COSHH - Coverage: Substances
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations cover work of any kind that may give rise to a hazardous exposure of employees, other workers, customers, members of the public or anyone else to a substance. The regulations cover any workplace (except underground in mines and sea-going ships in normal circumstances).
Substances
COSHH covers any natural or artificial substance in any form (solid, liquid, gas, vapour, mist, etc.) that could create a hazard to anyone's health.
Typical example a substances capable of creating possible hazards could be:
- those listed as dangerous for supply and indicated as very toxic, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant;
- one for which a maximum exposure limit has been specified or for which an occupational exposure standard has been approved;
- a hazardous micro-organism;
- a substantial airborne concentration of dust of any kind;
- capable of causing harm to health on an immediate, delayed, accumulative or other basis to the person exposed or to their offspring, whether the hazard is capable of affecting all who are exposed or only those with certain predispositions.