Introduction to Fire Safety Management

part of their duties under the RRSFO (see Chapter 14).
3.8.1 The Control of Substances Hazardous to 
Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) as amended
CHIP specifi cally covers the aspects relating to the sup-
ply of dangerous substances. Once the substances have 
been supplied the responsibility rests with the employer, 
and in the case of the RRFSO to the responsible per-
son. COSHH is the principal legislation that covers the 
ongoing use, transportation, storage and disposal of 
substances hazardous to health.
The COSHH Regulations apply to the following 
classifi cations of substances:
➤
Substances 
classifi ed by CHIP as very toxic, toxic, 
harmful, corrosive or irritant
➤
Substances assigned a WEL according to EH 40
➤
Other substances that create a hazard to human 
health
➤
Biological 
agents
➤
Dusts in concentrations great enough to be 
hazardous.
POISION
Figure 3.12
Controlling hazardous substances in the 
workplace
However, it is important to note the COSHH Regulations 
do not apply to the following substances:
➤
Those that only pose physical hazards, e.g. where 
the only hazard is due to fl ammable or explosive 
properties (where DSEAR applies, see Chapter 7)
➤
Those that are covered by other specifi c legislation, 
e.g. lead and asbestos.
Under COSHH, an employer is required to carry out a 
suitable and suffi cient assessment of the risks to the 
health of their employees created by work involving haz-
ardous substances. The assessment must be kept under 
review and any necessary changes made following the 
review. In addition, control measures to reduce the risks 
posed by the substances must also be subject to main-
tenance, e.g. local exhaust ventilation systems (LEV) for 
the removal of fl ammable mixtures from the atmosphere.
Emergency arrangement have to be considered as