How far do you go with COSHH in the care provider sector? The reason I am asking is I have been alerted to our e-learning course as I have had requests for an assessment on toothpaste, toothbrushes, perfume/after shave.

When i looked through the course that I had nothing to do with the training dept decided it was changing training and the delivery.

Anyway the training says that an assessment should be provided for toothpaste as it says on the tube not to swallow, the toothbrush bio hazards, the perfume etc. flammable and possible drinking as it has alcohol in.

I have tolsd the staff I am not writing it as the people involved are the residents and as they having learning disabilities and/or dementia the assessment would have no bearing on the outcome. We have not had a case of anything like this so that's the way i'm going. I'm I wrong?

You are right. I think the key phrase to remember here is 'significant risks'.

Just 'No' - I despair.

Ditto - got better things to do.

Invictus, you can be more specific as to why you won't engage in those assessments.

COSHH contains a legal definition of what is meant by "substance hazardous to health."

The mundane stuff you mention is outwith that definition. COSHH not applicable.

Suggest you request/ insist the plug is pulled on that "e-learning". Pronto.

I find this from the HSE useful in deciding just how far to go down this route http://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsg220.pdf

Originally Posted by: Invictus

Gerry thanks for that we do use the document but it's always good to get a reminder. I think what I was trying to do is also raise awareness of the training that's out there.

To be honest i don't think there will ever be enough training like this 100% all of the time, People see things we take for granted in our homes but does come under COSSH when you come accross it it the workplace.

How far do you go with this? As far as resonably practicable. Care homes should have a system in place which cover the majority of what is contained in that publication, and even individual site specific assessments made up as an when required.

I remember visiting my father in law in a nursing home and walking down the corridor an adult nappy was thrown from one of the rooms and stuck half way up the corridor wall, Not nice, but it does show the bio hazzards which do and could occur in homes all over the UK.

Having said all that this is a Specialist niche which would have certain things done a little bit more thoughtful and getting all the angles covered is only half the story.!!

The thing with COSHH is that it is not just about substances that are "classified" as hazardous to health, but also about things that may be hazardous in use, For instance, some paint powders, plaster of paris etc are not neccessarily classed as "hazardous" - but present an inhalation hazard under some conditions, and so need a COSHH assessment.

Thanks for the responses, this is specific too health care and the training and not Ian says about how the product is produced.

We have assessments for dealing with contaminated clothing, sheets etc.syringes,. we have infection control internal and external audits. This is specific to toothpaste and brushes, perfume etc.

The training just for information does not cover soiled clothing, syringes which I thought would of been more appropriate than, not swolling toothpaste etc. It would be like completing a COSHH R/A because it is an irrtant if you get some in your eye or is this the level that we are at?

Hi Invictus,

I came up against this issue in a big way in my last job but one, for a very large disabled people's charity. We had a home which was really more like sheltered living, for people with reasonable cognition who were physically impaired. They did their own shopping, cooking, housework and so on. One of the people living there, very intelligent, something of a scholar, tried to kill himself by drinking washing-up liquid and then aspirating the inevitable vomit. He very nearly succeeded. CSCI as it was then tried to get me to COSHH assess washing up liquid and put it in locked cupboards. I refused, and won the argument. My point was simply that it wasn't the substance that was important here, washing-up liquid is not hazardous, but what was needed was a thorough assessment of the needs of the person involved. It's down to individual care planning and particular vulnerabilities, not COSHH assessment,

John

"washing-up liquid is not hazardous"

Most brands ARE hazardous according to CLP classification - note the GHS07 (exclamation mark) pictogram on the rear of the packaging

But to COSHH assess domestic goods is just too OTT

and if the manufacturers had got their way they still wouldn't have anything on the label

Ok-we all agree that for routine domestic use the application of COSHH to toothpaste is OTT but let’s think. On any brand of toothpaste it will say “Do not swallow” but most people might swallow a little bit and suffer
no ill effects but lets’ imagine a care setting were the client decides that they like the taste of toothpaste and think that they will swallow the contents of the whole tube( conceivable I think in a care setting). So you might decide that for that client you will not give them a tube but just put a bit on thetoothbrush for them and them put away the tube: You have just done a risk assessment and applied an appropriate control. The cupboard where you keep the stocks of toothpaste, might, based on past experience be kept locked otherwise the clients might decide if one tube of toothpaste is good twenty would be brilliant. What are the health effects of eating twenty tubes of toothpaste?

Risk assessment is not about complying with regs it is about identifying hazards in your work place based on understanding what can happen in your workplace and applying controls suitable for your workplace. So yes tooth paste could be a hazard in your workplace and might need managing.