It is in an employer's interests to comply with these regulations, as healthier employees will result in stable productivity levels and improved morale within the workforce. In order to comply with the regulations, there are 8 steps which employers should follow.
Employers must:
- Assess the risks: risks to health from hazardous substances used in or created by workplace activities must be adequately assessed.
- Decide what precautions are needed: they must not carry out work which could expose their employees to hazardous substances without first considering the risks and the necessary precautions and what else they need to do to comply with COSHH.
- Prevent or adequately control exposure: they must prevent their employees being exposed to hazardous substances. Where preventing exposure is not reasonably practicable, then they must adequately control it.
- Ensure that control measures are used and maintained: they must ensure that control measures are used and maintained properly and that safety procedures are followed.
- Monitor the exposure: employers must monitor the exposure of employees to hazardous substances which are being worked with.
- Carry out appropriate health surveillance: this must be done where an assessment has shown it is necessary or where COSHH sets specific requirements.
- Prepare plans and procedures to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies: this should be done for all situations involving hazardous substances.
- Ensure employees are properly informed, trained and supervised: they should provide employees with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training for all substances and material which they come into contact with.