COSHH Risk Assessment Template

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 (as amended) is the cornerstone of chemical and biological safety in UK workplaces. A properly completed COSHH risk assessment is a legal requirement for every employer who uses, produces, or stores substances that can harm health, from everyday cleaning chemicals and wood dust to welding fumes, silica dust, and pathogenic microorganisms.

A good COSHH risk assessment template is far more than a tick-box form, it is a living document that systematically identifies hazards, evaluates risks, and defines proportionate control measures following the hierarchy of control: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative measures, and finally personal protective equipment (PPE) as a last resort.

Core Elements of an Effective COSHH Assessment Template

1. Substance and Process Identification
   • Full product name and manufacturer
   • Physical form (liquid, solid, powder, pellet, gel, vapour, mist, gas, fume, fibre, or nanoparticle)
   • Process or task (e.g., welding stainless steel, tile cutting, sanding MDF, mixing disinfectants, handling biological samples)
   • CAS number (if known) and reference to the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
   • Relevant Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) – 8-hour TWA and 15-minute STEL from EH40

Hazard Classification

1. Using the supplier’s SDS and label, record the hazard statements (H-phrases) and pictograms:
   • Toxic or Very Toxic (skull and crossbones)
   • Corrosive (corrosion symbol)
   • Health Hazard (exclamation mark or silhouette) – includes respiratory sensitisers, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, and specific target organ toxicity
   • Oxidising, Flammable, Explosive, or Dangerous for the Environment
2. For biological agents, note the ACDP Hazard Group (1–4) and any containment level requirements.

Routes of Exposure

1. Tick all that apply:
   • Inhalation (most common for dusts, fumes, vapours, mists, gases)
   • Skin contact or absorption
   • Eye contact
   • Ingestion (rare but possible via hand-to-mouth)
   • Injection (sharps injuries with biological agents)

Who is Exposed and How Often

1. List job roles (operators, cleaners, maintenance staff, contractors, laboratory technicians, lone workers, new & expectant mothers). Estimate frequency and duration (occasional, daily, continuous).

Risk Evaluation

1. Combine severity of harm (minor irritation → irreversible disease → fatality) with likelihood (very unlikely → almost certain) to give an overall risk rating (low, medium, high, very high) before and after controls.

Control Measures – Following the Hierarchy

1. a) Elimination – Can the hazardous substance be removed completely?
2. b) Substitution – Use a safer alternative (e.g., water-based instead of solvent-based paint; pellets instead of powders; low-dust abrasive instead of silica sand).

1. c) Engineering Controls
   • Total or partial enclosure
   • Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) – fume cupboards, on-tool extraction, downdraught benches
   • Glove boxes or biological safety cabinets d) Administrative Controls
   • Reduce number of workers exposed or duration of exposure
   • Safe systems of work and permit-to-work systems
   • Restricted access zones and clear labelling
   • Safe storage (bunded, segregated incompatibles – acids away from caustics)
   • Spill and waste procedures (absorbent materials, labelled waste streams) e) Personal Protective Equipment (only when higher controls are not reasonably practicable)
   • Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) – FFP3 for most dusts, half- or full-face respirators with correct filters for vapours
   • Face-fit testing mandatory for tight-fitting RPE
   • Gloves selected for breakthrough time against the specific chemicals
   • Eye protection, coveralls, safety footwear

Cleaning and Housekeeping

1. Specify dust-free methods (industrial vacuum with HEPA filter rather than brushing or compressed air sweeping) and regular LEV examination and testing (at least every 14 months).
2. Emergency Procedures
   • Location of eyewash stations and safety showers
   • Spill kits and first-aid measures from Section 4 of the SDS
   • Fire-fighting measures and DSEAR implications for flammables and explosive dusts

Health Surveillance & Exposure Monitoring

1. Indicate whether baseline and periodic health surveillance is required (e.g., lung function for respiratory sensitisers, blood lead levels, hearing tests for solvent exposure affecting the central nervous system).

Information, Instruction and Training

1. Record that workers have received COSHH training, understand the risks, know how to use controls correctly, and what to do in an emergency.
2. Assessment Metadata
   • Name and signature of competent assessor
   • Date of assessment and date for review (at least annually or after any accident, near miss, process change, or new information)
   • Record kept for at least 5 years (40 years if respiratory sensitisers or carcinogens involved)

Example Entries for Common Construction & Workshop Substances

• Wood dust (hardwood & softwood) – Carcinogenic (hardwood), respiratory sensitiser. WEL 5 mg/m³ (8-hr). Controls: on-tool extraction, FFP3 RPE, vacuum cleaning, health surveillance.
• Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) from tile cutting – WEL 0.1 mg/m³. Water suppression or on-tool LEV essential, plus RPE.
• Welding fumes (general) – New WEL 0.02 mg/m³ for mild steel (as of 2024). LEV mandatory, RPE where LEV alone insufficient.
• Isocyanates in 2-pack paints – Potent respiratory and skin sensitisers. Air-fed RPE required.

Making the Template User-Friendly

A practical COSHH assessment template is usually an 8–12-page form or spreadsheet with tick boxes, drop-down menus, and space for photographs of the process and controls. Many organisations use digital systems that automatically pull in the latest SDS data and flag when WELs are exceeded.

Legal Duties in One Sentence

Employers must prevent or adequately control exposure to substances hazardous to health, provide suitable information, instruction, and training, monitor exposure where necessary; carry out health surveillance when appropriate; and prepare plans and procedures to deal with accidents and emergencies.

A well-filled COSHH risk assessment template is not just compliance paperwork – it is the blueprint that prevents dermatitis, occupational asthma, silicosis, asbestosis, cancer, and other irreversible diseases. When done properly and reviewed regularly, it demonstrably reduces absenteeism, insurance premiums, and enforcement action while protecting the most valuable asset any organisation has – its people.