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COSHH Assessments
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leerob  
#1 Posted : 21 January 2015 13:59:40(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
leerob
Could anybody point me in the right direction to a site that completes COSHH assessments from the data inputted from the material safety data sheet, apart from sypol. We have over 100 assessments to collate after a thorough review of the business.
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Ian Bell  
#2 Posted : 21 January 2015 14:11:15(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ian Bell
The Sypol commercial system has some serious drawbacks.

CoSHH assessment is so much more than simply inputting data from an MSDS.

In addition to gathering information about a substance its also about the way in which a substance is used/the work processes.

Even if you have 100 assessments to do, you may be able to simplify/group together certain substances e.g. paints are often the same base substances, the colour pigment has little bearing on the COSHH assessment.

Assess the process/work activity rather than the substance - again you maybe able to cover multiple substances under 1 assessment.
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leerob  
#3 Posted : 21 January 2015 14:29:19(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
leerob
Thanks Ian, I was going to take into account the useage & amount used. The problem is the company is so diverse in its activities that we have such a broad spectrum of substances.
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chas  
#4 Posted : 21 January 2015 14:44:20(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chas
Have you tried the following;

http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/

It has its limitations but may enable you to make a start.
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leerob  
#5 Posted : 21 January 2015 15:09:35(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
leerob
Chas,

I have and there not the best, it refers the person reading the assessment to numerous pieces of guidance.
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A Kurdziel  
#6 Posted : 21 January 2015 15:46:13(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel
As Ian says simply using SDS’s to create COSHH assessments is in my opinion a mistake. I don’t like these systems as they are too much of short cut. A COSHH risk assessment must be about the process not just the substance. Remember the same substance can be used in two different processes which can lead to two totally different assessments. As Ian also said look to consolidating the assessments. You do not (in fact should not) have an assessment for each substance. They should be based around processes and it is often possible to consolidate them so that you have one assessment for disinfection procedures irrespective of what disinfectant you use. It looks like you are the one doing the COSHH and being lumbered with 500 assessments looks like madness to me. My organisation has at least 700 of the things covering thousands of substances. I not do the assessments as I do not have the knowledge that the users have. I have trained them to do COSHH risk assessment and they do them and then I check them when I audit.
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chris.packham  
#7 Posted : 21 January 2015 16:15:42(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris.packham
I think the following confirms what the previous posting has stated:

A study by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the organisation responsible for REACH, found that of 1,181 companies they inspected in 29 countries, mostly ‘downstream users’, i.e. formulators, regarding compliance with REACH, 52% were producing safety data sheets described in the study as ‘deficient’.
ECHA – REACH-EN-FORCE2

The risk assessment should consider the work activity, including:
All the substances hazardous to health (including biological agents and simple asphyxiants) arising from the work (use, produced, synthesised, created as waste or by-products, or released from processes or during accidents, incidents and emergencies);
Work done by sub-contractors, at the workplace, that may expose employees to substances hazardous to health.
COSHH ACoP, para. 57

Any risk assessment must start with the task, identify the chemicals being used, how they are used, and the resulting hazard.

Furthermore be aware that there are thousands of chemicals that have not been assigned a risk phrase/hazard statement and will thus almost certainly not appear on the safety data sheet. You can take water as an example. For many not a hazard, but if there is excessive exposure this can result in contact dermatitis and should be assessed and managed for COSHH compliance. Incidentally, wearing of occlusive gloves is equivalent to wet work, so also needs assessment, even if there is no direct exposure to chemicals.

There are no ‘short cuts’ for COSHH.

Chris
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toe  
#8 Posted : 21 January 2015 22:08:25(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
toe
quote=chris.packham]I think the following confirms what the previous posting has stated:

A study by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the organisation responsible for REACH, found that of 1,181 companies they inspected in 29 countries, mostly ‘downstream users’, i.e. formulators, regarding compliance with REACH, 52% were producing safety data sheets described in the study as ‘deficient’.
ECHA – REACH-EN-FORCE2

Chris


That does not sunrise me Chris. I conducted a COSHH assessment recently for care workers using a supermarket bleach (irritant) for cleaning WC's, the MSDS stated to wear goggles, overalls and gloves. I know this would be ideal but.... never seen a care worker with overalls and goggles on to run a bit of bleach into a toilet in my life.

There are no short cuts for COSHH - never a truer word said.
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toe  
#9 Posted : 21 January 2015 22:10:02(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
toe
Surprise not sunrise.

Will we ever get an edit function on here!!!!!
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chris.packham  
#10 Posted : 21 January 2015 22:41:35(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris.packham
How about this then?
==
“HSE’s experience suggests that a large proportion of SDSs do not provide adequate or correct information on hazards and exposure controls.” – from Topic Inspection Pack, Work Related Contact Dermatitis, Skin Disease Programme
==
but also:
==
“Nevertheless, product suppliers have a legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act to provide adequate information about any risks to health or safety of the users and about any conditions necessary to ensure that the products can be used safely.”
From:- HSE – Topic Inspection Pack, Work Related Dermatitis
==
They are referring, of course, to section 6-1 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974:
==
It shall be the duty of any person who designs, manufactures, imports or supplies any article for use at work:-
(c) to take such steps as are necessary to secure that there will be available in connection with the use of the article at work adequate information about the use for which it is designed and has been tested, and about any conditions necessary to ensure that, when put to that use, it will be safe and without risks to health.
==
I frequently go back on behalf of my clients to their suppliers to ask for the Section 6-1 information. Surprise - most of them have never heard of this and many simply do not have the knowledge to be able to comply once this has been drawn to their attention.

Will REACH make the situation any better. From what I have seen so far I am far from optimistic.

Chris
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