Using Chemicals Safely

This requires the identification of the hazardous substances and consideration of the risks present to people in and around the environment, the UCA COSHH Assessment Form should be applied.

The following factors need to be considered in the assessment process:

• Is this a purchased product, or one that is emitted by the process?
• How much is being used/emitted?
• Is the material dusty or volatile?
• How are people exposed and what is the frequency of exposure?
• What is the exposure route? Inhalation, skin or ingestion?
• Who is competent to undertake the assessment?
• Are all activities being considered e.g. cleaning and maintenance?

Compare current precautions to following good practice from HSE. It is a requirement to apply these eight principles of good practice (see link below)

Record the assessment and communicate the outcome to those in and around the environment. Set a review date and review the assessment if:

• There is reason to suspect it is no longer valid.
• There has been a change in the material, process, equipment or people.
• The results of exposure monitoring show it to be necessary.

The first consideration is prevention of the exposure by: 

• Changing process to eliminate the hazardous substance. 
• Substitution with a safer alternative. 
• Use in a safer form e.g. pellet or solution. 
• Adequate control of exposure by the following hierarchy of measures: 
• Use appropriate processes and equipment to minimise material used or to enclose the  
• material 
• Control at source e.g. by Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV), reduce the number of people  
• exposed, reduce the level and duration of exposure and minimise the hazardous 
• substances used in the process. 

• Provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as a last resort or supplement to other  
• control measures, or where specified by an MSDS.

Employees and students must use the specified control measures and report defects to an appropriate member of staff, this requirement must be included and documented in staff training and student induction.  

Controls must be maintained, LEVs have defined intervals for inspection, PPE must be kept clean and serviceable and tested where appropriate. 

Air monitoring will be undertaken for processes and areas where the risk assessment concludes that: 

• There could be serious health risks if control measures are ineffective; 
• Exposure limits might be exceeded; 
• Control measures are not working correctly. 

Examples of these are: 

Processes using, latex, silica, quartz, metal salts, hard wood, isocyanates, carcinogens and asthmagens. 

Health surveillance will be undertaken where staff could be exposed to a substance linked to a particular disease or adverse health effect, there is a reasonable likelihood of occurrence and it is possible to detect the disease or health effect. For the chemicals and substances used in UCA this will normally take the form of a health questionnaire (provided to staff before the health surveillance is conducted), lung function and dermatological checks provided on an annual basis. (See Health  Surveillance Policy). 

Procedures and equipment must be in place to deal with emergencies associated with the materials used. The following should be included: 

• Specialist first aid materials, e.g. calcium glucomate for treating hydroflouric acid exposure 
• PPE for rescuers/responders 
• Decontamination procedures 
• Emergency spill kits 
• Disposal plans 
• Emergency showers 
• Emergency response procedures and drills 

COSHH requires that UCA provides suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training which should include: 

• Names of substances they could be exposed to, the risks arising from those substances  
• and access to the relevant safety data sheets; 
• Main findings of the risk assessment; 
• Precautions required for the processes; 
• Use and storage of PPE; 
• Emergency procedures. 

This information can be conveyed by displaying or having easy access to the COSHH Assessments and by presenting COSHH information via the Student Health and Safety Induction process. This can also be delivered via inductions and briefing sessions. 

• Identify substances used in their areas and determine whether they are hazardous, and if they are, ensure a COSHH assessment has been completed on Sypol.
• Implement and maintain the control measures set out in the assessment.
• Ensure all people in the area are aware of the hazards and follow the controls in place.
• Take part in Health Surveillance if required by assessment.

• Ensure staff have up to date COSHH assessments on Sypol
• Ensure control measures are in place and maintained, including storage, disposal, emergency procedures and health surveillance.
• Ensure team member has completed training as required.

• COSHH Assessments are completed, reviewed and documented for all processes using
• Substances that are classified as hazardous are on Sypol with current assessments.
• Adequate control measures are in place to manage the risk;
• Workplace Exposure Limits (WELS) for substances are not exceeded;
• Hazardous waste is disposed by an authorised business who has the appropriate permits
• To dispose of this type of waste.

• Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems are tested annually with records retained for 5 years.
• LEV Thorough Examination and inspection records are shared with Technical Learning within a reasonable time-frame.
• New LEV systems are appropriately installed through the appointment of a competent contractor with associated commissioning certificates before first use.