When to use this guide
- Planning dusty cutting, drilling, sanding, welding or other exposure-generating work.
- Introducing coatings, adhesives, cleaning products or hazardous biological exposure.
- Changing a substance, work method, extraction system or exposure conditions.
What to check
Use these prompts with the responsible project team. Ticking a box does not certify compliance.
You can tick these prompts while reviewing the project.
Keep these records
- Task-specific COSHH assessments and relevant safety data sheets.
- Control-system checks, maintenance and any required exposure-monitoring results.
- Training and health-surveillance arrangements, with confidential health records handled appropriately.
Common mistakes
- Filing a safety data sheet and calling it a complete COSHH assessment.
- Ignoring generated silica dust, welding fume or exposure of neighbouring workers.
When to get specialist help
Seek competent occupational-hygiene or health advice where exposure cannot be assessed or adequately controlled; stop the uncontrolled activity rather than improvising PPE selection.
Scope and edition
Sources reviewed 17 October 2026. Applies in Great Britain, including England. Use current substance classifications and exposure guidance; this entry supplies no universal exposure limit or respirator specification.
Use the official source to check the current text, amendments not yet incorporated, commencement and project-specific transition. A published future edition is not automatically the rule applying to your work.
Official sources
- COSHH Regulations 2002 — legislationGreat Britain exposure assessment, prevention/control and supporting duties.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2677/contents
- HSE: what COSHH law saysDefinition of hazardous substances and employers' overarching approach.https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/law.htm
- HSE: carrying out a COSHH assessmentPractical assessment, contractor information, records and review.https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/assessment.htm
Source links lead to external official websites. We provide original explanatory notes and do not reproduce paid standards.
About this library
Independent, plain-English reference notes by Saeed Azarshab. The library covers the 42 subjects listed here; it is not every law affecting construction, an official government publication or a project-specific compliance decision. Building Regulations, Approved Documents, workplace safety duties and planning permissions have different roles.
Editorial source review: . Check the current official text, commencement dates, outstanding amendments and transitional arrangements before relying on a requirement. Publication date is not necessarily the date a rule applies. A relevant competent professional or authority must resolve project-specific questions.
Sources and lawful reuse
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated. These are original practical summaries, with links to the official material. No government endorsement is implied. We do not host copies of proprietary BS, ISO or Eurocode standards, third-party diagrams or publisher layouts. Check each source’s rights notice before reuse.
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