Posted By Ian Stone I have been asked by our COSHH Assessors to investigate the following: They have called the suppliers of various products for the Product Safty Data sheet, only to be told that they dont supply any. However the Hairdressing Beauty Suppliers Association provide a booklet that lists products with safety info on each product. the suppliers produce a document telling the buyer to see page 5 of the booklet etc. Looking at this booklet it contains some info needed under COSHH such as Ingredients, Hazard, First Aid and handling etc. Is this normal practice, or should these suppliers be providing the data sheet for their products? Thanks Ian

Posted By Alison Dando Not knowing the nature of your employer's business, all I can advise is this. I work for an NHS Trust and our Mental Health and Learning Disabilities patients are obvious residents in a hospital environment. They obviously use personal toiletries purchased from local supermarkets and our hospitals also have hairdressers to do their perms etc.. Our staff have gone to Tesco's - as we buy from them and they have given staff information on many of their products. I'm sure some of the other larger retail shops would also do the same. HSE also did a booklet called," How to use hair preparations safely in the salon" which came out in response to SI 1260 the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1984 which lists the standard hair bleaching agents ingredients, those in hair sprays, relaxers, shampoos etc. Probably COSHH has superseded these Regs. but it is a good booklet if you can get one. As the previous responder says there is information out there which you can ask for if these products are being used in the course of your staff's work, COSHH is there to protect your staff not patients/non staff, other legislation does that. I wouldn't be so worried about the shampoos your staff use (if they use them) but the bleaching agents, some hairsprays, hair dyes, some perming lotions - yes because they contain some ingredients such as ammonia, methylene chloride and hydrogen peroxide. If you have vulnerable people in the vicinity of these products, they (the products not the people!) should all be locked away if not in use.

Posted By Adrian Watson Dear Ian, I suggest that you remind them in writing of: 1. Their legal duties under S6 of the HWSA 74 and their duties under CHIP regulations. 2. The fact that they are breaking the law. I also suggest that, you state in the leter that you will, contact HSE for advice on this matter. Wait for the response! Regards Adrian