COSHH Management Tips

5 Tips for running a successful COSHH Management System

1.Keep it simple

Keep all aspects of the process from safety data sheet management to your COSHH template as simple as possible. The more complex the process, the more likely it is to fall over once the organisation comes under pressure for resources.

2. Staff involvement 

The EHS department take responsibility for authoring and managing COSHH assessments. All COSHH assessments are written in partnership with the relevant department staff involved in the day to day use of the chemicals. Ideally, this work would be completed in the actual relevant department itself.

3. Make it relevant

When completing COSHH assessments, avoid copying and pasting information such as emergency response information direct from safety data sheets (SDS) into a COSHH template. This serves no purpose whatsoever. Instead, the COSHH assessment should be populated with information directly relevant to the users involved. For example, fire details should outline not just what suitable fire extinguishers may be used, but also where these may be found on the local site. 

4. Put your brand-logo on your COSHH Assessments 

Supplier safety data sheets and COSHH assessments and very commonly confused in industry. Putting your own company logo on your COSHH template helps to clearly differentiate the COSHH assessment from the manufacturers safety data sheet (SDS). This has the added benefit of highlighting to staff, ownership of the document within your organisation. 

5. Put an update procedure in place

It is critical that you do not just complete a “project” to update your COSHH assessments. You must also design a process to keep your COSHH assessments up-to-date. This process must consider the annual update of COSHH assessments currently completed as well as the introduction of new chemicals on site.