coshh essentials

A simplified approach to chemical

health risk assessments

Developed by the British Health and

Safety Executive

Originally intended to be used by

small businesses with limited access

to expertise

No longer available to purchase as hard copy.

Assessments have to be carried out using website

http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/index.htm

Control sheets are also available on a wide range of common industrial processes at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/index.htm

Specific control sheets are also available for a wide range of common industrial processes at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/index.htm

The International LaborOrganisation (ILO) has adopted COSHH Essentials as the basis of their “International Chemical Control Toolkit”

http://www.ilo.org/legacy/english/protection/safework/ctrl_banding/toolkit/icct/index.htm

http://www.ilo.org/legacy/english/protection/safework/ctrl_banding/toolkit/icct/index.htm

1. Assign hazard group

2. How much is used?

3. Determine dustiness / volatility

4. Identify control approach

5. Find appropriate control sheets

1. Assign Hazard Group

Hazard group (A to E) depends on “R phrases” assigned by supplier and provided on the label and safety data sheet

Group “A” represents low hazard

Group “E” for most serious hazards

Additional Group “S” for substances that present a skin hazard

A B C D E SR36

R36/38

R38

R65

R66

R67

All dusts and

vapours not

allocated to

another band

R20

R20/21

R20/21/22

R21,

R21/22

R22

R23

R23/24

R23/24/25

R23/25

R24

R24/25

R25

R34

R35

R36/37

R36/37/38

R37

R37/38

R41,

R43,

R48/20

R48/20/21

R48/20/21/22

R48/20/22

R48/21

R48/21/22

R48/22

R26

R26/27

R26/27/28

R26/28

R27

R27/28

R28

R40 Carc. Cat. 3,

R48/23

R48/23/24

R48/23/24/25

R48/23/25

R48/24

R48/24/25

R48/25

R60,

R61,

R62,

R63,

R64

R40 Muta cat 3

R42

R42/43

R45

R46

R49

R21

R24

R27

R34

R35

R36

R36/37

R36/37/38

R36/38

R38

R41

R42

R42/43

R43

R48/21

R48/21/22

R48/22

R48/23

R48/24

R48/24/25

R48/25

R66

How much is used?

Solids Liquids

Small Grams millilitres

Medium Kilograms litres

Large Tonnes Cubic metres

Solids – How dusty?

Low Pellet-like solids that don't break up. Little dust visible during use

Medium Crystalline, granular solids. When used, dust is seen but settles out quickly

High Fine, light powders.When used dust clouds remain in air for some time

Liquids – How volatile?

Source: ILO toolkit

Control Approach

Source: ILO toolkit

Difficult to obtain other than by undertaking an assessment using the website

Source: ILO toolkit

ILO Task Specific Control Guidance Sheet


Source: ILO toolkit

Scenario 1 – Making up slurry from cerium oxide powder


A few kilograms of powder weighed out about 6 times per day


Added to water and mixed to form slurry which is used to polish glass

Cerium oxide powder

Not classified as hazardous

Fine, dusty powder

A B C D E SR36

R36/38

R38

R65

R66

R67

All dusts and

vapours not

allocated to

another band

R20

R20/21

R20/21/22

R21,

R21/22

R22

R23

R23/24

R23/24/25

R23/25

R24

R24/25

R25

R34

R35

R36/37

R36/37/38

R37

R37/38

R41,

R43,

R48/20

R48/20/21

R48/20/21/22

R48/20/22

R48/21

R48/21/22

R48/22

R26

R26/27

R26/27/28

R26/28

R27

R27/28

R28

R40 Carc. Cat. 3,

R48/23

R48/23/24

R48/23/24/25

R48/23/25

R48/24

R48/24/25

R48/25

R60,

R61,

R62,

R63,

R64

R40 Muta cat 3

R42

R42/43

R45

R46

R49

R21

R24

R27

R34

R35

R36

R36/37

R36/37/38

R36/38

R38

R41

R42

R42/43

R43

R48/21

R48/21/22

R48/22

R48/23

R48/24

R48/24/25

R48/25

R66

How much is used?

Solids Liquids




Solids – How dusty?

Low Pellet-like solids that don't break up. Little dust visible during use

Medium Crystalline, granular solids. When used, dust is seen but settles out quickly

High Fine, light powders.When used dust clouds remain in air for some time

Stage 4 – Control Approach

Source: ILO toolkit

Scenario 2Cleaning rollers with n-butyl acetate

Sponge soaked in n-butyl acetate used to

clean screen printing rollers

Applied manually

Operation takes approx. 15 minutes

Done about 4 times per day

n-butyl acetate Boiling Point: 124 -128°C

R11 - Highly flammable

R36 - Irritating to eyes

R37 - Irritating to respiratory system

A B C D E SR36

R36/38

R38

R65

R66

R67

All dusts and

vapours not

allocated to

another band

R20

R20/21

R20/21/22

R21,

R21/22

R22

R23

R23/24

R23/24/25

R23/25

R24

R24/25

R25

R34

R35

R36/37

R36/37/38

R37

R37/38

R41,

R43,

R48/20

R48/20/21

R48/20/21/22

R48/20/22

R48/21

R48/21/22

R48/22

R26

R26/27

R26/27/28

R26/28

R27

R27/28

R28

R40 Carc. Cat. 3,

R48/23

R48/23/24

R48/23/24/25

R48/23/25

R48/24

R48/24/25

R48/25

R60,

R61,

R62,

R63,

R64

R40 Muta cat 3

R42

R42/43

R45

R46

R49

R21

R24

R27

R34

R35

R36

R36/37

R36/37/38

R36/38

R38

R41

R42

R42/43

R43

R48/21

R48/21/22

R48/22

R48/23

R48/24

R48/24/25

R48/25

R66

How much is used?

Solids Liquids




Solids Liquids





Source: ILO toolkit


Source: ILO toolkit

Boiling Point: 124 - 128°C

Stage 4 – Control Approach

Source: ILO toolkit

Mike Slater, Diamond Environmental Ltd. ([email protected])

This presentation is distributed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

UK:International Licence

coshh essentials

Health & Medicine

ilo toolkit

control approach5

control approach source

appropriate control

hazard group2

granular solids

dust clouds

little dust visible