Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
England-focused reference checklist
Editorial source review: 2026-10-17
https://saeedazarshab.com/articles/england-building-regulations/coshh-2002/

INDEPENDENT GUIDANCE — not project-specific legal/design advice or a compliance certificate. Check the official current requirements and applicable transition.

COSHH requires employers to assess and control exposure to substances hazardous to health, including dusts and fumes created by work as well as purchased chemicals. A supplier's safety data sheet is useful input, not the workplace assessment. Asbestos and lead have separate regulatory regimes.

WHAT TO CHECK
[ ] Identify harmful substances generated by the process as well as those listed on purchase orders.
[ ] Assess exposure routes, affected people, duration and tasks using current product and process information.
[ ] Consider elimination or substitution, then effective engineering and organisational controls before relying on PPE.
[ ] Arrange suitable instruction, control maintenance, exposure monitoring or health surveillance where the assessment requires them.
[ ] Review whether controls work in practice and update arrangements after changes or health concerns.

RECORDS TO KEEP
- 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.

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.

OFFICIAL SOURCES
COSHH Regulations 2002 — legislation
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2677/contents

HSE: what COSHH law says
https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/law.htm

HSE: carrying out a COSHH assessment
https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/assessment.htm

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated. Original practical summary by Saeed Azarshab.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/