Hsps04 Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment

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HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RISK ASSESSMENT

Plymouth City Council

Health & Safety Performance Standard

(HSPS 04)

April 2006


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Guide to Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Plymouth City Council

HSPS04 April 2006 1

CONTENTS

Section Page

A Introduction 2

B Who should do Hazardous Substances risk assessment? 5

C Guidance on assessment requirements & training 5

D How to get started initial inventory 6

E Recording assessments Hazardous substances risk assessment form 8

F Assessment procedure: step-by-step approach 10

Step 1: Assess the risks by process/activity 10Step 2: Identify relevant legislation/standards/best practice 11Step 3: Prevent or adequately control exposure 12Step 4: Ensure that control measures are used/maintained 14Step 5: Monitor exposure 14Step 6: Carry out appropriate Health Surveillance 15

Step 7: Prepare plans/procedures for accidents/emergencies 15Step 8: Inform, train & supervise staff 16Step 9: Evaluate risk and decide what further action is needed 16Step 10: Record and review assessments 19

G Informing others of assessment findings 20

H Monitoring health and safety performance 20

I Further information and guidance 21

Appendix 1 Inventory checklist 24Appendix 2 Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Form (HSRA1) 25Appendix 3 Register of RISK Assessments Completed 27Appendix 4 Example of generic hazardous substances risk assessment 28Appendix 5 Risk phrases (file attached) 32Appendix 6 Safety phrases (file attached) 36Appendix 7 Hazard symbols (file attached) 38Appendix 8 Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (file attached) 41

Appendix 9 COSHH Principles of good practice (hierarchy of controls) (file attached) 46


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Hazardous Substances Risk AssessmentHealth & Safety Performance Standard.

A. Introduction

1. Summary

1.1 Many substances or products used, stored, generated or disposed of at work canpresent risks to the health and safety of employees, non-employees and theenvironment. Therefore, Plymouth City Council workplaces where substances are usedor stored should have an up-to-date inventory of all potentially hazardous substanceson site (or used by staff), and hazardous substances risk assessment recordsdescribing the risks and control measures for safe working (this is more than just asafety data sheet).

1.2 Hazardous substances include: substances used directly in work activities (egadhesives, paints, cleaning agents); substances generated during work activities (egwood dust and fumes from soldering/welding); naturally occurring substances (eggrain/flour dust); biological agents (such as bacteria and fungi or moulds).

1.3 The types of substances covered by health and safety requirements of the Control ofSubstances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 (as amended), are:

Substances or mixtures of substances classified as dangerous to health under theChemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002(CHIP). These can be identified by their warning label and the supplier must

provide a safety data sheet for them. Many commonly used dangerous substancesare listed in the HSE publication Approved Supply List. Information approved forthe classification and labeling of substances and preparations dangerous forsupply, as part of the CHIP package. Suppliers must decide if preparations andsubstances that are not in the Approved Supply Listare dangerous, and if so, labelthem accordingly as very toxic, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant.

Substances with workplace exposure limits are listed in the HSE publicationEH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits.

Biological agents (bacteria and other microorganisms), if they are directlyconnected with the work, such as with farming, sewage treatment, or healthcare, orif the exposure is incidental to the work (eg exposure to bacteria from an air

conditioning system that is not properly maintained). Any kind of dust if its average concentration in the air exceeds the levels specified

in the COSHH Regulations.

Any other substance which creates a risk to health, but which for technical reasonsmay not be specifically covered by CHIP including: asphyxiants (ie gases whichcan cause suffocation such as argon and helium, which, while not dangerous inthemselves, can endanger life by reducing the amount of oxygen available tobreathe), pesticides, medicines, cosmetics or substances produced in chemicalprocesses.

Note Hazardous substances include those with chronic or delayed effects egsubstances that are carcinogenic (cancer causing), mutagenic (can cause mutations ingenetic material which may be heritable) or teratogenic (can cause non-heritablegenetic mutation or malformation in a developing foetus), allergens (can cause asthma


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or skin reactions such as dermatitis), mixtures of compounds, and by-products orcontaminants of processes.

1.4 The COSHH Regulations apply to virtually all substances hazardous to health except:

asbestos and lead, which have their own regulations;

substances which are hazardous only because they are:

- radioactive;- at high pressure;- at extreme temperatures; or- have explosive or flammable properties (other regulations apply to these risks);

biological agents that are outside the employers control, eg catching an infectionfrom a workmate. (If in doubt, please contact H&S Team or Occupational Healthfor advice.)

For the vast majority of commercial chemicals, the presence (or not) of a warning labelwill indicate whether COSHH is relevant. For example, there is no warning label onordinary household washing-up liquid, so if its used at work you do not have to worryabout COSHH; but there is a warning label on bleach, so COSHH does apply to its use

in the workplace.

1.5 Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put peoples health at risk,so the law requires employers to control exposure to hazardous substances to preventill health. They have to protect employees, and others who may be exposed, bycomplying with health and safety legislation. Examples of the effects of hazardoussubstances include: skin irritation or dermatitis from skin contact; asthma from contactwith allergens or sensitisers; loss of consciousness from breathing toxic or asphyxiantfumes or gases; infection by micro-organisms; and burns from fires or explosions.

1.6 The legislation requiring specific actions to be taken to work safely with hazardoussubstances includes:

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH),

Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 (CHIP),

Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR),

Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002 (CLAW)

Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 (CAWR)

The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH)

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2006

Confined Spaces Regulations 1997

Control of Pesticides Regulations 1996 The Special Waste Regulations 1996

The Health and Safety (First aid) Regulations 1981

Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999

2. Health & Safety Performance Standard for Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment(HSPS 04)

2.1 For the sake of simplicity this guidance document will use the same general term

Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment for all risks related to the use of hazardoussubstances at work (except asbestos and radiation), regardless of whether or not thoserisks are covered specifically by the COSHH Regulations or other legislation.


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2.2To conduct a Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment you need to follow these ten steps:

Step1

Assess the risks Assess the risks to health and safety fromhazardous substances used in or createdby your work activities

Page10

Step2 Identify relevantlegislation,standards, and bestpractice

You must not carry out work which couldexpose employees or others to hazardoussubstances without first considering therisks and the necessary precautions, andwhat else you need to do to comply withthe law.

Page11

Step3

Prevent oradequately controlexposure

You must prevent employees and othersfrom being exposed to hazardoussubstances. Where preventing exposure isnot reasonably practicable, then you mustadequately control exposure. The advice in

this guidance will help you to make correctassessments and to put the appropriatecontrols into place.

Page12

Step4

Ensure that controlmeasures are usedand maintained

Ensure that control measures are used andmaintained properly and that safetyprocedures are followed. (Classify placeswhere explosive atmospheres may occurinto zones, and mark the zones wherenecessary.)

Page14

Step5

Monitor the exposure Monitor the exposure of employees tohazardous substances, if necessary.

Page14

Step6

Carry out appropriatehealth surveillance

Carry out appropriate health surveillancewhere your assessment has shown thatthis is necessary or where Regulationsmake specific requirements.

Page15

Step7

Prepare plans andprocedures to dealwith accidents,incidents andemergencies

Prepare plans and procedures to deal withaccidents, incidents and emergenciesinvolving hazardous substances, andprovide equipment where necessary.

Page15

Step

8

Ensure employees

are properlyinformed, instructed,trained andsupervised

You should provide employees (and non-

employees where appropriate) with suitableand sufficient information, instruction andtraining, to work safely and without risk tohealth.

Page

16

Step9

Decide what furtheraction is needed

Identify further actions to reduce risk so faras is reasonably practicable (forcarcinogens and biological agents thecontrols must prevent exposure risk so faras is reasonably practicable).

Page16

Step10

Record and reviewassessments

Record significant findings of theassessment process and amend as

knowledge and experience improve.Review assessments regularly and reviseas necessary.

Page19


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HSPS04 April 2006 5

B. Who should do Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment?

Legal responsibility for all types of risk assessment rests with the employer, but it iscommon for most of the work involved in doing risk assessments to be devolved down theline management chain to staff in service units.

Except in very simple cases, whoever carries out the hazardous substances riskassessment will need to:

have access to, and understand, the COSHH Regulations and other legislation/codesof practice/guidance, or to someone else who does;

be able to get all the necessary information and have the knowledge and experienceto make correct decisions about the risks and the actions needed;

understand their own limitations, and know where to get help.

Employees often have the most knowledge of what really happens in the workplace, and ingroups can often contribute much of the information needed for hazardous substances risk

assessment. This knowledge should be used before deciding whether outside help isrequired. If there is insufficient expertise available to assess more complex risks,competent assistance should be sought from a Trade Association, or professionallyqualified Health and Safety Adviser, or Occupational Hygienist.

Employees, their elected safety representatives and safety committees must be informed ofthe results of hazardous substances risk assessments, and should be consulted during theprocess.

Heads of service and Head teachers may wish to appoint one or more staff to co-ordinateor specialise in hazardous substances risk assessment. Specific training courses are

available from the Corporate Health & Safety Team for these risk assessments see thenext Section.

C. Guidance on risk assessment requirements and training

In addition to the general requirement for risk assessment under the Management of Healthand Safety at Work Regulations 1999, risk assessment of specific hazards is often requiredto be carried out in a specific way indeed, risk assessment is now a common theme of all

new health and safety legislation.

To make the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment process easier, the CorporateHealth & Safety Team have designed specific hazardous substances risk assessmentforms and checklists (see appendices 1 and 2; all forms are available on the Health, Safetyand Wellbeing Document Library on the Council Intranet). However, hazardous substancesare seldom used in isolation, and a hazardous substances assessment may be required asjust part of a wider reaching activity risk assessment so, the two assessment records willneed to be cross-referenced.

Council health and safety guidance and Performance Standards have been produced for

some of the hazards that relate to the work of the Council, and additional guidance iscontinually being developed. Also, within Departments, local or national guidance may beavailable on specific risks and activities such as School Science and Design &


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Technology (D&T) safety guidance from the CLEAPSS School Science Service. In Schoolsthis guidance should be followed for science and design & technology teaching activities,and Council guidance should be applied to all other teaching activities using hazardoussubstances (eg art), and non-teaching activities, e.g. cleaning, caretaking, groundskeeping, volunteer work, off-site activities, etc. Before embarking on a risk assessment youshould check what guidance exists, and familiarise yourself with legal requirements and

relevant standards.

The Corporate Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team provide an annual programme of training,including courses on how to carry out both general risk assessments and hazardoussubstances risk assessments. A full list of courses can be found in the current edition of theCouncils Programme of Scheduled Training Courses, available from the CorporateLearning & Development Team (Human Resources) and the Councils intranet.Alternatively, please contact the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team.

D. How to get started Initial inventory

i. Start by involving all staff who use (or regularly come into contact with) substances inthe course of their work and use existing lists/inventories ofsubstances/products/materials that might be hazardous. Then walk around thepremises looking for other substances that may not be recorded (especially stored andunused substances, and those brought in unofficially).

ii. Create comprehensive inventories, listing substances/materials by - product name,supplier name, total amount held, location(s), date of delivery, etc (see example in

appendix 1).

iii. Ensure that up-to-date safety data sheets (or CLEAPSS HAZCARDS for science/D&Tsubstances in schools) are available for all substances on the premises. If you do nothave them, contact the suppliers and request new ones. If substances are old and thesupplier is no longer in business, gather information about products/ingredients fromproduct labels, chemistry texts or web sites, or ask the Health, Safety and WellbeingTeam (in schools ask the science staff for help).

iv. If you cannot get hold of adequate safety information, then the substance cannot beused or stored, and will have to be disposed of via a specialist hazardous waste

disposal contractor.

v. Identify and list all the processes/activities that use or produce hazardous substances,and arrange for appropriate disposal of all hazardous substances that are no longerused or should not be used/stored on the premises.

vi. Now you can begin hazardous substances risk assessment of processes/activities(not just single substances, unless they are used alone), and storage areas.


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HSPS04 April 2006 7

PREDICTIVE OR DYNAMIC HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RISK ASSESSMENT?

All employers are required by law to carry out risk assessments for substances that canharm their staff and any other people who might be affected, so when visiting other workpremises, staff should ask for any hazardous substances risk assessment information forsubstances that might affect them. (Council staff must tell other people who might beaffected, when they take hazardous substances onto other premises in the course of theirwork).

Where Council staff regularly have to visit small business or domestic premises in thecourse of their work, and they can anticipate (through experience) whether they might beexposed to hazardous substances, they will need to make predictive hazardous substancesrisk assessments for such circumstances. If they can predict in advance, the general typesof substance that they are likely to encounter, they can prepare appropriate controlmeasures.

Where staff cannot predict in advance what hazardous substances they might be exposedto they will need sufficient information, instruction and training to carry out dynamichazardous substances risk assessment on the spot. They should know whether they are atany increased risk from particular substances due to health issues, and be prepared to takeavoiding action if they cannot prevent exposure. Significant risks identified in this wayshould be recorded after the event as a record and for future planning.

GENERIC OR SPECIFIC HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RISK ASSESSMENT?

The HSCs Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances has developed COSHH essentialsasa generic risk assessment scheme for a wide range of hazardous substances covered byCHIP and COSHH. It leads users to appropriate control advice for a range of commontasks, eg mixing, weighing, spray painting. COSHH essentials is available both in printedand electronic (web-based: www.coshh-essentials.org.uk/) formats, and can be used asa basis for the recording of the COSHH risk assessment.While COSHH essentials hasbeen designed to ensure that a precautionary approach is taken towards control, it is ageneric guide and cannot guarantee that in all circumstances it will lead to full compliancewith the Regulations assessment and control requirements.

Model risk assessments are used in School science and D&T activities, eg CLEAPSSHazcards; Recipe Cards;the CLEAPSS Laboratory Handbook;Model risk assessments for

Design and Technology; Primary Classroom Hazard Cards; and the DfES Safety inScience Education are standard publications of assessments made for a number ofworkplaces where similar activities are undertaken. Heads of Science or D&T/localmanagers are expected to review the model risk assessments in these publications and toconsider if adaptation is necessary for local conditions. They should normally givereferences to the Model Risk Assessment, and to any adaptation, and be recorded on textsin daily use, with appropriate warnings. (They should also follow the guidance set out insection A3 of CLEAPSS guide L196 Managing Risk Assessments in Science for specialrisk assessments and non-curriculum activities in secondary/college science, and the Howto use model or general risk assessments - summary section of the D&T model riskassessments.)

Specific risk assessments are more appropriate where a more detailed assessment of aperson, activity, event or piece of equipment is needed, and the risks involved are not
http://www.coshh-essentials.org.uk/http://www.coshh-essentials.org.uk/


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sufficiently covered by generic assessments. The hazardous substances risk assessmentshould determine whether there are any substances hazardous to health (includingbiological agents) at the workplace to which people are liable to be exposed, and in a formin which the substance can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin. Particularconsideration should be given to:

Activities that can give rise to the highest exposures, eg cleaning of equipment, work in

confined spaces, transporting hazardous substances for work or non-routine or end-of-shift tasks.

Any work activity that may expose people to more than one substance hazardous tohealth, where the possible enhanced harmful effects of combined or sequentialexposures must be considered.

Biological agents, where the assessment should reflect the ability they may have toreplicate and infect (see appendix 7).

Substances that are known or suspected carcinogens, where there is a morecompelling reason for every effort to be made to substitute a non-carcinogenicalternative (see appendix 6).

Particular groups of people who may be at increased risk, eg inexperienced traineesand young persons aged under 18; pregnant (or potentially pregnant) workers; disabledworkers; and anyone known to be susceptible to certain illnesses such as dermatitis,asthma, or other diseases which may be caused or exacerbated by exposure tohazardous substances.

E. Recording assessments Hazardous Substances RiskAssessment Forms

It is important to have a means of easily and logically recording the relevant informationfrom your hazardous substances risk assessments, and the format used must meet therequirements of the law. You are legally obliged to carry out a hazardous substances riskassessment, before use/possession of any hazardous substance at work, and record thesignificant findings of each assessment. While the legislation does not prescribe howhazardous substances risk assessments should be recorded, there are specificrequirements about what should be recorded. You should use the forms designed by theCorporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) Team that are included in this guide (seeappendix 2). With the exception of CLEAPSS Hazcards in schools and HSEs COSHHessentials, if you wish to use different forms, you must discuss this with staff in the

Corporate HSW Team who will advise you whether your forms are suitable.

Records of hazardous substances risk assessments can be kept electronically, but theymust be easily retrievable for use by staff, managers, auditors and external agencies, whenrequired, such as the HSE or insurance assessors.

I. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RISK ASSESSMENT FORM (HSRA1)

The Revised Council Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Form (HSRA1) is includedin appendix 2. A step-by-step explanation of how this form should be completed is given in

the next section. This form is also available from the Health, Safety & Wellbeing section ofthe Document Library on the Council Intranet. An example of a completed hazardoussubstances risk assessment form is included in appendix 4.


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II. REGISTER OF RISK ASSESSMENTS

To keep a record of the activities, projects or work areas that have been assessed, whenrisk assessments need to be reviewed, and to facilitate auditing a Register of RiskAssessments Completed(see appendix 3) should be kept by each Service Unit or School,and a copy provided to the Corporate HSW Team. You do not need to send copies of everyhazardous substances risk assessment record to the Corporate HSW Team, but we willprovide feedback on any that you produce.

III. KEEPING RECORDS

Service Units and Schools should keep hazardous substances risk assessment records foras long as the process or activity, to which the assessment refers, is carried out (or as longas the substances involved are held on the premises), and for 3 years afterwards. As civilclaims for injury can be made up to 3 years after an incident occurs, it will still be necessaryto demonstrate, retrospectively, that the risks were properly assessed and controlled.

Significant accidents or incidents where children are exposed to hazardous substances,can potentially result in personal injury claims up to 3 years after the child reaches the ageof 18. So, all records associated with incidents affecting children should be retained untilthe child is 21.

Health surveillance records resulting from hazardous substances risk assessment controland monitoring procedures, must be retained for 40 years. Therefore, it is logical to retainall copies of the associated hazardous substances risk assessment records for that lengthof time as well.

F. The Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Process:

A Step-by-Step Approach

When you have compiled your initial inventory (see Section D and appendix 1), anddecided: what needs to be assessed; who is going to do it; how you will recordassessments; and, ensured that the people involved are competent to do COSHH riskassessment; then you are ready to begin.

Who should do the assessment?

The employer has legal responsibility for the assessment, but others can do some or evenmost of the work of preparing it. Except in very simple cases, whoever carries out theassessment will need to:

Have adequate knowledge, training and expertise in understanding hazard and risk;

Know how the work activity uses or produces substances hazardous to health;

Have the ability and the authority to collate all the necessary, relevant information; and

Have the knowledge, skills and experience to make the right decisions about the risks

and precautions that are needed.The person who carries out the assessment does not always have to be fully familiar withthe requirements of the COSHH Regulations and the Approved Code of Practice, and other


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relevant legislation and guidance. However, that person should have access to someonewho has a firm grasp of those requirements (eg Corporate HSW Team). This pooling ofknowledge would allow, for example, a supervisors experience of a process to becombined with technical specialists, and Council health and safety advisers.

See the following web sites for further information:

HSE COSHH information for various industries and work activities -www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm

Some useful HSE leaflets:COSHH A brief guide to the Regulations - www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.pdfWhy do I need a safety data sheet? www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg353.pdfRead the label - how to find out if chemicals are dangerous www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg352.pdfIdiots guide to CHIP - www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg350.pdfFire and explosion - How safe is your workplace? A short guide to DSEAR www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg370.pdf

The Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Form (HSRA1), in appendix 2, takes youthrough these questions in a logical sequence to enable appropriate control measures to beidentified.

Step 1: Assess the risks by processes/activity

You should have decided which of the risks from your inventory can be covered by genericassessments and where specific assessments will be needed instead. Where exposure toa number of different hazardous substances pose little or no risk to the health of staff orothers, then the significant findings of assessments for those substances may be grouped

together on a single record. The significant findings for similar substances of low risk, eglubricants or detergents, may also be grouped together on a single record.6

You must:

identify the hazardous substances present in your workplace; and

consider the risks these substances present to peoples health.

Identify the hazardous substances present in your workplace

Remember to think about substances which have been supplied to you; those produced byyour work activity, eg fumes, vapours, aerosols, final products and waste materials; and

those naturally or incidentally present in your workplace, eg infectious agents carried byfarm animals. Using labels and safety data sheets - list all the substances and their hazardsand risk phrases etc. in section 1 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment formHSRA1 in appendix 2.

Consider the risks these substances present to peoples health

Assessing the risk involves making a judgment on how likely it is that a hazardoussubstance will affect someones health. You need to ask yourself the following questions -

How much of the substance is in use or produced by the work activity and how could

people be exposed to it?
http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htmhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htmhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg353.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg352.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg352.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg350.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg370.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg370.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg370.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg350.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg352.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg353.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm


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List this information in section 2 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment formHSRA1 in appendix 2. For supplied substances HSE has developed a generic riskassessment guide to help. It uses information on hazard, amount used and simpledefinitions of dustiness for solids or volatility for liquids. The guide is called COSHHessentials: Easy steps to control chemicals. The guide also helps you with the next twosteps deciding what action you need to take to control risks and controlling exposure. As

well as the published version, COSHH essentials can be found free on the Internet at:www.coshh-essentials.org.uk , where you can follow the steps quickly and easily online.

Who could be exposed to the substance and how often?

You must remember to include all groups of people who could come into contact with thesubstance, ie contractors, visitors and members of the public, as well as your employees.Do not forget those involved in cleaning and maintenance tasks high exposures canoccur during this type of work - list these in section 2 of the hazardous substances riskassessment form HSRA1 in appendix 2. Also, certain groups of people could suffer morefrom exposure than others, eg pregnant women, individuals with a suppressed immune

system - list these in section 6.2 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment formHSRA1 in appendix 2.

Is there a possibility of substances being absorbed through the skin or swallowed(eg as a result of a substance getting into the mouth from contaminated handsduring eating or smoking)? List these risks under routes of exposure in section 3 ofthe Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment form HSRA1 in appendix 2.

Are there risks to your employees at other locations if they work away from yourmain workplace?See the HSE guidance Working alone in safetyfor solitary workersaway from their home base this may require a separate hazardous substances riskassessment to describe the additional requirements needed for lone worker safety,unless lone worker use of hazardous substances is prohibited.

Step 2: Identify relevant legislation/standards/best practice

Find out whether there is any relevant documented best practice, standards or legalrequirements, which should be followed for the substance(s)/process/activity beingassessed. Examples include Council Policies, guidance or Approved Codes of Practice,British or European Standards, or trade or professional guidance. (Relevant standards/bestpractice should be listed in section 6.1 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment

form HSRA1 in appendix 2). For example, if you are assessing the risks from woodworkingyou should refer to www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/woodindx.htm for Woodworking InformationSheets Nos 1,6,12,14,19,23,24,25,,26,29,30,32, as appropriate.

Managers and supervisors are expected to know about the hazardous substances in theirworkplaces, and the main legal requirements, policies and standards relating to their work(even if only in outline). If you do not know, you must find out. Some additional sources ofinformation are listed below:

Health and Safety Executive web sites: www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm andwww.coshhessentials.org.uk

Legislation and supporting Guidance available from HSE Books www.hsebooks.com/Books/ (The Corporate HSW Team has access to electroniccopies of HSE documents, and many more in a web-based library, but is unable tosupply copies to other Council staff for reasons of cost.)
http://www.coshh-essentials.org.uk/http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/woodindx.htmhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/woodindx.htmhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htmhttp://www.coshhessentials.org.uk/http://www.hsebooks.com/Books/http://www.hsebooks.com/Books/http://www.hsebooks.com/Books/http://www.coshhessentials.org.uk/http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htmhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/woodindx.htmhttp://www.coshh-essentials.org.uk/


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There are many chemistry texts available which contain COSHH and DSEARinformation, such as Croners: Substances Hazardous to Health, DangerousSubstances, and Emergency Spillage Guides; and, Brethericks Handbook of ReactiveChemical Hazards.

There may be British/European Standards available from the British StandardsInstitute (HSW Team does not have access to these, but other departments may have

e.g. Building Control, Asset Management). Product safety data sheets, and additional instructions for safe use, from

manufacturers and suppliers.

Guidance from Council departments e.g. Cleaning/Caretaking safety guidance fromthe Asset Management Section of Corporate Resources.

Guidance from Trade Associations, industry or professional bodies, and TradesUnions.

CLEAPSS School Science and D&T Service www.cleapss.org.uk

Do not forget to consult those actually doing the work, as they are often the experts.

Step 3: Prevent or adequately control exposure

The overriding duty and first priority is to consider how to prevent people from beingexposed to substances hazardous to health by all routes.

Prevent exposure

The COSHH Regulations require you to prevent exposure to substances hazardous tohealth, if it is reasonably practicable* to do so. You might:

change the process or activity so that the hazardous substance is not needed orgenerated;

replace it with a safer alternative; use it in a safer form, eg pellets instead of powder.(The HSE guidance booklet Seven steps to successful substitution of hazardoussubstancesadvises on how to replace hazardous substances with safer alternatives.)

* So far as is reasonably practicable

Balancing the degree of risk against the time, trouble, cost and physical difficulty of the measures needed to

avoid or reduce it. The greater the risk, the more likely that it is reasonable to go to substantial expense

trouble and intervention to reduce it. However if the risk is small, it would not be considered reasonable to go

to great expense. Ultimately, the judgement is an objective one based on the health risks and not the size or

financial position of the employer.

Adequately control exposure

If prevention is not reasonably practicable, you must adequately control exposure. Youshould consider and put in place measures appropriate to the activity and consistent withthe risk assessment, including, in order of priority, one or more of the following:

use appropriate work processes, systems and engineering controls, and providesuitable work equipment and materials eg use processes which minimise the amount ofmaterial used or produced, or equipment which totally encloses the process;

control exposure at source (eg local exhaust ventilation), and reduce the number ofemployees exposed to a minimum, the level and duration of their exposure, and thequantity of hazardous substances used or produced in the workplace;
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provide personal protective equipment (eg face masks, respirators, protective clothing),but only as a last resort and never as a replacement for other control measures whichare required.

List your existing control measures (such as ventilation, training, using small amounts orPPE etc.) in section 5 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment form HSRA1 inappendix 2. The Hazard warning label and Safety phrases on the Manufacturers/Suppliers

Safety Data Sheet may be useful in deciding what control measures are needed seeappendices 6 and 7 for details).

The COSHH Essentials: Easy steps to control chemicals guide and websitewww.coshhessentials.org.uk give advice on adequate control measures for suppliedchemicals and a number of common industrial operations. For supplied chemicals it isimportant that you work through the risk assessment process it outlines, to arrive at theright measures for your chemicals and tasks.

Meaning of adequate control

Under the COSHH Regulations, adequate control of exposure to a substance hazardous tohealth means:

applying the eight principles of good practice set out in detail in appendix 9;

not exceeding the workplace exposure limit (WEL listed on safety data sheets andcopied into section 1 of the HSRA1 form) for the substance (if there is one); and,

if the substance causes cancer, heritable genetic damage or asthma, reducingexposure to as low a level as is reasonably practicable;

if the substance is flammable or explosive, complying with the requirements of DSEAR(see details in appendix 8).

The HSC has established WELs for a number of substances hazardous to health. Theseare intended to prevent excessive exposure to specified hazardous substances bycontaining exposure below a set limit. A WEL is the maximum concentration of an airbornesubstance, averaged over a reference period, to which employees may be exposed byinhalation. WELs are listed in EH40 Workplace exposure limitsand should be available onup-to-date safety data sheets. Correctly applying the principles of good practice will meanexposures are controlled below the WEL. Advice on applying the principles can be found inthe COSHH Regulations ACOP and this guidance (see appendix 9).

Adequate control of carcinogens, mutagens and asthmagens

COSHH acknowledges the particular hazards of substances which cause cancer, heritablegenetic damage or asthma by requiring that exposure to these is reduced to as low a levelas is reasonably practicable. The HSE website contains guidance on suitable controls. Forcarcinogens (substances which may cause cancer) or mutagens (substances which maycause heritable genetic damage) special requirements apply - contact the HSW Team forfurther advice and information.

Skin absorption

Some substances can damage the skin itself while others can readily penetrate it, becomeabsorbed into the body and cause harm, so you must consider the need to protect skin

when deciding on control measures. The guide COSHH essentials: Easy steps to controlchemicals, contains useful advice on skin protection.
http://www.coshhessentials.org.uk/http://www.coshhessentials.org.uk/


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Step 4: Ensure that control measures are used/maintained

Using the controls

COSHH requires users to make proper use of control measures and to report defects. It isyour responsibility to take all reasonable steps to ensure that they do so. This is why you

must give your employees suitable training, information and appropriate supervision (seeStep 8 for a more detailed explanation). Any safety training, supervision and instructiongiven should be listed as part of the control measures in section 5 of the HazardousSubstances Risk Assessment form HSRA1 in appendix 2.

Maintain controls

COSHH places specific duties on you to ensure that exposure controls are maintained. Theobjective being to ensure that every element of the control measure continues to performas originally intended. This applies to items of equipment such as local exhaust ventilationand to systems of work, which will have to be regularly checked to make sure that they arestill effective. Respiratory protective equipment should also be examined and, whereappropriate, tested at suitable intervals. COSHH sets specific intervals betweenexaminations for local exhaust ventilation equipment, and you must retain records ofexaminations and tests carried out (or a summary of them) for at least five years.Inspection, testing, and maintenance arrangements for control measures should bereferred to in section 5 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment form HSRA1 inappendix 2.

Step 5: Monitor exposure

Under COSHH, you have to measure the concentration of hazardous substances in the airbreathed in by workers where your assessment concludes that:

there could be serious risks to health if control measures failed or deteriorated;

exposure limits might be exceeded; or

control measures might not be working properly.List any existing monitoring arrangements in section 3 of the Hazardous Substances RiskAssessment form HSRA1 in appendix 2.

However, you do not need to do this if you can show by another method of evaluation thatyou are preventing or adequately controlling employees exposure to hazardoussubstances, eg a system which automatically sounds an alarm if it detects hazardous

substances.

The COSHH Regulations ACOP provides examples of other alternative methods ofevaluation. Air monitoring must be carried out when employees are exposed to certainsubstances and processes specified in the COSHH Regulations. Where it is appropriate tocarry out personal air monitoring, the air to be sampled is the space around the workersface from where the breath is taken, ie the breathing zone.

You should keep and maintain a record of any exposure monitoring you carry out for atleast five years. Where an employee has a health record (required where they are underhealth surveillance, see Step 6), any monitoring results relevant to them as an individualmust be kept with their health record. They should be allowed access to their personalmonitoring record. You can find more information on monitoring in the HSE guidanceMonitoring strategies for toxic substances.


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Step 6: Carry out appropriate Health Surveillance

COSHH requires you to carry out health surveillance in the following circumstances:

where an employee is exposed to one of the substances listed in the COSHHRegulations and is working in one of the related processes, eg manufacture of certaincompounds of benzene, andthere is a reasonable likelihood that an -

identifiable disease or adverse health effect will result from that exposure;

where employees are exposed to a substance linked to a particular disease or adversehealth effect and there is a reasonable likelihood, under the conditions of the work, ofthat disease or effect occurring andit is possible to detect the disease or health effect.

Health surveillance might involve examination by a doctor or trained nurse. In some casestrained supervisors could, for example, check employees skin for dermatitis, or askquestions about breathing difficulties where work involves substances known to causeasthma (see the questionnaire in the HSE publication Preventing asthma at work. How tocontrol respiratory sensitisers). You must keep a simple record (a health record) of any

health surveillance carried out.

Exposure to substances for which health surveillance might be appropriate, include: skin orrespiratory sensitisers, eg epoxy resins, isocyanates, styrene, metal working fluids; toxins,eg lead (dust or vapour), mercury or compounds (vapour or dust), organophosphoruscompounds; carcinogens or mutagens, eg vinyl chloride. List any existing healthsurveillance arrangements in section 3 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessmentform HSRA1 appendix 2.

For further information you can refer to the HSE guidance Health surveillance underCOSHH: guidance for employers. Biological monitoring can also have a role in health

surveillance. You can find further information on setting up a biological monitoringprogramme in the HSE publication Biological monitoring in the workplace: a guide to itspractical application to chemical exposure.

Step 7: Prepare plans/procedures for accidents/emergencies

This will apply where the work activity or storage arrangement gives rise to a risk of anaccident, incident or emergency involving exposure to a hazardous substance, which goeswell beyond the risks associated with normal day-to-day work.

In such circumstances, you must plan your response to an emergency involving hazardoussubstances before it happens. That means preparing procedures and setting up warningand communication systems to enable an appropriate response immediately any incidentoccurs, and ensuring that information on your emergency arrangements is available tothose who need to see it, including the emergency services. It also requires these safetydrills to be practiced at regular intervals. List all emergency actions (for first aid, spillage,fire and explosion as appropriate) and waste disposal arrangements in section 4 of theHazardous Substances Risk Assessment form HSRA1 in appendix 2.

If any accident, incident or emergency occurs you must ensure that immediate steps aretaken to minimise the harmful effects, restore the situation to normal and inform employees

and others who may be affected. Only those staff necessary to deal with the incident mayremain in the area and they must be provided with appropriate safety equipment. However,you do not have to introduce these emergency procedures if:


17/34



the quantities of substances hazardous to health present in your workplace are suchthat they present only a slight risk to your employees health; and,

the measures you have put in place under Step 3 are sufficient to control that risk;

but, the requirements described in Step 7 must be complied with in full where eithercarcinogens, mutagens or biological agents are used.

Step 8: Inform, train and supervise staff

COSHH requires you to provide your employees with suitable and sufficient information,instruction and training for controlling risks to health and safety, which should include:

the names of the substances they work with or could be exposed to and the riskscreated by such exposure, and access to any safety data sheets that apply to thosesubstances;

the main findings of your risk assessment;

the precautions they should take to protect themselves and other employees;

how to use personal protective equipment and clothing provided;

results of any exposure monitoring and health surveillance (without giving individualemployees names);

emergency procedures which need to be followed.

You should update and adapt the information, instruction and training to take account ofsignificant changes in the type of work carried out or work methods used. You should alsoensure that you provide information, instruction and training that is appropriate to the levelof risk identified by the assessment and in a manner and form in which it will be understoodby employees. These requirements are vital. You must ensure your employees understandthe risks from the hazardous substances they could be exposed to. Your control measureswill not be fully effective if your employees do not know their purpose, how to use them

properly, or the importance of reporting faults. (These arrangements should be referred toin section 5 of the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment form HSRA1 in appendix 2).

Step 9: Evaluate risk and decide what further action is needed

Once you have identified all the control measures that are already in place, you need toassess the level of remaining risk of exposure to hazardous substances arising from theactivity or process that you are assessing. This is where knowing how your currentarrangements compare with best practice and legislative requirements is important, as isreviewing your incident and ill health history, and talking to staff about continuing risks.

Evaluating current risk levels is not always easy, and can be very subjective. Assessmentscan vary considerably, from one person to another, between high and low. Greaterobjectivity can be introduced into the process if a common system of evaluation is used byall hazardous substances risk assessors, which takes into consideration the factors thatcontribute to risk level, including:

The severity (S) of the harm that exposure to a hazardous substance can cause;

The probability (P) of exposure happening in your circumstances.You can then do a simple calculation to produce a risk rating, which corresponds to a risklevel of low, medium, high or very high.

Simply decide on the severity (S) of the hazardous substance in question, using thecategories and examples in Table 1 below, and the probability or likelihood of exposure tothe hazardous substance in question (P) using Table 2. Multiply the scores together to


18/34



produce a risk rating (R). On the Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Form HSRA1 inappendix 2, space is provided in section 5 to record these scores.

Table 1: Risk Severity (S)

If the substance has a risk phrase, a severity score has been allocated in appendix 5. Category Example Score

MINOR Substances not included on the Approved Supply List. Superficialinjuries - mild skin irritation, nausea requiring first aid only.Minor property damage from fire/explosion.

1

SERIOUS More serious ill-health/injuries requiring time off work, school, or ahospital visit, e.g. minor burns, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea.Moderate property damage from fire/explosion.

2

MAJOR Acute illness/injury requiring medical treatment. Loss ofconsciousness or loss of sight. Major property damage fromfire/explosion.

3

FATAL Exposure which leads to death either at the time or soon after the

incident, or eventually, as in the case of certain occupationaldiseases such as asbestos-related cancers. Chronic illness.Mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic effects. Death resultingfrom fire/explosion.

4

Table 2. Risk Probability (P) - the likelihood of the hazard causing harm.

Category Example (for guidance only - some or all may apply for each category) Score

VERYUNLIKELY

Good control measures are in place. Controls do not rely on aperson using them (i.e. personal compliance). Controls are veryunlikely to break down. People are very rarely in this area or veryrarely engage in this activity. Under DSEAR - not classified as a

place in which an explosive atmosphere is likely to occur.

1

UNLIKELY Reasonable control measures are in place but they do rely on aperson using them (some room for human error). Controls areunlikely to breakdown. People are not often in this area / do notoften engage in this activity / this situation is unlikely. DSEARclassification Zone 2 or 22.

2

POSSIBLE Inadequate controls are in place, or likely to breakdown if notmaintained. Controls rely on personal compliance. People aresometimes in this area or sometimes engage in this activity / thissituation sometimes arises. DSEAR classification Zone 1 or 21.

3

LIKELYPoor or no controls are in place. Heavy reliance on personalcompliance (lots of room for human error). People are often inthis area / engage in this activity on a regular basis / this situationoften arises. DSEAR classification Zone 0 or 20.

4

The scores can be represented in a matrix, shown as in Table 4 below.Risk scores correspond to a risk level very high, high, medium, low.

Table 3. Risk Score Matrix

SEVERITY OF OUTCOME (S)RISK SCORE = S X P

Minor Serious Major FatalPR

VeryUnlikely 1 2 3 4

Risk Level

Low


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Very High

Unlikely 2 4 6 8

Possible 3 6 9 12

OBABILITY(P)

Likely 4 8 12 16

What about the number of people at risk?

Another risk factor that should be considered when evaluating the levelof risk is the actualnumber of people at risk at any one time (sometimes known as the extent of risk). Ingeneral, for risks at a similar level, a higher priority should be given to actions that reducerisks affecting a greater number of people.

Why use a quantitative (numerical) system of categorising risks?

Expressing risk levels as scores can be very useful when making decisions aboutprioritising action and allocating resources. Scores derived using a common method willenable comparisons to be made between one activity or part of the organisation, andanother.

Deciding what further action is required to reduce risk

If you discover that the existing risk control measures are not adequate to prevent or

sufficiently reduce exposure to hazardous substances, for whatever reason, you mustestablish what further action is needed to reduce risks so far as is reasonably practicable(and list these in section 5 of the hazardous substances risk assessment form HSRA1 inappendix 2), and by when this should be done. If action can be taken immediately toimprove risk controls, then this should be done without delay (and recorded in section 7 ofthe Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Form HSRA1 in appendix 2).

When considering what further control measures should be adopted, you should alwaysfollow the hierarchy of risk controls (detailed in appendix 9). Priority should be given tocollective protective measures, over individual protective measures. The use of PPEshould only be a last resort, in combination with other control measures, if there is no otherway of reducing exposure risks to a reasonable level.

Using the same technique as that outlined in Step 9, you should estimate the reduced risklevel that will be achieved when any further improvements identified have beenimplemented. This can be used to demonstrate the cost benefits of investment in newcontrols. You should obviously aim to reduce all risks to the lowest level reasonablyachievable (this does not necessarily require the elimination of all hazards remember thedifference between hazard and risk). The values for Severity (S), Probability (P) and Risk(R) that you anticipate will be achieved by the additional controls should be entered intosection 5 of the HSRA1 in form in appendix 2 in the columns headed Reduced Risk.

Action plans implementing risk controls

High

Medium


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If further action is required you should draw up a health and safety action plan to ensurethat improvements needed are prioritised according to the level or risk identified. Thisshould be recorded in Section 7 of the HSRA1 form in appendix 2. Remember to includerealistic time scales in your action plan and identify who will be responsible for checkingthat the objectives of the plan have been met. It is up to you to decide on appropriate timescales for action, but some typical timescales, according to risk are given as a guide in

Table 4.

Table 4: Scores and Typical Action Plan Time Scales

SCORE RISK LEVEL TYPICAL TIME SCALES FOR ACTION REQUIRED

1 Insignificant No further action needed

2 3 Low Action within 12 months if improvements are reasonablypracticable

4 6 Medium Action within 6 months based on reasonable practicability

8 10 High Action within 1 month to reduce risk (immediate action maybe needed in some circumstances)

12 16 Very high Immediate action required work should stop / notcommence until risk has been reduced to acceptable levels

Step 10: Record and review assessments

Recording

The Councils Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment form HSRA1, in appendix 2,

should be used for recording the significant findings of risk assessments (aManufacturers/Suppliers Safety Data Sheet does not constitute a hazardous substancesor COSHH risk assessment), and these should then be listed on the Register of RiskAssessments Completed for each Service Unit/School (see appendix 3).

Review

Hazardous substances risk assessments should be reviewed regularly and amended orannotated as necessary. They should not be a once-and-only record to be filed awaysomewhere for bureaucratic purposes, but a living document that evolves with experienceand forms a useful part of the work process. They do not need to be re-written every year,

but they should at least be checked for accuracy and re-dated and signed.

Assessments should be reviewed:

When significant changes are made to workplaces, work activities, control measures,substances or equipment, to the degree that the original assessment is no longer valid;

When new/amended legislation/guidance/codes of practice or national standards areintroduced;

Following monitoring/test results, incidents or ill health which highlight deficiencies inexisting control measures or previously unidentified risks;

When new or temporary (eg agency, or work experience) members of staff areemployed who may be at increased risk due to inexperience, age or physical/mentalhealth conditions and disabilities. In these circumstances a personal HazardousSubstances Risk Assessment may be required;


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When a female member of staff informs you that they are pregnant, and their workexposures could give rise to risks to the mother or unborn child (women of reproductivecapacity may be advised not to work with certain substances that can cause inheriteddefects, ie teratogens and mutagens);

On a regular basis every 12 months is recommended (although 24 months would beacceptable for infrequent use/small amounts of low risk substances).

G. Informing others of Hazardous Substances Risk AssessmentFindings

Induction, at Service Unit or School level, for all new/trainee/workexperience/temporary/agency workers must include information about risks to their healthand safety and control measures associated with their work and workplace(s). Forhazardous substance risks they must also be informed of any Health Surveillancerequirements attached to their work before they start. This will be made easier with the

keeping of risk assessment records, which should be copied to employees in a format thatis comprehensible (for instance, not everyone has good eyesight, or English as a firstlanguage), so that everyone understands the reasons behind safe working practices. Thisshould improve compliance with the use of control measures, and ensure co-operation.Staff should be asked to sign a record to confirm their receipt and understanding of healthand safety information provided to them.

Contractors (and volunteer workers and premises hirers) must be informed about any risksto health and safety that they may be exposed to when using/working in or on Councilpremises. They must also provide risk assessment information on any hazardoussubstances that they might use or produce on Council premises, before starting work.

Trade Union Safety Representatives also have a right to be informed about the findings ofall risk assessments affecting the health and safety of their Union members.

H. Monitoring Health and Safety Performance

Proactive monitoring

It is important to have a system in place to maintain health and safety standards, by

regularly checking that risks are adequately managed and controlled in the workplace on aday-to-day basis.

It is, therefore, essential that health and safety performance is monitored, in the same wayas other aspects of management performance, by the Head of Service/Head teacher. Oneform of proactivemonitoring, required by the Council (in line with HSE recommended goodpractice) is for managers to ensure that regular health and safety inspections are carriedout in their work areas. The frequency of such inspections will depend on the level of risk inthe premises/work activities, but at least once every 6 months is recommended.

Ideally, these inspections should be undertaken using a health and safety checklist. And,

as workplace inspections should monitor that the controls listed in hazardous substancesrisk assessments are in place, effective and relevant risk assessment records should beused to develop the inspection checklist. For example if regular inspection and testing of


22/34



Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV/fume cupboards) is one of the risk controls, then this shouldbe checked during the inspection.

Another form of proactive monitoring required by the Council, in accordance withrecommended good practice, is health and safety management system auditing. This isa formal process of examination of management systems including: policies, organisation

structure, arrangements, and records; to identify strengths and weaknesses in compliancewith legislation, Council/national standards and best practice. This form of monitoring willbe carried out annually on a percentage of service units/schools by the Corporate HSWTeam.

Reactive monitoring

Reporting and investigation of incidents involving hazardous substances (unplanned oruncontrolled events with the potential to cause significant harm or losses), and work-relatedill health, should be carried out by managers in service units/schools. This should be doneto check whether risk controls are adequate and risk assessments suitable and sufficient,

and should always prompt a review of hazardous substances risk assessments. Analysis ofaccident reports across the Council will be carried out by the Corporate HSW Team to lookfor trends which may require further investigation and additional guidance, and they or theOccupational Health Service will also investigate serious incidents and report them to theHSE where appropriate.

Further guidance and training for health and safety inspection and performance monitoringis available from the Corporate HSW Team.

I. Further Information and Guidance

Advisors

Further advice and guidance is available from the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team, or theDocument Library (on the Council Intranet) which contains policies, health and safetyguidance, risk assessment forms and some example risk assessments.Contacts:

Health & Safety TeamHuman ResourcesCivic Centre, Floor 4

Plymouth PL1 2EWTel: (01752) 304917Email: [email protected]

Occupational Health ServiceHuman ResourcesCivic Centre, Floor 4Plymouth PL1 2EWTel: (01752) 307978Email: [email protected]

Training
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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The Corporate Health & Safety Team provides Hazardous Substances and other riskassessment training courses for Council staff (charges will be made to serviceunits/schools with devolved budgets). A list of available courses can be found in theCouncils Programme of Scheduled Training Courses, available from the Learning andDevelopment Team in Human Resources (Tel: 01752 307293/307652), and on the CouncilIntranet or from the Health & Safety Team.

Publications and web sites:

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) web site www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm

Legislation and supporting Guidance available from HSE Books www.hsebooks.com/Books/

o The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (asamended), Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L5;

o The Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations2002;

o The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002,

Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L138;o Approved supply list. Information approved for the classification and labelling of

substances and preparations dangerous for supply. CHIP Regulations 2002.Approved list L129;

o The safe use of pesticides for non-agricultural purposes. COSHH Regulations1994. Approved Code of Practice L9;

o Legionnaires disease. The control of legionella bacteria in water systems.Approved Code of Practice and guidance L8;

o Preventing asthma at work. How to control respiratory sensitisersL55;o A step by step guide to COSHH assessmentHSG97;o COSHH Essentials: easy steps to control chemicalsHSG193;o Health Surveillance at workHSG61;o Seven steps to successful substitution of hazardous substancesHSG110;o Monitoring strategies for toxic substancesHSG173;o Health risk management: A guide to working with solventsHSG188;o Biological monitoring in the workplace: A guide to its practical application to

chemical exposureHSG167;o The selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment: A

practical guideHSG53;o Fit testing of respiratory protective equipment facepiecesInformation Document

HSE 282/28;o

An introduction to local exhaust ventilationHSG37;o Maintenance, examination and testing of local exhaust ventilationHSG54;o General ventilation in the workplaceHSG202;o Assessing and managing risks at work from skin exposure to chemical agents:

Guidance for employers and health and safety specialistsHSG205;o Workplace Exposure Limits: for use with COSHH Regulations 2002 (as

amended) EH40.o (The Corporate HSW Team has access to electronic copies of these

documents, and many more in a web-based library, but is unable to supplycopies to other Council staff for reasons of cost.)

continued

o There are many chemistry texts available which contain COSHH and DSEARinformation, such as Croners: Substances Hazardous to Health, Dangerous
http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htmhttp://www.hsebooks.com/Books/http://www.hsebooks.com/Books/http://www.hsebooks.com/Books/http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm


24/34



Substances, and Emergency Spillage Guides; and, Brethericks Handbook ofReactive Chemical Hazards.

There may be British/European Standards available from the British StandardsInstitute (HSW Team does not have access to these).

Product safety data sheets, and additional instructions for safe use, frommanufacturers and suppliers.

Guidance from Council departments e.g. Cleaning/Caretaking safety guidance fromthe Asset Management Section of Corporate Resources.

Guidance from Trade Associations, industry or professional bodies, and TradesUnions.

CLEAPSS School Science (and D&T) Service www.cleapss.org.uk , LaboratoryHandbook, Model Risk Assessments, HAZCARDS, Recipe cards, student safetysheets, bulletins, newsletters, guides.
http://www.cleapss.org.uk/http://www.cleapss.org.uk/


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HSPS04 April 2006

Appendix 1. Hazardous Substances Inventory Checklist

Wastedisposal

requirements

Produ

ctof

reaction/process

Safetydatasheet

up-to-date

Proce

ss/activity

Datedelivered/

produ

ced

Storagelocation

Locat

ion(s)used

Total

amount

Manu

facturer/

supplier

Produ

ct/substance

name


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GuidetoHazardousSubstancesR

iskAssessmentPlymou

thCityCouncil

HSPS04

April2006

Appendix2.HazardousSubstancesRiskAssessmentForm(HSRA1)

HazardousSubstances

Assessm

entReferenceNo.

Assessm

entdate

Persons

whomaybeaffectedby

theactivity(i.e.areatrisk)

Activity/

process

orArea

assessed:

Totalno.of

sheetsused:

Emergencycontac

tdetails:

SECTION

1.IdentifyHazardousSubstancesandhazardsrelatedtothem

WEL

Fromsafetydata

sheet

Number

Substance

Hazard(s)-

verytoxic,

toxic,

harmfu

l,corrosive,

irritant,

flammable,exp

losiveetc.

Form

(solid,

liquid,

gase

tc.)

8hr

limit

15min

limit

Fla

sh

point+

explo

sive

lim

its

Rphrases

SECTION

2:Whomightbeexposed,howoften,andhowmuch?

andidentifyanysecondaryha

zardsfrommixingsubstances.

Substance

No.

Staffgroup/other+how

many

exposed

Frequency+le

ngthofexposure

Levelof

exposure

High,med,low

Secondaryhazardfrommixtures?

SECTION

3.Howmightexposureocc

ur?-routesofentryandinjuriesorhealtheffectsthatcouldresult.

Routeof

exposure

i

fyes

S

ubstance

No.

Consequenceofexposure

HealthSurveillance/

Monito

ringarrangements

Inhalation

Ingestion

Absorptio

n

Injection

Skin

Eyes

Other


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iskAssessmentPlymou

thCityCouncil

HSPS04April2006

26

SECTION

4.Emergencyproceduresa

ndwastedisposalarrangem

ents

Substan

ceNo.

Emergencyproced

uresFirstaidactions,spillag

eprocedures,

fire/explosionetc.Wastedisposalarrangem

ents

SECTION

5.RiskControls-ForeachsubstanceidentifiedinSection

1,

listexistingcontrolmeasure

s.

(Repeatformforcontinuatio

nsheets)

Residual

Risk

Reduced

Risk

Substan

ceNo.

Existingcontrolsin

placetoreduceriskyoum

ustcheck

thatthesecontrols

areactuallyworking:

eggeneralventilation;LEV;fumecupboard;gloves

(specify

type);eyeprotection

(specify);RPE(specify);prote

ctive

clothing(specify);DSEARzone;noignitionsources;minimise

amounts;training;other(specify).

S

P

R

Furtheractionneededtored

uce

risks

S

P

R

Depart-

ment

Nameof

Assessor(s)

SIGNED

Service

Unit

(S)Severityofhealtheffect:Minor=1;

Serious=2;Major=3;Fatal=

4

(R)R

iskRating=SxP:Low=1-3;M

edium=4-6;

(P)Proba

bilityofexposure:Veryunlikely=1;Unlikely=2;Possible=3;Likely=4

High=8-10;Veryhigh=12-16


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iskAssessmentPlymou

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HSPS04April2006

27

SECTION6

6.1BestPracticeStandards

Arethereanyrelevantbestpractice

standa

rdsorlegalrequirementswhic

h

should

befollowedforthehazardsbeing

assessed?e.g.

CouncilPolicies,or

guidan

ce(corporateordepartmental),

legisla

tion,

HSEguidanceorApproved

Codes

ofPractice,

BritishorEuropea

n

Standards,professionalortrade

guidan

ce.

Listthese:

6.2VulnerableStaf

f

Arethereanystaffwhomaybe

particularlyvulnerableandatrisk.

Ifso,apersonalrisk

assessment

shouldbecarriedout.

e.g.youngpersons(under18);

newandexpectantm

others,staff

withdisabilitiesorhe

alth

conditionsthatmight

increaserisk.

Listthese:

SECTION7.ActionPlan

listhow

thefurtheractionrequired,asidentifiedinSection2,wi

llbeundertaken.

Hazar

d

ActionRequired

Costs/resources

required

TargetDate

Actionb

y

whom?

CompletionDate

Iconfirmthatthishazardoussubstan

cesriskassessmentisanaccuratereflectionoftherisksand

controlsinplace

Y

ES/NO

Thefu

rtheractionrequired,asoutlinedintheActionPlanabove,willbeachievedbythetargetdates

YES/NO

seebelow*

*Mana

gerscomments(iffurtherreso

urcesarerequiredetc.)

..

.

..

Signe

dbyresponsiblemanager:

NAME

.

Signature

.

.Date....

Reviewdate

Forguidanceoncompletingthisform,pleaserefertoCouncilHealth&SafetyPerformanceStandardHSPS04Hazardous

SubstancesRiskAssessmentavailableontheHealth,Safety&We

llbeingDocumentLibrary,wherefurthercopiesofthis

form

canalsobeobtained.


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HSPS04 April 2006

Appendix 3. Plymouth City Council

REGISTER OF RISK ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED

DEPARTMENT/ SCHOOL SERVICE UNIT /

SECTION

Ref.no.

Work activity / hazard assessed Date ofassessment

Risk LevelLow/Med/High/, V.High

or Risk Score

Reviewdate

SIGNED: Head ofService/ Head teacher

NAME:(please print)

DATE:

A copy of this Register should be maintained by the Head of Service / Head teacher. A copy shouldalso be sent to Corporate Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team. HR, 4

thFloor, Civic Centre.


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GuidetoHazardousSubstancesRiskAssessmentPlymouth

CityCouncil

HSPS04April2006

29

Appendix4.

EXAMPLEHaza

rdousSubstancesRis

kAssessment

SECTION1.IdentifyHazardousSu

bstancesandhazardsrelate

dtothem

WEL

Fromsafetydata

sheet

Numb

er

Substance

Hazard

(s)-

verytoxic,

toxic,

harmful,corrosive,

irritant,

flammable,explosiveetc.

For

m

(solid,

liquid,

gas

etc

.)

8hr

limit

15

min

limit

Flashpoint

+explosive

limits

Rphrases

1

BinderPartAEpoxyresin

Irritant/harmfuldangerofs

eriousdamageto

healthbyprolongedcontactwithskin,verytoxicto

aquaticorganisms+maycauselongtermadverse

effectstoaquaticenvironment.

Liqu

id

100-10

5C

36/37,

43,4

5,

48/21,

50,5

3

2

BinderPartBEpoxyresin

Toxic/corrosivemaycauseharmtounbornchild,

maycauselongtermadverseeffectstoaquatic

environment.

Liqu

id

91C

21/22,

24/25,3

4,

36/37,

39,

43,

45,4

8/21,5

3,6

1

3

Bauxite

N/a

Granul

es

(dus

ty)

10

mg/m

4

Propaneheatingfuel

Extremelyflammable,

heavierthanair,gas/air

mixturesareexplosive,asp

hyxiantathigh

concentrations.

LPG

-105C

2-9.5%

12

Hazar

dousSubstances

Asses

smentReferenceNo.

Dev/HighwayXX

Asses

smentdate

21/12/05

Perso

nswhomaybeaffectedby

theac

tivity(i.e.areatrisk)

Highwaysoperatives

(refuseoperativesnearsto

re)

Activity/

process

orArea

assessed:

KEYGRIPE

POXY924HIGH-FRICTION

SURFACINGSYSTEM(TrustsealLtd).

2componentepoxybinder,heatedto22C

and

mixedbeforeapplicationtobituminoussurfaces,

andgraded

(1-3mm)ChinesecalcinedBauxite

aggregateisadded.

Totalno.of

sheetsused:

4

Emergencycon

tactdetails:

TrustsealLtd,10SouthfieldLaneIndustrialEstate,Whitwell,WorksopS804NW.

Tel:01909722662


31/34


CityCouncil

HSPS04April2006

30

SECTION2:Whomightbeexpose

d,howoften,andhowmuch?andidentifyanysecondary

hazardsfrommixingsubstanc

es.

Subst

ance

No.

Staffgroup/other+howmany

exposed

Frequency+leng

thofexposure

Level

ofexposure

High,m

ed,low

Secondaryhazardfrom

mixtur

es?

1,2,

3,4

6Highwaysoperatives

Dailyfor2operatives,occasionalfor

others.

Upto

44Kgepoxyresin,

+upto1000KgPropane.

None

4

Refusestaffnearstore

atPrince

Rockdepot

Daily

Upto

4xfull47Kg

cylinders+4xempty

None

SECTION3.Howmightexposureo

ccur?-routesofentryandin

juriesorhealtheffectsthatcou

ldresult.

Route

ofexposure

i

fyes

S

ubstance

No.

Consequenceofexposure

HealthSurveillance/

Monitoringarrangements

Inhalation

1,2

,3,4,

1,2-Irritant/harmful.

3nuisance.4Headache,vom

iting,

disorientation.

None

Ingest

ion

2

Toxic/corrosive

None

Absorption

Injection

Skin

1,2

1,2sensitisation.1,4irritant.2toxic,corrosive,m

ay

causecancer.

HSEguidanceondermatitisforoperatives.

Visual

checksbysupervisor/OH.

Eyes

1,2

1,2-irritant.3nuis

ance.

N/a

Other

SECTION4.Emergencyprocedure

sandwastedisposalarrang

ements

Subst

ance/No.Emergencyproce

duresFirstaidactions,spilla

geprocedures,

fire/explosionetc.

Wastedisposalarrangements

1,2,

(3-in

halation,

eyes+

ingestion)

4in

halation.

Firstaid

Inhalation:remove

tofreshair.

Seekmedicalattentionifsymptomspersist.

Eyes:flushthoroug

hlywithlotsofwater.Ifirritatio

npersists,seekmedicalattent

ion.

Skin:washwithple

ntyofsoap+water.

Ingestion:dontind

ucevomiting.

Givewater+see

kmedicalattention.

React1+2

toforminertpolymer,

thendisposeviaChelsonMeadow

transfersta

tionascontrolled

waste.

2

same

disposalrouteas1,2.

4return

cylinderstosupplier.

1,2 3 4

Spillage/leak

absorbininertmaterial(sandorvermiculite)+sweepintosuitablecontainersfordisposalas

hazardouswasteb

yspecialistcontractor(dispose

ofbrushesetc.ascontaminat

edwaste).

N/a

Eliminatesourcesofignition+ventilatethoroughly.

Disposeas

hazardouswastetoa

specialistc

ontractordonotallow

spillagesto

contaminate

watercours

e/sewers.

1

,2,3

4

Fire

UseCO2

,foam,

dry

powderorwaterfogonly.

Fire

fightersmustwearBA.

Waterfogonlyclearareaduetoriskofexplosio

n.

Remaining

wastemustbetreated

ashazardo

us.


32/34


CityCouncil

HSPS04April2006

31

SECTION5.RiskControls-ForeachsubstanceidentifiedinSection1,

listexistingcontrolmeas

ures.

(Repeatformforcontinuationsheets)

Residual

Risk

Reduced

Risk

Subs

tance

No.

Existingcontrolsin

placetoreduceriskyoum

ustcheckthat

thesecontrolsarea

ctuallyworking:

eggeneralventilation

;LEV;fumecupboard;gloves

(specifytype);

eyeprotection(specify);RPE(specify);protectiveclothing(specify);

DSEARzone;noignitionsources;minimiseamounts;training;other

(specify).

S

P

R

Furtheractionneededto

reducerisks

S

P

R

1,2,3,4

Goodgeneralventila

tioninstoragearea,workinop

enair.

Smoking,eating,

drin

kingbanned+hand/eyewash

facilities

providedatstore/onvehicle.

Traininginsystemuse

toBS/EN/ISO

9002andADR.

First

aidkitonvehicle+allworkwithinCity

boundaryclosetoem

ergencyservices.

2manwork

ingatalltimes

onthevehicle/highways.

Epoxyresinsdeliveredinreadytouse

22Kgpacks(x6instorage,x2inusepermonth).1P

ropanecylinder

47Kgonvehicle,

(up

to8inexternalstore).

4

3

12

UseofalternativeKeygrip

ThermoplasticType1+3system

-heatedto225C.

Toolboxtalks,stafftraining

refreshersandquestionnaires.

2 4

3 2

6 8

1,2 3 4

PPE=pvcgloves,fa

ceshield/goggles(chem./

impa

ctresist),

overalls(closewovencotton,non-porous).

PPEasfor1,2+nuis

ancedustmaskFFP3(disposable).

PPE=NonePropa

neishandled+refilledbydeliverytanker

driver.

4 1 3

3 3 1

12

3 4

Regularlaundryservicen

eeded

foroveralls.

Visualinspectionby

operatives/supervisor/OH

for

skindamage.

First-aidtraining.

4 2 2

2 3 3

8 6 6

Depart-

ment

Development+HR

Name

ofAssessor(s)

K.Paull,J.Mo

rgan,P.Godsall,

A.Rickard

SIGNED

Servic

e

Unit

Highways+H&S

(S)Se

verityofhealtheffect:Minor=

1;Serious=2;Major=3;Fata

l=4

(R)RiskRating=SxP:Low=1-3;Medium=4-6;

(P)Probabilityofexposure:Veryunlikely=1;Unlikely=2;Possible

=3;Likely=4

High=8-10;Veryhigh=

12-16


33/34
http://www.hse.gov.uk/


34/34


Appendix 5

Risk Phrases

Appendix 6

Safety Phrases

Appendix 7

Symbol, abbreviation, description of hazard

Appendix 8

Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres

Regulations

Appendix 9

Principles of good practice for the control of exposure tosubstances hazardous to health
http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix5_risk_phrases.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix5_risk_phrases.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix6_safety_phrases.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix6_safety_phrases.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix7_symbol_abbreviation.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix7_symbol_abbreviation.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix8_dangerous_substances.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix8_dangerous_substances.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix8_dangerous_substances.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix9_good_practice_coshh.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix9_good_practice_coshh.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix9_good_practice_coshh.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix9_good_practice_coshh.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix8_dangerous_substances.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix8_dangerous_substances.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix7_symbol_abbreviation.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix6_safety_phrases.PDFhttp://www.plymouth.gov.uk/hsps04_appendix5_risk_phrases.PDF

Documents

Hsps04 Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment