Health & Safety Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

Health and Safety Review November 2025

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) were introduced in recognition that using certain chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put people’s health at risk. These regulations require employers to prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances so as to remove or reduce ill health or injury amongst employees and others who may be affected. The effects from hazardous substances can range from mild eye irritation to chronic lung disease or, on occasions, death.

A substance can cause harm when it is able to enter the body and reach an organ where it can affect it. This can be by skin contact, by passing through the skin into the bloodstream, inhalation as a gas, vapour or dust, by ingestion or injection.

In the HSE statistics from the UK for 2022, 13,000 deaths are estimated each year to be linked with past exposure at work, primarily to chemicals or dust.

Fatality and illness caused by exposure in the workplace to hazardous substances (which include, for example, pure chemicals, chemical preparations, toxic wastes and biological materials) are among the most serious concerns of health and safety management. The types of health effect that are associated with hazardous substances include:

• Asthma
• Skin irritation and dermatitis
• Eye irritation and/or permanent damage to vision
• Infection
• Cancer
• Loss of consciousness
• Mutagenic effects
• Teratogenic effects (non-hereditary congenital malformations i.e. harm to foetal development)
• Many other more subtle consequences

Many of these are:

• Immediate or short term (acute – for example, poisoning by cyanide, or corrosive burns with acid)
• Delayed or developed over long periods of time (chronic – for example, chemicals that induce cancers)

It is essential to have a risk management strategy in place to eliminate or control exposure.

Duties of Employers

In order to protect people at work from exposure to hazardous substances, employers are required to:

• Arrange for a competent person to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments which identify the hazards, the routes of entry, exposures and ill health effects, the risk control measures required, and any necessary monitoring of exposure
• Replace hazardous substances with non-hazardous substances, where possible, or substitute with less hazardous substances
• Ensure effective control measures are in place where prevention to exposure or substitution with less harmful substances is not possible. This means exposure must be below any HSE published Workplace Exposure Level (WEL) and for carcinogens, mutagen and asthmagens (substances which can cause industrial asthma), exposure must be reduced as far below the WEL as is reasonably practicable
• Take into account those who may be more susceptible to ill health when planning risk control measures
• Ensure a risk assessment is carried out for the work of new or expectant mothers, paying particular attention to substances containing mutagens and reproductive toxins which may affect an unborn child
• Implement a health surveillance and exposure monitoring programme, where required

Managing COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) in the social care sector is vital to protect both staff and service users from harm. Social care settings often involve the use of cleaning chemicals, medications, and other substances that can pose risks if mishandled.

Identifying Hazardous Substances

The first step is to identify substances that may be harmful, such as disinfectants, detergents, or clinical waste. Each substance should have a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) detailing its potential hazards.

Risk Assessment

Employers must carry out COSHH risk assessments to evaluate who might be exposed and how. This includes considering vulnerable service users and staff with allergies or respiratory conditions.

Safe Storage and Handling

Hazardous substances should be stored securely, labelled clearly, and only used as instructed. Staff must follow proper procedures, including using correct personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves or masks.

Training and Awareness

All staff need training on COSHH regulations, safe handling of chemicals, and what to do in case of spills or exposure. Regular refresher sessions ensure compliance and safety.

Monitoring and Review

COSHH management is ongoing. Risk assessments and storage arrangements should be reviewed regularly, and incident reports used to identify areas for improvement.