The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) is the law that governs occupational health and safety when handling hazardous substances. On work premises, however, it is not always clear who is legally responsible for putting COSHH into practice and adhering to it on a daily basis.

It is crucial that everyone involved in an organisation is aware of their duties and responsibilities in order to maintain COSHH compliance. The liability for enforcing COSHH can also be less clear when employees work off-site, or if an employee disregards control measures put in place to protect them from the harm posed by hazardous substances.

Who is held liable under the law for COSHH at work?

In the workplace, the employer is responsible for implementing and maintaining COSHH compliance. They must make sure that all workplace practices and tools adhere to the COSHH guidelines.

As a result, if these rules are broken, the employer might face legal repercussions.

It is also the employer's duty to make sure that all workers are aware of the COSHH rules and have the knowledge and ability to follow them. 

Employees are also accountable for embracing and adhering to COSHH, but if an individual causes a workplace accident because they were unaware of the dangers of a hazardous material, the employer may be held liable.

The three COSHH control measures you must know

To ensure that workplace practices are COSHH-compliant, the individual in charge of implementing and maintaining COSHH regulations in the workplace must consider three key aspects of compliance. Failure to do so increases the risk of workers suffering an injury, which may be followed by fines or other legal ramifications.

Control equipment

Hazardous materials need to be handled, stored and utilised in accordance with a number of control procedures, which change depending on the substance or activity. Utilising COSHH-compliant equipment ensures you are reaching the necessary standards.

The COSHH control procedures for a dangerous substance help determine how it must be handled and stored, in order to lower the possibility of spills or other incidents, protect people from injury, and avoid harmful exposure.

Working techniques

The COSHH control methods outline how staff members should handle hazardous materials in their regular activities. It is crucial that anybody handling dangerous substances is aware of the appropriate precautions to take.

The greatest levels of safety must be maintained in all procedures, monitoring and training. Employers are legally required to safeguard the health of their employees, but employees also have a duty to make use of their training and handle potentially harmful chemicals with the appropriate care.

Work behaviour

It is critical that everyone abides by the control measures and procedures once they are put in place. It is equally important to use these measurements correctly and to constantly assess them to make sure they are still appropriate for the activities and substances you are using.

A workplace must always meet the highest standards of control measures, which means employing COSHH-compliant control equipment, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when required, and establishing and adhering to protocols that alert supervisors in case of emergencies. Browse SafetyBuyer’s entire range of COSHH cabinets, spill kits and more.