COSHH Asessment & Testing

Under The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002, substances hazardous to health are defined as any substance that creates a hazard to the health of any person arising out of or in connection with work under the control of an employer.

They may include:

1. Any substance listed in the CHIP 2 Regulations1994 and for which the classification is specified as either toxic, very toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant
2. Any substance that has a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL)
3. A Microorganism that creates any kind of hazard.
4. Dust of any kind when present in substantial concentrations in air.

Under Regulation 6 of COSHH, an employer is required to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health in the workplace where substances are known to be used or produced that fall into one or more of above categories, and under Regulation 9, Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Systems installed to control hazardous substances must be examined and tested at least every 14 months.

An assessment of the occupational exposure is therefore vital and will enable the employer to make a valid decision about whether work activities are likely to result in any worker or non employee being ‘exposed to significant levels of hazardous substances’. If they are, appropriate measures will be necessary to prevent or adequately control exposure.

Mercian Environmental Services offer:

• The capability to identify and measure the personal exposure of your workers to many different classes of hazardous compounds including toxic dusts and fume, man made mineral fibres, metal dusts, lead, rubber dust and fume, nuisance dusts, volatile organic compounds, isocyanates, airborne bacteria and fungi. We use the appropriate Methods for the Determination of Hazardous Substances (MDHS) published by the Health & Safety Executive to collect samples from the breathing zone and use UKAS accredited laboratories for subsequent analytical testing.
• The capability to carry out Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) testing of extraction systems installed to control exposure to hazardous substances and to determine their effectiveness in reducing personal exposure to acceptable levels.
• The inclusion of exposure data from hazardous substance measurements, LEV performance testing and other control measures into COSHH assessments that determine if control measures are adequate or if not, propose additional controls to reduce exposure to acceptable levels.

We use this information:

1. To compare calculated personal exposures to identified hazardous substances with the Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL’s) that apply and therefore the current risk of significant exposure to those hazardous substances.
2. To record and assess the effectiveness and suitability of current control measures including LEV systems, respiratory protection and working practices.
3. To recommend additional or remedial control measures where current controls are considered to be inadequate.
4. To present this information as an individual task or process COSHH assessment

Please do not hesitate to contact us for more specific information and assistance on how we can help you meet your obligations under the’ The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002’ to make your workplace a safer environment for your workforce.