Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

17.10.9 References
A guide to the Health and Safety (consultation with 
Employees) Regulations 1996. L95, HSE Books
ISBN 0-7176-1234-1
17.11 
Control of Substances Hazardous 
to Health Regulations (COSHH) 
2002 and 2005 Amendment
17.11.1 Introduction
The 2002 COSHH Regulations have updated the 1999 
Regulations with a few changes which include: additional 
defi nitions like ‘inhalable dust’ and ‘health surveillance’; 
clarify and extend the steps required under risk assess-
ment; introduces a duty to deal with accidents and 
emergencies.
The 2005 Amendment Regulations replace Regula-
tion 7 (7) and (8) by substituting new requirements to 
observe principles of good practice for the control of 
exposure to substances hazardous to health introduced 
by Schedule 2A, to ensure that workplace exposure 
limits are not exceeded, and to ensure in respect of 
carcinogens and asthmagens that exposure is reduced 
to as low a level as is reasonably practicable. They also 
introduce a single new Workplace Exposure Limit for 
substances hazardous to health which replaces occupa-
tional exposure standards and maximum exposure limits. 
The amendment regulations introduce a duty to review 
control measures other than the provision of plant and 
equipment, including systems of work and supervision, 
at suitable intervals.
COSHH covers most substances hazardous to 
health found in workplaces of all types. The substances 
covered by COSHH include:
➤
substances used directly in work activities (e.g. solv-
ents, paints, adhesives, cleaners)
➤
substances generated during processes or work 
activities (e.g. dust from sanding, fumes from 
welding)
➤
naturally occurring substances (e.g. grain dust).
But COSHH does 
not
include:
➤
asbestos and lead, which have specifi c regulations
➤
substances which are hazardous only because they 
are:
➤
radioactive
➤
simple 
asphyxiants
➤
at high pressure
➤
at extreme temperatures
➤
have explosive or fl ammable properties (separ-
ate Dangerous substances regulations, DSEAR, 
cover these)
➤
biological agents if they are not directly con-
nected with work and are not in the employer’s 
control, such as catching fl u from a workmate.