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CHW69-Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Policy

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Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that {{org_field_name}} complies with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, ensuring the safe handling, use, storage, and disposal of hazardous substances within our care home. This policy aims to protect service users, staff, visitors, and contractors from risks associated with hazardous substances while maintaining a safe and compliant working environment.

This policy aligns with:

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

The policy covers:

This policy must be read alongside the Health and Safety at Work Policy, Infection Prevention and Control Policy, Medication Policy, Waste Management or Handling and Disposal of Hazardous Substances Policy, Cleaning Policy, Personal Protective Equipment Policy, Accident and Incident Reporting Policy, RIDDOR procedure, Safeguarding Policy and Business Continuity Policy.

3. Identifying and Assessing Hazardous Substances

3.1. What Are Hazardous Substances?

Hazardous substances include any chemicals, biological agents, or materials that may cause harm to health. Examples include:

For the purposes of this policy, hazardous substances may include substances purchased by the service, substances brought onto the premises by contractors, substances generated by work activities, and biological agents. Examples include, but are not limited to:

3.2. COSHH Risk Assessments

A COSHH risk assessment is conducted for all hazardous substances to:

A suitable and sufficient COSHH risk assessment must be completed before any hazardous substance is used or before any activity is undertaken that may expose staff, service users, visitors or contractors to a hazardous substance. The assessment must be completed by a competent person and must consider:

COSHH risk assessments must be reviewed at least annually and sooner where:

3.3. COSHH Register and Safety Data Sheets

{{org_field_name}} will maintain an up-to-date COSHH register of all hazardous substances used, stored or generated within the care home. The register will include the product name, location, purpose of use, responsible department, date introduced, current Safety Data Sheet, risk assessment reference, required controls, PPE/RPE requirements, storage requirements and disposal arrangements.

Safety Data Sheets must be obtained before a hazardous product is purchased or used. Staff must have access to relevant Safety Data Sheets and COSHH assessments at the point of use, including cleaning areas, laundry areas, sluice areas, maintenance areas, kitchens and COSHH storage areas where applicable.

No hazardous substance may be brought into the care home, decanted, mixed, used or stored unless it has been approved by the Registered Manager or delegated competent person and added to the COSHH register.

3.4. COSHH Hierarchy of Control

When managing hazardous substances, {{org_field_name}} will apply the COSHH hierarchy of control. The service will first consider whether exposure can be prevented. Where prevention is not reasonably practicable, exposure must be adequately controlled.

Control measures will be considered in the following order:

PPE must not be used as the only control measure where exposure can be prevented or reduced by safer systems of work.

4. Safe Handling, Storage, and Use of Hazardous Substances

4.1. Safe Handling Procedures

To ensure safe handling, all staff must:

4.2. Storage of Hazardous Substances

To prevent accidents, contamination, or misuse, all hazardous substances must be:

A documented monthly COSHH stock check will be completed by the delegated competent person. The check will confirm that substances are authorised, labelled, in date, safely stored, included on the COSHH register, supported by a current Safety Data Sheet and covered by a current COSHH risk assessment. Any unauthorised, expired, damaged, leaking or unlabelled product must be removed from use immediately and disposed of safely.

4.3. Use of Personal Protective Equipment and Respiratory Protective Equipment

PPE and respiratory protective equipment must be provided by {{org_field_name}} where the COSHH risk assessment identifies that it is required. PPE/RPE must be suitable for the substance, task, person and level of risk.

PPE/RPE may include:

Staff must be trained in the correct selection, use, removal, cleaning, storage and disposal of PPE/RPE. Tight-fitting respiratory protective equipment must only be used by staff who have been fit-tested and trained in its use.

PPE/RPE must be inspected before use and replaced immediately if damaged, contaminated, expired, ill-fitting or unsuitable. Staff must report any shortage, defect or concern immediately to the person in charge.

4.4. Maintenance, Examination and Testing of Control Measures

Control measures must be maintained in effective working order and used correctly. This includes, where relevant, dilution systems, ventilation, extraction, closed containers, spill kits, PPE, RPE, sharps containers, clinical waste bins, laundry equipment, cleaning equipment and storage cupboards.

The Registered Manager or delegated competent person will ensure that:

Where a control measure is found to be ineffective, the task must stop unless safe alternative controls are put in place.

4.5. Exposure Monitoring and Workplace Exposure Limits

Where a hazardous substance has a workplace exposure limit, or where the COSHH risk assessment identifies a possible risk from inhalation of dust, fumes, vapours, mist, aerosols or gases, the Registered Manager must seek competent health and safety advice to determine whether exposure monitoring is required.

Exposure monitoring may be required where:

Where monitoring is undertaken, the results must be reviewed, acted upon and communicated to affected staff in an understandable format. Records must be retained in line with legal requirements and organisational record retention procedures.

4.6. Health Surveillance

Health surveillance will be arranged where the COSHH risk assessment identifies that it is required, where there is a known risk of occupational asthma, dermatitis or other work-related ill health, or where advised by occupational health, a competent health and safety adviser, HSE guidance or the Safety Data Sheet.

Health surveillance may include skin checks, respiratory questionnaires, lung function checks, biological monitoring or referral to occupational health. Staff must report symptoms that may be linked to hazardous substance exposure, including breathing difficulties, wheezing, coughing, skin irritation, rashes, burns, eye irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea or allergic reactions.

The Registered Manager must ensure that health surveillance findings are reviewed and that any required changes to risk assessments, control measures, training or work practices are implemented promptly.

5. Disposal of Hazardous Substances

5.1. Safe Disposal Procedures

All waste must be segregated, handled, stored and disposed of in accordance with the waste contractor’s instructions, local authority or health board arrangements where applicable, Safety Data Sheets, infection prevention and control requirements and relevant waste legislation. Staff must use the correct waste stream and container for the type of waste produced.

This includes:

Staff must not pour hazardous substances into sinks, toilets, drains or external drainage systems unless the COSHH assessment, Safety Data Sheet and local procedure confirm that this is safe and permitted.

5.2. Waste Management Contracts and Records

{{org_field_name}} will ensure that hazardous, clinical, medicinal and chemical waste is collected, transferred and disposed of only by authorised waste contractors.

The Registered Manager or delegated competent person will ensure that:

6. Staff Training and Responsibilities

6.1. Training on COSHH Procedures

All staff, including agency and bank staff where relevant to their role, must receive COSHH information, instruction and training before they use, handle, store, transport or dispose of hazardous substances.

Training will include:

COSHH refresher training will be provided at least annually, and sooner where there is a change in products, processes, risk assessment, legislation, guidance, staff role, incident findings or audit outcomes.

6.2. Staff Responsibilities

All staff must:

Team leaders and supervisors must:

The Registered Manager must:

6.3. Contractors and External Workers

Contractors must not bring hazardous substances into the care home or use hazardous substances on site unless authorised by the Registered Manager or delegated person. Contractors must provide relevant risk assessments, method statements and Safety Data Sheets before work begins where hazardous substances may be used or generated.

The person authorising the work must consider risks to service users, staff, visitors and the environment, including fumes, dust, vapours, noise, access restrictions, fire risk, infection risk and safe storage. Work must be planned to prevent avoidable exposure and disruption to people living in the home.

7. Incident Reporting and Emergency Procedures

7.1. Reporting Exposure, Accidents, Near Misses and Unsafe Practice

All spills, leaks, exposures, symptoms of exposure, unsafe storage, incorrect disposal, missing substances, chemical reactions, sharps injuries and near misses must be reported immediately to the person in charge.

Staff must:

  1. Make the area safe if it is safe to do so.
  2. Remove themselves and others from exposure.
  3. Seek first aid, medical advice, 111, GP support or emergency services as required.
  4. Follow the relevant COSHH assessment, Safety Data Sheet and spill procedure.
  5. Inform the Registered Manager or senior person on duty immediately.
  6. Complete an accident, incident or near-miss record before the end of the shift, or as soon as reasonably practicable.
  7. Preserve evidence where required, including product container, label, Safety Data Sheet, photographs, witness details and records of action taken.

The Registered Manager must review all COSHH-related incidents and decide whether notification or escalation is required to CIW, HSE under RIDDOR, the local authority, Environmental Health, the waste contractor, safeguarding partners, the placing authority, commissioners, occupational health or other relevant agencies.

7.2. Emergency Spill Management

Where a hazardous substance spill occurs, staff must follow the COSHH assessment, Safety Data Sheet and local spill procedure. Staff must only attempt to manage a spill if they have been trained, have the correct equipment and it is safe to do so.

The following steps must be followed:

Emergency services must be contacted immediately where there is fire, explosion risk, uncontrolled fumes, major leakage, significant exposure, injury, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, suspected poisoning, or where staff cannot safely manage the incident.

7.3. First Aid and Exposure Response

Where exposure occurs, staff must follow the Safety Data Sheet and seek medical advice where required. As a minimum:

All exposure incidents must be reported to the Registered Manager and recorded.

8. Managing COSHH Compliance Efficiently

8.1. Leadership, Governance and Accountability

The Registered Manager is responsible for ensuring that COSHH arrangements are implemented in the care home on a day-to-day basis.

The Responsible Individual will maintain oversight of COSHH compliance through governance, audit, incident review and quality assurance arrangements.

The COSHH Coordinator or delegated competent person will support the Registered Manager by maintaining the COSHH register, Safety Data Sheets, COSHH risk assessments, audit records, training records and action plans.

Team leaders and supervisors are responsible for monitoring safe practice and escalating concerns promptly.

COSHH compliance will be included in health and safety audits, infection prevention and control audits, medication audits where relevant, waste audits, staff supervision where required, and the service’s wider quality assurance arrangements.

8.2. Regular Audits and Checks

The Registered Manager or delegated competent person will ensure that COSHH compliance is checked through regular audits. These will include:

Actions from COSHH audits must be recorded, risk-rated, allocated to a named person and completed within agreed timescales. Serious or repeated concerns must be escalated to the Registered Manager and Responsible Individual.

8.3. Continuous Improvement and Monitoring

COSHH audit findings, incidents, exposure reports, staff feedback, training compliance, waste issues and identified risks will be reviewed as part of the service’s governance and quality assurance arrangements. Learning will be used to improve practice, update risk assessments, revise procedures, provide additional training and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

8.4. COSHH Records

The following COSHH records will be maintained:

Records must be accurate, dated, retained securely and made available for audit, inspection or investigation where required.

8.5. Protection of Service Users and Visitors

Hazardous substances must be managed in a way that protects service users, visitors and others who may be affected by the service. Staff must consider individual risks, including cognitive impairment, dementia, sensory impairment, mobility needs, mental health needs, behaviours that may place the person at risk, allergies, skin sensitivity, respiratory conditions and any known history of ingesting or misusing unsafe substances.

Hazardous substances must not be left unattended in communal areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, toilets, lounges, dining rooms, kitchens or other areas accessible to service users or visitors. Cleaning trolleys must be kept under staff control or secured when not in use.

Where a service user wishes to use their own cleaning, laundry, personal care or hobby-related product, this must be risk assessed before use and must not place the individual or others at avoidable risk.

9. Related Policies

This policy works alongside:

10. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually, or sooner where required due to:

The Registered Manager is responsible for ensuring the policy remains current and that staff are informed of any changes relevant to their role.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.

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