This policy outlines the requirements of The Greencore Group in relation to
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (as ammended).

It is not intended as a substitute for the regulations or the approved code of practice, which must also be consulted.

What is COSHH?
The regulations cover the Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994. COSHH requires any business, factory, farm, office or shop that uses or creates a substance that could be a risk to employees health to:

i) identify and control those substances;
ii) minimise workers risks from exposure to those substances;
iii) provide the information and training you need to complete the task safely.

What are hazardous substances?
A hazardous substance is any solid, liquid, dust, fume, vapour, gas or micro-organism that may be harmful to employees' health. Substances labeled corrosive, irritant, toxic or very toxic and carcinogenic are also hazardous.

Are there any hazardous substance not covered by COSHH?
Yes, certain substances,
such as asbestos and lead, are covered by other regulations.

How to identify if a substance is hazardous
COSHH requires manufacturers, importers, and suppliers of hazardous substances to provide information on the risks associated with those substances, as well as precautions for safe use.

What responsibilities do factories have under COSHH?
Employers are required under COSHH to use all available information to complete an assessment about the risks in the workplace and provide that information to employees.

An assessment must include:

What substances are present?
Are people exposed every day?
Which substances are people exposed to occasionally?

How is each substance used?
What are the work practices?
How is each substance, stored, and transported etc.

The risks to health?
Could death, illness or injury result from one exposure?
From short term exposure?
From long term exposure?

The hazards of each substance?
Can the substance be swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin?

Who is exposed to hazardous substances?
Are employees, contractors, visitors or the public exposed to risk?

Prevention of exposure based on the assessment
To prevent exposure, an employer can:

i) remove a substance from use;
ii) change a work practice;
iii) use a less hazardous substance;
iv) use a less hazardous form of the same substance e.g., diluted.

Control of exposure based on assessment
To control exposure, the employer may:

i) use ventilation or local exhaust extraction;
ii) isolate or enclose the area;
iii) reduce the length or level of exposure;
iv) introduce other types of control measures.

Employers' other duties under COSHH

Review the assessment regularly to ensure that new equipment, materials etc. have not created new health risks.

Maintain, examine and test control measures to ensure that they are in good working order. Control measures will be changed or replaced as necessary.

Provision of information to employees etc. about health risks
and training in the use of control measures and protective equipment.

Monitor and record exposure to ensure that control measures are effective.

Health Surveillance
Where necessary, this must include regular medical check ups.
Health records must also be kept for a minimum period of 50 years.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
These may need to be provided in addition to control measures,
not instead of them and should be considered as a last resort.

Employees' duties under COSHH are:

• to take part in COSHH training programme;
• read containers labels;
• practise safe working habits;
• to report any hazard or defect to a supervisor;
• to use Personal Protective Equipment;
• to store equipment and tools properly;
• to use control measures;
• to participate in Health surveillance.

Label containers properly
Container labels provide important information for example,
labels include:

i) the identity of the substance including trade names and code numbers;
ii) possible hazards of using, transporting or storing the substance;
iii) safety precautions;
iv) emergency actions;
v) first aid;
vi) supplier's name and contact details.

Use labels properly
Label portable containers
if there is any possibility someone else may use the containers.
Never use a food grade container.