COSHH Risk Asessment

Introduction 

The Department of Engineering (CUED) must ensure that exposure to substances hazardous to health is either prevented or adequately controlled. 

In order to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations CUED must make an assessment of the health risks created in the workplace by hazardous substances and the measures that are needed to control these. 

This procedure applies to all materials hazardous to health within CUED.  They include recognised hazard classifications such as toxic, harmful, corrosive, sensitiser, irritant, carcinogen, mutagen and toxic to reproduction.  Biological hazards are classified according to their potential and ability to cause infection and harm. 

Responsibilities 

Principal Investigators, Supervisors or Line Managers must ensure that COSHH assessments have been carried out for all work processes involving hazardous materials and that these are readily accessible at the workplace. 

Principal Investigators, Supervisors or Line Managers must provide their staff, researchers and visitors with suitable information, instruction and training about: 

  • the nature of the substances they work with, or are exposed to, and the risks created by exposure to these substances 

  • the precautions they should take 

  • control measures, their purpose and how to use them 

  • how to use personal protective equipment and clothing provided 

  • emergency procedures. 

Users must be informed of the findings of relevant COSHH assessments by the assessor including the results of any exposure monitoring and health surveillance. 

Risk assessments must be reviewed at least annually but should also be reviewed following any change to the procedure or the substances being used, as well as being reviewed in the event of any incident. 

Principal Investigators, Supervisors or Line Managers must ensure that those using chemicals are familiar with CUED safety procedures, particularly Laboratory, Chemical and Biological Safety and Waste Disposal.

COSHH Assessment  

The Engineering Risk Assessment Assessor App includes sections to complete a COSHH assessment. The paper form is no longer in use and all COSHH RAs should be made via the App. 

A full guide to the App including the details of how to include COSHH in the assessment can be found here UserGuide-Assessor App.docx

The main hazards and their control measures are listed in the Hazards Tab. 

Hazardous Substances 

Each hazardous substance is added separately. All information required should be contained in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the substance – these should be kept for every hazardous substance. Ensure that the SDS is the latest version and is in the UK standard format ideally.  

Name: Include the full chemical name and include the CAS number if likely to be confused with other chemicals.  If it is commercial product, write commercial name followed by chemical constituents.  If relevant to the hazard, list concentration of chemical (e.g. an acid may be corrosive, irritant or non-hazardous depending upon concentration). 

For biological substances use the scientific name of organism/agent wherever possible, together with common or commercial name if appropriate.  

Quantity: Approximate quantities being used, consider the maximum quantity being used in the work. 

Physical Form: solid, gas, liquid. 

Hazards: Use the information from the SDS e.g. Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin. Ecological information (e.g. toxic to aquatic organisms) need not be included but will inform your choice of disposal. 

For biological hazards, list ACDP hazard category. 

Work Exposure Limits (WEL): Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) are occupational exposure limits designed to help protect the health of workers.  WELs are concentrations of hazardous substances in the air, averaged over a specified period of time referred to as a time-weighted average.  Two time periods are used: long-term (8 hours) and short-term (15 minutes).  Short-term exposure limits are designed to reduce effects such as eye irritation that may occur following exposure for a few minutes. Not all hazardous substances have a WEL. 

GHS Hazard Statements: These are the H statements that are found on the SDS e.g. H315 - Causes skin irritation. 

Potential Routes of Exposure: Ingestion, Inhalation, Injection and Absorption – select all that apply to the work. 

Substitution: If the substance being used could be substituted for a less hazardous alternative select Yes and justify why that alternative is not being used. 

Significant Chemical Hazard: For COSHH purposes a significant hazard is a substance that is not trivial and is capable of causing serious harm to health. This would include chemicals that can cause damage to the lungs, skin, nose, mouth, genes, the central nervous system etc. This damage is usually irreversible and may cause long term health issues. 

COSHH Other Info 

This page asks further questions which related to the substance being used. It is important to complete the questions as this provides evidence that they have been considered in the RA. 

Fire and Explosion Risks: If using highly flammable or explosive substances this should be selected and the control measures outlined here or the in main hazards part of the RA. 

Lower Explosive limit (LEL):if this is likely to be reached then a further Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) assessment may be required. More information on DSEAR is included below. If in doubt as to whether required, please contact the CUED Safety Office for advice.

Carcinogens, Mutagens, substances to hazardous to reproduction, respiratory or skin sensitisers: Where these are being used strict control measures to prevent exposure must be in place. A Health Record Form should be completed, please see information on Health Surveillance below. 

Storage requirements: Certain substances may require particular storage because for flammability, incompatibility or other hazards.  Incompatibilities are generally listed on the SDS, see examples. 

Environment Monitoring Required for Gas, Vapour or Dusts: Where necessary, monitoring of the workplace should be undertaken to ensure that exposure to hazardous substances is below permitted exposure limits.  If the risk assessment has identified that these limits may be exceeded if control measures fail, then monitoring must be carried out e.g. oxygen monitoring in areas using liquid nitrogen or carbon monoxide alarms for combustion experiments. 

Waste Disposal: The University operates a ‘no chemicals to drain policy’ with very few exceptions. The assessment must include the appropriate safe disposal of reagents after completion of a procedure. 

Emergency Procedures: This section allows users to specify fire extinguisher type, spill response, and to consider other emergency responses that may be needed.  For some work they might be very simple such as the dropping of a stock bottle or a concentrated solution but for others more extensive emergency planning may be required and can be recorded in the main part of the RA.  

Control measures 

The control measures to mitigate the risk from the substance being used should be recorded in the main RA in the Hazards section. Below are some things to help. 

When controlling exposure to a hazardous substance consider whether: 

  • the process can be changed to eliminate the need for the substance, 

  • the substance can be replaced with a safer alternative,          

  • the substance can be used in a safer form e.g. pellets instead of powder, ready-made buffers or gels etc.

If prevention is not reasonably practicable, you must adequately control exposure e.g. by one or more of the following: 

  • totally enclose the process (e.g. glove box), 

  • partially enclose the process (e.g. fume cupboard), 

  • improve general ventilation, 

  • use systems of work that minimize the chances of spillage etc., 

  • reduce the number of persons exposed. 

List all engineering measures appropriate for the control of exposure to the hazard.  This should be indicated by the SDS and the hazard phrases (e.g. if toxic by inhalation then use in a fume cupboard).  Fume cupboard, glove box, safety cabinet (for biological) and local exhaust ventilation are examples. 

The nature of the hazard will influence the control measures required.    

Fume cupboards and safety cabinets 

When reliance is placed upon local exhaust ventilation, fume cupboards and other equipment, it is essential that they are tested at least annually and test records are kept for a minimum of five years.  Record testing frequency and by whom.  Any control measures must be maintained in an efficient working order and work as intended.  Reduced efficiency must be detected.  All engineering controls should be visually checked at least once a week and be subject to preventative service procedures. 

Adverse results from periodic test of control measures will necessitate review of any existing assessment(s). 

Local management (e.g. Lab manager / Chief Technician) is responsible for the preventative maintenance of engineering controls within their area and for retaining records.  The Safety Office can advise on and arrange maintenance and testing. 

Personal Protective Equipment 

Record the type of protective equipment used.  Personal protective equipment (PPE) should only be used where it is not practical or feasible to achieve adequate control by operational or engineering measures alone, in an emergency or for routine maintenance.  PPE should comply with International, European or British Standards. 

Eye protection would be indicated for most hazardous chemicals, a face shield or goggles for corrosives and chemicals with the hazard statements ‘risk of serious damage to eyes’. 

Respiratory protection such as dust masks will require face-fit testing (contact CUED Safety Office). Reusable RPE requires routine checks and maintenance, and records should be retained. 

Many chemicals can permeate glove materials (especially organic solvents).  Check ‘breakthrough times’ published by manufacturers and suppliers. The SDS will provide more information about suitable gloves. 

Flammables and explosives 

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) set out minimum requirements for the protection of workers from fire and explosion from dangerous substances and potentially explosive atmospheres.

DSEAR applies where there is present any substance or mixture of substances with the potential to create a risk from energetic (energy-releasing) events such as fire, explosions, thermal runaway from exothermic reactions etc. Such substances, known in DSEAR as dangerous substances, include: 

  • flammable substances 

  • oxidisers 

  • explosives 

  • petrol 

  • liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) 

  • paints and varnishes 

  • solvents 

  • certain types of dust that are explosive (e.g. wood dust) 

  • compressed gases 

The main requirements of DSEAR are that: 

  • an assessment is made of the fire and explosion risks of any work activities involving dangerous substances 

  • measures are undertaken to eliminate, or reduce as far as is reasonably practicable the identified fire and explosion risks 

  • residual risks are controlled to mitigate the detrimental effects of a fire or explosion 

  • equipment is provided and procedures put in place to deal with accidents and emergencies 

  • information and precautionary training given  

Additionally, where explosive atmospheres may occur, signage should indicate the hazardous area and equipment within that area should satisfy The Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 1996.  Classification of a work area should be by a competent person (contact Safety Office). 

Health Surveillance 

For work involving the substance listed below a COSHH Health Record Form is required. This is completed annually by the user and should be submitted to the Engineering Safety Office. These records must be kept by the Department for 40 years to comply with the COSHH Regulations. 

  • Category 1 and 2 carcinogens, mutagens and substances toxic to reproduction with Hazard statements H340, H350, H350i, H360f/F, H360d/D, H361 and H362. 

  • Respiratory or skin sensitisers with Hazard Statements H334 and H317 

  • Nanoparticles 

For most substances used for research purposes completion of the Health Record Form is sufficient but additional Health Surveillance may be required depending on the frequency and duration of use of respiratory and skin sensitisers, and for other substances within the groups listed below: 

  • pathogens or biological agents in Hazard Group 3 or above 

  • organophosphorus compounds 

  • mercury or mercury compounds (where exposure to vapour or dust is possible) 

  • cadmium or cadmium compounds (where exposure to vapour or dust is possible) 

  • burning lead (e.g. welding or soldering) 

  • Latex 

If using these or if you have any concerns, please contact the CUED Safety Office for more information to arrange Occupational Health Screening Assessment. 

Updated:  02/04/2026