What form of assessment is required when following COSHH?

When following the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, a risk assessment is pivotal. This is because COSHH requires employers to evaluate the risks associated with hazardous substances in the workplace. The purpose of the risk assessment is to identify the potential for exposure to harmful substances, to evaluate the level of risk, and to implement suitable control measures to protect employees' health.

Conducting a thorough risk assessment involves looking at factors such as the properties of the substance, the levels of exposure, the routes of exposure (inhalation, skin contact, etc.), and the effectiveness of existing control measures. By systematically analyzing these factors, employers can establish safe working practices and mitigate the risks associated with hazardous substances.

While other assessments may play important roles in an overall health and safety strategy—like health surveillance to monitor workers' health, or training needs assessments to ensure personnel understand how to handle hazardous substances—only a risk assessment directly addresses the specific requirements of COSHH in terms of evaluating and managing the risks presented by hazardous substances.