Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

COSHH definition

What does COSHH mean? In practice, COSHH describes the employer’s duty to assess and control risks from substances hazardous to health in the workplace (for example chemicals, fumes, dusts, mists, vapours and biological agents), and to protect workers and others from exposure. In England, Wales and Scotland, COSHH is shorthand for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2677), as amended, made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The Regulations define “substance hazardous to health” and require: suitable and sufficient risk assessment; prevention or adequate control of exposure (including substitution, engineering controls and PPE); maintenance and testing of...

COSHH 2002: Essential Duties, Risk Assessment, Controls, Prohibitions, Monitoring, Liabilities and Due Diligence Defence

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Practice notes

Industrial diseases

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (coshh), SI 2002/2677, is among the most significant health and safety regulations for any organisation that uses, produces or generates chemicals, or other substances capable of harming employees, contractors and the wider public. Every year, hazardous substances make thousands of workers ill, leading to lung disease, cancer and skin conditions. Examples include:

Dust in air — lung diseases
Metalworking fluids — dermatitis and asthma
Wet cement — chemical burns or dermatitis
Benzene in crude oil — leukaemia

For guidance on occupational health claims please see Practice Notes: Dermatitis and sensitisation conditions and Asthma.

Substances hazardous to health

COSHH defines a ‘substance hazardous to health’ as including:

Substances that meet the criteria for classification as hazardous within any health hazard class set out in the CLP Regulation, whether or not the substance is classified under that Regulation. For more on the CLP Regulation, see Practice Notes: EU CLP—chemicals classification, GB CLP—chemicals classification, GB CLP—chemicals labelling and EU CLP—chemicals labelling.
Substances for which the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has approved a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL)...

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Web page updated on 26/05/2026

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