Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

Summary of the main legal requirements
339
17.11 
Contr
ol of Substances Hazar
dous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 and 2005 Amendment

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Introduction to Health and Safety at Work
340
17.11.2
Defi nition of substance hazardous to 
health – Regulation 2
The range of substances regarded as hazardous under 
COSHH are:
➤
substances or mixtures of substances classifi ed as 
dangerous to health under the Chemicals (Hazard, 
Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 
2002 (CHIP). These have COSHH warning labels and 
manufacturers must supply data sheets. They cover 
substances that are: very toxic, toxic, harmful, cor-
rosive or irritant under CHIP
➤
substances with a workplace exposure limit as listed 
in EH40 published by the HSE
➤
biological agents (bacteria and other microorgan-
isms) if they are directly connected with the work
➤
any kind of dust in a concentration specifi ed in the 
regulations, i.e.
➤
10 mg/m
3
, as a time-weighted average over an 
8-hour period, of total inhalable dust
➤
4 mg/m
3
, as a time-weighted average over an 
8-hour period, of respirable dust
➤
any other substance which has comparable hazards 
to people’s health but which, for technical reasons, 
is not covered by CHIP.
➤
Workplace exposure limit for a substance hazard-
ous to health means the exposure limit approved by 
the HSC for that substance in relation to the speci-
fi ed reference period when calculated by a method 
approved by the HSC, as contained in HSE publi-
cation ‘EH/40 Workplace Exposure Limits 2005’ as 
updated from time to time.