment no longer valid, if the system of work is changed or if necessary because of the results of health monitoring (reg.6(3)). The assessment must also consider any occupational exposure limit
Occupational exposure limit
An occupational exposure limit is an upper limit on the acceptable concentration of a hazardous substance in workplace air for a particular material or class of materials. It is typically set by competent national authorities and enforced by legislation to protect occupational safety and health...
, in particular, those mandated by the HSE (reg.6(2)(f)).
Prevention or control of exposure
Regulation 7 requires that an employer prevent exposure to hazardous substances of, if this is not reasonably practicable, that he adequately controls exposure.Use of control measures
Employers must take all reasonable steps to ensure that control measures, and any necessary equipment of facilities, are properly used or applied (reg.8(1)). Employees must use the control measures properly, return them after use and report any defective equipment (reg.8(2)).Maintenance and testing of control measures
Regulation 9 requires that employers maintain control measures in efficient working order and in good repair (reg.9).Monitoring exposure
Where the risk assessment indicates that workplace monitoring of exposure is necessary, the employer must perform such monitoring unless he can demonstrate another means of preventing or controlling exposure (reg.10). Monitoring must be at regular intervals in addition to when a change occurs that may affect exposure (reg.10(3)). There is mandatory monitoring for (reg.10(4)):| Substance or process | Minimum frequency |
|---|---|
| Vinyl chloride monomer | Continuous or in accordance with a procedure approved by the HSE |
| Spray Spray Spray can refer to:* Spray ** Aerosol spray** Blood spray** Road/tire spray, kicked up from a vehicle tire** Snow spray, a spray that creates artificial snow fall... given off from vessels at which an electrolytic chromium process Chrome plating Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness.-Process:A component to be chrome plated will... is carried on, except trivalent chromium |
Every 14 days |
Exposure monitoring
There are many methods for monitoring a persons exposure to inhalation risks, the most common is to use personal air sampling pumps. These are usually flow controlled , rechargeable pumps worn by the operator, which pull a known volume of air through a sampling media such as filters or charcoal tubes. Pumps are generally worn for 8 hours or for a full working shift. The sample media is then sent for weighing if sampling for simple dusts, or for more in depth analysis via accredited laboratory.Health surveillance
Regulation 11 requires that health surveillance of employees is carried out where:- An identifiable diseaseDiseaseA disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
or adverse health effect may be related to the exposure; - There is a "reasonable likelihood" that the disease or health effect may occur under the particular conditions of work;
- Valid techniques exist for detecting indicationIndication (medicine)In medicine, an indication is a valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedure, or surgery. The opposite of indication is contraindication.-Drugs:...
s of the disease of health effect; and - The technique presents a low risk to the employee;
— or where there is exposure to any of the following substances in the specified occupations:
| Substance | Process |
|---|---|
| Vinyl chloride monomer | Manufacture, production, reclamation, storage, discharge, transport, use or polymerisation |
| Nitro or amino derivatives Phenols In organic chemistry, phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of chemical compounds consisting of a hydroxyl group bonded directly to an aromatic hydrocarbon group... of phenol Phenol Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, phenic acid, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5OH. It is a white crystalline solid. The molecule consists of a phenyl , bonded to a hydroxyl group. It is produced on a large scale as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds... and of benzene Benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6.... or its homologues Homology (chemistry) In chemistry, homology refers to the appearance of homologues. A homologue is a compound belonging to a series of compounds differing from each other by a repeating unit, such as a methylene group, a peptide residue, etcetera.... |
Manufacture of nitro or amino derivatives of phenol and of benzene or its homologues, and the making of explosives with the use of any of these substances |
| Potassium chromate Potassium chromate Potassium chromate is a yellow chemical indicator used for identifying concentrations of chloride ions in a salt solution with silver nitrate... , potassium dichromate, sodium chromate Sodium chromate Sodium chromate is a yellow solid chemical compound used as a corrosion inhibitor in the petroleum industry, a dyeing auxiliary in the textile industry, as a wood preservative, and as a diagnostic pharmaceutical in determining red blood cell volume.... or sodium dichromate Sodium dichromate Sodium dichromate is the chemical compound with the formula Na2Cr2O7. Usually, however, the salt is handled as its dihydrate Na2Cr2O7·2H2O. Virtually all chromium ore is processed via conversion to sodium dichromate. In this way, many millions of kilograms of sodium dichromate are produced... |
Manufacturing |
| Ortho-tolidine, dianisidine and dichlorobenzidine, and their salts | Manufacturing |
| Auramine and magenta Magenta Magenta is a color evoked by light stronger in blue and red wavelengths than in yellowish-green wavelengths . In light experiments, magenta can be produced by removing the lime-green wavelengths from white light... |
Manufacturing |
| Carbon disulphide, disulphur dichloride, benzene, including benzol Benzol Benzol may refer to* Benzole* Benzene* Phenol* British Benzol, which was one of the largest independent oil distributors in the UK. It went into administration on 16 August 2005... , carbon tetrachloride Carbon tetrachloride Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names is the organic compound with the formula CCl4. It was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants, and as a cleaning agent... and trichlorethylene |
Processes in which these substances are used, or given off as vapour, in the manufacture of indiarubber or of articles or goods made wholly or partially of indiarubber |
| Pitch Pitch (resin) Pitch is the name for any of a number of viscoelastic, solid polymers. Pitch can be made from petroleum products or plants. Petroleum-derived pitch is also called bitumen. Pitch produced from plants is also known as resin. Products made from plant resin are also known as rosin.Pitch was... |
Manufacture of blocks of fuel consisting of coal Coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure... , coal dust, coke Coke (fuel) Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :... or slurry with pitch as a binding substance |
Information, instruction and training
Regulation 12 demands that all employees liable to exposure to hazardous substances are provided with suitable and sufficient informationInformation
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
, instruction
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
, including:
- Details of the hazardous substances including:
- Names of substances and the risk that they present to health;
- Any relevant occupational exposure standard, maximum exposure limit or similar occupational exposure limit;
- Access to any relevant safety data sheet;
- Other legislative provisions which concern the hazardous properties of those substances;
- Significant findings of risk assessment;
- Appropriate precautions and actions to be taken by the employee in order to safeguard himself and other employees at the workplace;
- Results of any monitoring of exposure and, in particular, in the case of a substance hazardous to health for which a maximum exposure limit has been approved, the employee or his representatives shall be informed forthwith, if the results of such monitoring show that the maximum exposure limit has been exceeded; and
- Collective results of any health surveillance undertaken in a form calculated to prevent those results from being identified as relating to a particular person.
Some biological agents can cause severe human disease and be a serious hazard to employees. Further diseases may be likely to spread to the community and there may be no effective prophylaxis or treatment available. Where employees are working with such an agent, or material that may contain such an agent, they must be provided with written instructions and, if appropriate, notices must be displayed that outline the procedures for handling such an agent or material.
Accidents, incidents and emergencies
Regulation 13 requires that employers prepare for possible accidents, incidents and emergencies involving hazardous substances by:- Preparing emergency procedures, including provision of first aidFirst aidFirst aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
; - Making available technical informationon possible accidents and hazards and bringing it to the attention of the emergency services; and
- Installing alarmAlarmAn alarm device or system of alarm devices gives an audible or visual alarm signal about a problem or condition.Alarm devices include:* burglar alarms, designed to warn of burglaries; this is often a silent alarm: the police or guards are warned without indication to the burglar, which increases...
s and other warnings and communication systems.
Fumigation
Regulation 14 requires that appropriate warning notices are affixed to premises that are to be fumigatedFumigation
Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within. It is utilized for control of pests in buildings , soil, grain, and produce, and is also used during processing of goods to be imported or...
with hydrogen cyanide, phosphine
Phosphine
Phosphine is the compound with the chemical formula PH3. It is a colorless, flammable, toxic gas. Pure phosphine is odourless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like garlic or rotting fish, due to the presence of substituted phosphine and diphosphine...
or methyl bromide. In most cases, notice must be given to any harbour authority in whose area the fumigation is to take place.
Exemptions
The HSE may issue certificates of exemption to certain employers so long as they are satisfied that the health and safety of workers will not be compromised (reg.15). The Secretary of State for DefenceSecretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
may issue certificates of exemption on the grounds of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
to the UK and visiting armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
(reg.16).
Record keeping
An employer with five or more employees must record the results of the risk assessment (reg.6(4)).Regulations on labelling of containers and pipes
- Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 (CHIP)(SI 2002/1689);
- Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/341);
- Radioactive Material (Road Transport) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/1093);
- Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/2089);
- Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2099);
- Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) and Use of Transportable Pressure Receptacles Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/2092);
- Carriage of Explosives by Road Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/2093);
- Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/2095); and
- Good Laboratory Practice Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/3106).
External links
- COSHH information from the Health and Safety ExecutiveHealth and Safety ExecutiveThe Health and Safety Executive is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom. It is the body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare, and for research into occupational risks in England and Wales and Scotland...
- Free CoSHH Starter Pack from Ethos Solution