Updated: March 2026 • Based on UK Law
What Is a COSHH Assessment?
A COSHH assessment is a written evaluation of the health risks from hazardous substances in your workplace. Required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, it identifies what substances are present, who could be harmed, and what control measures are needed to prevent or reduce exposure.
This guide covers COSHH law, the 5-step assessment process, how it differs from a general risk assessment, review rules, and penalties.
You cannot legally carry out work that exposes employees to hazardous substances without a COSHH assessment. That’s not guidance — it’s a direct requirement under Regulation 6 of the COSHH Regulations 2002.
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What Is a COSHH Assessment in the UK?
COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. A COSHH assessment is a structured evaluation of the health risks posed by hazardous substances used or produced in your workplace.
Hazardous substances under COSHH include:
- Chemicals — cleaning products, solvents, paints, adhesives, fuels
- Dusts — wood dust, flour dust, cement dust, silica
- Fumes — welding fumes, soldering fumes, exhaust emissions
- Vapours and mists — paint spray, aerosols, chemical vapours
- Biological agents — bacteria, viruses, fungi
- Substances produced by work processes — fumes from cutting, grinding, or heating
If a product carries a hazard warning symbol on its packaging, it falls under COSHH. But many harmful substances don’t carry labels — wet cement, flour, wood dust, and biological agents are all covered too.
Is COSHH a Legal Requirement in the UK?
Yes. COSHH assessments are a legal requirement under two sets of UK regulations:
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) — Regulation 6 states that an employer must not carry out work that could expose employees to hazardous substances unless they have first made a “suitable and sufficient assessment” of the health risks and the steps needed to control them.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 — Regulation 3 requires a risk assessment for all risks to employee health and safety, which includes hazardous substances.
Complying with your COSHH assessment satisfies both sets of regulations — you don’t need to do the work twice.
If you employ five or more people, you must record the significant findings of your COSHH assessment in writing.
Self-employed individuals must also comply with COSHH if their work could expose themselves or others to hazardous substances.
What Are the 5 Steps to a COSHH Assessment?
The HSE’s COSHH assessment process follows five key steps, aligned with the HSE’s guidance in HSG97:
Step 1: Identify the hazardous substances.
Create an inventory of every hazardous substance used, stored, or produced in your workplace.
Check product labels for hazard warning symbols. Obtain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) from suppliers.
Don’t forget substances produced by work processes — cutting, grinding, welding, and heating all generate hazardous by-products.
Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how.
Consider all routes of exposure — inhalation (breathing in fumes, dust, vapours), skin contact (dermatitis, chemical burns), ingestion (accidental swallowing), and skin absorption.
Pay special attention to vulnerable groups: young workers, pregnant employees, and anyone with existing health conditions such as asthma or dermatitis.
Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on control measures.
Assess how likely exposure is, how serious the health effects could be, and how often employees are exposed.
Check whether any substances have Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) listed in the HSE’s publication EH40.
Then apply control measures following the hierarchy: eliminate the substance, substitute with a safer alternative, enclose the process, use local exhaust ventilation, and — as a last resort — provide personal protective equipment (PPE).
Step 4: Record the assessment and implement controls.
Document the substances, the risks, the people at risk, and the control measures in place.
If you employ five or more people, this written record is a legal requirement. Make sure employees are informed and trained on the controls.
Step 5: Review and update regularly.
Review your COSHH assessment whenever you introduce a new substance, change a work process, or if an employee reports symptoms. Even without changes, review at least annually.
What Is the Difference Between a COSHH Assessment and a Risk Assessment?
A COSHH assessment is a type of risk assessment — but it is not the same thing as a general workplace risk assessment.
General risk assessment (under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999) covers all workplace hazards — slips, trips, falls, manual handling, workstation setup, fire, noise, and working at height. For more detail, see our Risk Assessment Guide UK.
COSHH assessment (under the COSHH Regulations 2002) focuses specifically on hazardous substances — chemicals, dusts, fumes, vapours, and biological agents. It goes deeper into substance-specific hazards, exposure routes, Workplace Exposure Limits, and substance-specific control measures.
You need both. A general risk assessment should identify that hazardous substances are present.
The COSHH assessment then provides the detailed, substance-by-substance evaluation that the COSHH Regulations require.
Completing your COSHH assessment counts towards your obligations under both sets of regulations — but one cannot replace the other.
What Are the Main COSHH Requirements?
The COSHH Regulations 2002 set out eight core duties for employers. These go beyond just carrying out an assessment:
- Assess the risks (Regulation 6) — carry out a suitable and sufficient COSHH assessment before work begins
- Prevent or control exposure (Regulation 7) — eliminate the substance, substitute with a safer alternative, or implement adequate control measures
- Maintain control measures (Regulation 9) — ensure ventilation systems, PPE, and other controls are kept in good working order
- Monitor exposure (Regulation 10) — where required, measure airborne concentrations against Workplace Exposure Limits
- Carry out health surveillance (Regulation 11) — required where exposure could cause identifiable diseases such as asthma, dermatitis, or cancer
- Provide information, instruction, and training (Regulation 12) — employees must understand what they’re working with and how to protect themselves
- Plan for emergencies (Regulation 13) — have procedures for accidents, incidents, and spillages involving hazardous substances
- Keep records — document assessments, exposure monitoring results, and health surveillance records
Can Anyone Do a COSHH Assessment?
COSHH assessments must be carried out by a “competent person” — someone with sufficient training, knowledge, and experience to identify hazardous substances and evaluate the risks properly.
There are no legally mandated qualifications. In many small businesses, the employer or a trained manager can carry out the assessment — particularly for common, low-risk substances like cleaning products.
For higher-risk environments — laboratories, manufacturing, construction, or workplaces using carcinogens or respiratory sensitisers — consider appointing an occupational hygienist or health and safety consultant.
Whoever carries out the assessment must have access to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all substances, understand the COSHH Regulations, and be familiar with the HSE’s Workplace Exposure Limits (EH40).
How Often Should a COSHH Assessment Be Reviewed?
The COSHH Regulations do not set a fixed review period. However, Regulation 6 requires that assessments are reviewed if there is reason to believe they are no longer valid, or if there has been a significant change.
In practice, review your COSHH assessment:
- At least annually — widely accepted as the minimum standard
- When a new substance is introduced — you must assess before use, not after
- When work processes change — new equipment, different methods, changes to ventilation
- When an employee reports symptoms — headaches, skin irritation, breathing difficulties, or other signs of exposure
- After an incident or spillage
- When legislation or WELs change
A new substance must always be assessed before it is used — not at the next scheduled review.
Is COSHH Only in the UK?
COSHH as a specific regulation — the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 — applies in Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland). Northern Ireland has equivalent requirements under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.
The concept of controlling hazardous substance exposure exists in every developed country, but the regulatory framework varies.
In the US, OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard and Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) serve a similar purpose. In the EU, the Chemical Agents Directive (98/24/EC) and REACH regulation apply.
The term “COSHH” is UK-specific. If you’re a UK business operating internationally, you must comply with COSHH for your UK operations and the local equivalent in each country where you operate.
What Happens If You Don’t Comply with COSHH?
Failing to carry out a COSHH assessment — or failing to act on its findings — is a criminal offence. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces COSHH and has significant powers:
- Improvement notices: requiring you to fix specific failings within a set timeframe
- Prohibition notices: stopping work immediately where there is a serious risk of harm
- Prosecution: unlimited fines and up to two years’ imprisonment for the most serious offences
- Civil claims: employees who develop occupational diseases can sue for compensation — and a missing COSHH assessment makes it very difficult to defend
The long-term health consequences of inadequate COSHH compliance are severe. Occupational asthma, dermatitis, silicosis, and occupational cancers can develop years after exposure — by which point the damage is irreversible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a COSHH assessment if I only use cleaning products?
Yes. Many common cleaning products carry hazard warning symbols and are classified as hazardous substances under COSHH.
Even bleach, disinfectants, and degreasers require a COSHH assessment. Check the product labels and Safety Data Sheets — if a hazard symbol is present, COSHH applies.
Is a COSHH assessment the same as a Safety Data Sheet?
No. A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a document provided by the substance manufacturer or supplier — it describes the hazards, safe handling, and emergency measures for a specific product.
A COSHH assessment is a document you produce as an employer, evaluating the risks from that substance in your specific workplace, for your specific employees, with your specific work processes.
The SDS is an input to your COSHH assessment — not a replacement for it.
Do I need a separate COSHH assessment for every substance?
Not necessarily. Where the same substance is used in the same way by the same group of employees, a single assessment can cover all of them.
However, if the same substance is used in different processes, different locations, or by different people, the risks may differ and separate assessments may be needed.
The HSE guidance (HSG97) allows you to group similar substances and processes where the risks are essentially the same.
What are Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs)?
WELs are maximum concentrations of airborne hazardous substances, averaged over a reference period, to which employees may be exposed by inhalation. They are listed in the HSE’s publication EH40.
There are two types: long-term (8-hour time-weighted average) and short-term (15-minute reference period).
If a substance has a WEL, your COSHH assessment must ensure that exposure is kept below it.
When is health surveillance required under COSHH?
Health surveillance is required under Regulation 11 when employees are exposed to substances known to cause identifiable diseases — such as respiratory sensitisers (which can cause occupational asthma), skin sensitisers (which can cause dermatitis), or carcinogens and mutagens. The COSHH assessment determines whether health surveillance is needed for your specific workplace.
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Last updated: March 2026
Disclaimer: This guide provides general UK legal information, not legal advice. Laws are current as of March 2026.
