Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Duty Holders

Employers, self-employed people and employees all have duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations.

A self-employed person's duties are those that fall on the employer and the employee.

Where an employee of one employer works at another employer's workplace, both employers have duties under COSHH. Similarly, where two or more employers share the same workplace, each has duties under COSHH. In such cases compliance with duties in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (see A 3.7, Co-operation and Co-ordination between Employers in the Same Workplace; and see A 3.8, Bringing in Contractors) can assist with compliance of COSHH duties.

As well as the duties that fall on employees under COSHH, employees also have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act to co-operate with their employers and any other COSHH duty holders to ensure the COSHH requirements are met.

Manufacturers, importers and suppliers of any substance have related duties under section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. As regards the risks relating to substances, these duties include provision of health and safety information to help employers assess the risks and eliminate or control these.