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CoSHH assessment and how to communicate them
Rank: Forum user
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Hey All, My colleague has just finished completing several CoSHH assessments for site and we are looking at ways of sharing them. Our thoughts are having a folder in each area with the assessments in and referring to them on the Risk Assessment for the task they are completing. Do you need to have staff sign to say they have read them, or is having them in the area and reference to them if they wish to read them enough? Thanks.
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Rank: Super forum user
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What they need to know is:
- what the risks are
- what they have to do about the risks
Whether or not reading the COSHH assessment will convey this will depend on how the COSHH assessment is documented. There may be a better way to convey it.
I'm not sure what you mean by having a COSHH assessment as well as a risk assessment for the activity. What do the COSHH assessment and the risk assessment cover that is different? A COSHH assessment is in theory a type of risk assessment, one for an activity that involves the use of hazardous substances.
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Rank: Forum user
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Originally Posted by: Kate What they need to know is:
- what the risks are
- what they have to do about the risks
Whether or not reading the COSHH assessment will convey this will depend on how the COSHH assessment is documented. There may be a better way to convey it.
I'm not sure what you mean by having a COSHH assessment as well as a risk assessment for the activity. What do the COSHH assessment and the risk assessment cover that is different? A COSHH assessment is in theory a type of risk assessment, one for an activity that involves the use of hazardous substances.
Hey, The Risk Assessments we have are more for the task i.e. ensure bolts are in place before transporting, ensure crane check have been completed before operating crane, the COSHH assessments are seperate and advise of hazards with the chemicals being used i.e Loctite being put on the bolt prior to being put on the equipment.
In my previous role all COSHH assessments were kept in the first aid room as 90% of the time this is when you might need them, and not part of the RA for the task being undertaken.
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Rank: Super forum user
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So what is the content of your COSHH assessments apart from stating the hazards of the substances? Do they just replicate parts of the safety data sheet (this is all too often the case) or do they contain information about the task and about how exposure to the hazardous substances is prevented or limited during the task? And is that information missing from the task risk assessment?
I disagree that COSHH assessments are likely to be useful to a first aider. What the first aider usually needs is the safety data sheet for the substance someone has been exposed to. This not only has a first aid section in it, but other medical information that although the first aider will not use it, they will want to pass on if medical treatment is required. A paramedic or doctor doesn't want to see a company's COSHH assessment - they want to see a safety data sheet, which is the authoritative document about the substance.
But to go back to your original question. It sounds as if your risk assessments contain instructions for those doing the task. If there are any instructions relating to the use of hazardous substances, it would make sense to convey these at the same time using the same document as conveying the other safety instructions.
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4 users thanked Kate for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Why put it in a folder somewhere which will be hidden with lots of other folders that won't get looked at. When I was in the fire brigade when any new Brigade Orders arrived on station I made sure they were read out to all watch members, either by myself or my Sub Officer, that was recorded in the training record, no need for individual's signatures. That is a method I carried on using once out of the brigade and on shop-fitting sites. If I took the site induction I would read out any COSHH and risk assessments etc.and they would all sign the Induction record.
On one occasion we had some Asbestos Cement roof sheets to remove and dispose. I devised a procedure and discussed it with the two labourers who were tasked with the job. We agreed on the procedure, they signed the method statement and the job was done without any issues.
It does take time but in my opinion it should be considered as part of the job of H&S person and the workers.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Kate is of course correct: all risk assessments are task based including COSHH ones. So in your task risk assessment will need to mention that the Loctite glue that is being used to fix your bolts is hazardous: mainly you don’t want to get it in your eye. The risk of that happening depends on how it is being applied. That is one risk assessment. First aiders need information, on how to treat various injuries. That information needs to be to the point and give them exactly what they need to know. They don’t need to see the SDS which has lots of superfluous (to the first aider) information- boiling point, vapour pressure, etc? For Loctite in the eye the question is do you try to remove if from the eye as soon as possible or do you get them to A&E as soon as for them to try to remove it?
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2 users thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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It has to be remembered that prevention is better than cure, and it is so important to inform the relevant worker/s the hazards prior to them starting the task/s. That is why IMO the RA in a folder is not good enough, the workers have to be told. I agree the first aider needs to know about the hazardous substances after it has caused harm and that should be on a piece of paper to be passed on as the patient moves through the process of medical care.
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Rank: Super forum user
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To AK's point about first aid, section 4 of a Loctite safety data sheet (I've looked at many of these) contains detailed information about what to do if someone gets it in their eye, or indeed on their skin or in their mouth. That, and section 2 with the hazards, are the only bits of the safety data sheet that the first aider will make use of. The reason I advocate giving them the whole thing is so that it can be passed on to medical professionals.
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CoSHH assessment and how to communicate them
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