Supporting Your Business with COSHH Assessments and Training
Supporting Your Business with COSHH Assessments and Training
COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and legally requires employers to prevent or reduce workers’ exposure to such substances.
It is a common misconception that COSHH is just for anything labelled ‘hazardous’ when it is much more than that. It is paramount that employers not only understand COSHH and the potential harm that could be caused to employees but conduct a proper risk assessment to identify any dangerous substances that are in use in their workplace.
COSHH regulations cover substances that are hazardous to health and they can take many forms including:
Chemicals (and products containing chemicals)
Fumes
Dusts
Vapours
Mists
Nanotechnology
Gases and asphyxiating gases
Biological agents
Where COSHH Assessments identify the presence of lead, asbestos or radioactive materials their own regulations apply for the management of associated risks.
Not surprisingly, COSHH regulations can affect most industries from cleaners, to tradesmen, to office workers so don’t be caught out thinking you don’t require to undertake a COSHH risk assessment.
8 Stages to COSHH Implementation
COSHH Risk Assessment
Precautions
Prevent or control exposure
Maintenance of control measures
Monitor exposure
Health surveillance
Plans & procedures for accidents and emergencies
Training for employees
How can Sureteam Support your Business?
COSHH Assessments
Our specialist consultants at Sureteam can provide help with the management of COSHH across a number of areas, starting with the creation of a COSHH risk assessment to help you identify any hazardous substances, assess the risk of using them and help you put measures in place to avoid accidents and protect your employees.
Once the risks have been identified we can work with you to implement appropriate safe systems of work, highlight maintenance issues and identify any training needs for your team. We are also able to offer advice on the use of RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) and provide face fit testing.
COSHH Training
We provide trainer led Level 2 COSHH training which sits on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) regulated by Ofqual and CCEA Regulation.
Aimed at individuals who work in environments where coming into contact with hazardous substances is likely, including manufacturing, cleaning, healthcare, transport, utilities as well as office environments.
Our training can be delivered in person at a dedicated training venue, on-site, or via video conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams if preferred.
We also offer an extended Level 2 course for COSHH Assessors which follows the Level 2 syllabus and exam but includes a practical element for a more in-depth understanding.
Give us a call
Frequently Asked Questions
COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and the regulations cover substances that could cause harm when exposed to them. They include chemicals, products containing chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours, mists nanotechnology, gases and biological agents.
No, you can complete process driven risk assessments which take into consideration all substances and produces the highest level of protection where elimination isn’t possible.
To find out more about how to implement process driven risk assessments for COSHH get in touch.
More Resources
Seeking further advice and support, why not take a look at our Resources section with toolbox talks, HSE publications and useful links or read our latest blog post for advice from our team
We see Sureteam as a key extension to our own internal health and safety team here at Squared. Sharing many of our own values, and acting as a “critical friend”, they add real value across all levels of the organisation.
Having taken the time to get to understand who we are and what specific risks we face, means that their advice and training is always practical and relevant. They are always accessible and happy to help support anyone within the organisation and through our ever-evolving relationship we have been able to build and maintain a safe and secure organisation for our teams, customers and wider community.”
Claire Bryan, Director of People Excellence, Squared
The training that we received from Sureteam was fantastic. Peter was informative, knowledgeable and made the training accessible and relevant to us. Peter related all the information to the context of our setting and used examples to highlight the important information that we needed as well and giving us advise about what we could improve and take forward following the training.
Lisa Hoult, Head of Youth Services, Tetbury Area Youth & Community Trust
Participant of Fire Safety Training
We receive a very professional service from Sureteam and have the knowledge of knowing we can contact them and will receive excellent expert advice. I would have no hesitation in recommending them as a company who always provide what they promise.
Risk Manager, North London Hospice
Sureteam really are the whole package when it comes to Health and Safety providers. As an in-house Health and Safety Manager the safety of my staff and customers is paramount at all times but with the additional support of Sureteam I have added piece of mind that I am supported fully. Whether it is helping me to stay up to date with regulation changes, get a fresh set of eyes on our procedures or get additional, practical advice and support on new issues should they arise. Over the years I have developed a fantastic, close working relationship with the entire team at Sureteam and look forward to that continuing for many years to come.
Gill Findlay, Installation QH+S Manager – Langley Design
Having worked with Sureteam since we started the business and been impressed by their expertise and professionalism, we knew that we wanted to partner with them for this larger project. Knowing that we could trust them absolutely to ensure our compliancy with the CDM Regulations and to deliver and provide high-quality health and safety advice, documents and training was so important to us, our sub-contractors and ultimately our client.
Our new two-tier contract system with Sureteam, really provides us with the flexibility and service that we require given the changeable nature of the projects we work on and helps ensure our budgets are spent wisely. Knowing we have their support in this way means we can tender for larger projects with confidence.
Paul Aubrey, Director – Corella Ltd