Hello,

I am in the process of helping a charity sort out their H&S shortfalls and have always included things like dishwashing liquid and surface cleaner in the coshh registers of other places I have worked but is this really neccesary or do we think it is a bit ott?

Thanks

Charlie

Yes, as stated above. for example washing up liquid used in a residential location causes no or little harm. If you work in a kitchen and are up to your elbows in washing up for 4 hours a day then there are risks and harm involved.

Washing up liquid is a degreaser, minor use is no issue but for hours your skin will suffer.

What’s a COSHH register?

Being a bit faux naïve there! As I said this should be about risk assessment and including the COSHH aspects in that risk assessment.  What you should not need to do is to create an unwieldly database containing information lifted from the SDS’s. Just do a risk assessment for the process that you do taking into account the level of exposure eg washing up once a day vs 20 times a day and remember ( as Chris will probably tell us at some point) even water with enough exposure is a hazardous substance.  

Some good comments here. However, keep in mind that the risk assessment only deals with the potential for harm to occur. What is the more important aspect of COSHH is the C-word - Control! Let's not get bogged down with extensive, complex risk assessments for domestic chemicals. Simply ensuring that there are proper work procedures, e.g. wearing gloves when washing dishes (with cotton liners to prevent hyperhydrosis if worn for longer periods) etc. is far more productive, also that those using them understand that the guidance is for their benefit so that they use it.

Chris

Thanks for all your comments.

It goes to show that sometimes we do need a bit of a paradigm shift.

I spent all my working life in heavy machinery and the plant hire industry, initially as a service engineer then in depot management and QHSE management.

When I got into QHSE, coshh registers and assessments were part of the company systems I worked with at the time and if I am honest I can not say I ever saw an employee ever read or refer to a coshh assessment.

Including the controls in the risk assessments makes much more sense, as does encouraging the user to read the label before use.

In the case of the charity I am helping, there are 8 workers and they are there for 3 days a week so not going to be a lot of exposure anyway.