UNDER THE COSHH Using chemical and hazardous substances at work can put employee health at risk and the law requires employers to control exposure to them. The regulations include eight basic measures which employers and employees must take to be sure they are not only complying with the law but also being seen to comply. There are definite benefits for your company if you follow the regulations: Improved productivity as a result of using more effective controls Improved employee morale Reduced time off work Better employee understanding and compliance with health and safety requirements Conversely, failing to comply can seriously damage your business through: Lost productivity Increased loss of working time Liability to enforcement action, including prosecution Liability to civil claims from your employees So what are regarded as hazardous substances and what must you do? Hazardous substances can be divided into four main groups: Those used directly in the workplace such as adhesives, paints and cleaning agents Those generated during working practices e.g. fumes Naturally occurring substances such as grain dust Biological agents including bacteria and other micro-organisms And how do you control exposure to them? Assess the risks to health from substances used in or created by your workplace activities Decide what precautions are needed to prevent exposure of your employees to these substances Prevent or adequately control exposure of your employees to them Ensure that control measures are used and maintained properly and that safety procedures are followed Monitor the exposure of employees to hazardous substances, if necessary Carry out appropriate health surveillance where your assessment has shown this is necessary or where COSHH sets out specific requirements Prepare plans and procedures to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies involving hazardous substances, where necessary Ensure employees are properly informed, trained and supervised However, the easiest way to ensure your company is fully compliant is to consult a Health & Safety expert, such as David Associates Limited, who have the knowledge and experience to advise you and most importantly understand the requirements of the law. Full details of the regulations can be found on the HSE website at: ****** COSHH Regulations

ONE PORTION OF CHIPS CHIP is designed to protect both people and environment from the ill effects of chemicals. The regulations require suppliers to: Identify the dangers of the chemicals they supply Give information to their customers about the dangers Package the chemicals safely Not all chemicals are covered; for example, medicines and cosmetics have specific laws. But the vast majority of chemicals are covered by CHIP. Suppliers must start by identifying the dangers and explain them in a simple sentence. Classifying the dangers correctly is essential; get it wrong and everything else you do under CHIP may also be wrong. There are specific classifications which you must follow and in some cases you will need to supply additional information in the form of a data sheet. Once you have decided on the classification you must package and label the chemicals and supply your customers with information on how they should be used. HSE have drawn up an Idiots Guide to CHIP which can be found by clicking the link below. Perhaps not the most inspiring bedtime reading but vital if your company has any dealings with the supply of chemicals. Of course, you can always ask a Health & Safety expert such as David Associates Limited to advise on the best ways to make sure you are complying with CHIP. ****** Idiots Guide to CHIP

DEAR OH DSEAR! Not such an easily pronounced acronym but an important one nevertheless, DSEAR stands for the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002. These cover dangerous substances which put the lives of people at risk from fire and explosion. Remember Buncefield? In the case of DSEAR, dangerous substances are defined as any substance used or present at work that could, if not properly controlled, cause harm to people as a result of fire or explosion. They are found in almost every workplace and include: Solvents Paints Varnishes Flammable gases such as LPG Dust from machining, sanding and foodstuffs DSEAR puts a duty on employers and the self-employed to assess and eliminate or reduce risks. This should be carried out through assessments and controls, wherever possible eliminating the dangerous substance through substitution or by using a different work practice. In reality this cannot always be done and so strict control measures have been devised to minimise the risks. These are detailed in an HSE publication called DSEAR in Detail which can be found through the link below, along with a full explanation of the regulations and procedures which must be taken to ensure compliance. Alternatively, why not call in a Health & Safety consultant to help you make sense of your responsibilities. ****** DSEAR in Detail

PLAY ON WORDS All right. As you may have noticed, even we cannot resist the temptation to turn the acronyms COSHH, CHIPS and DSEAR into a few jokes! So, send your one line funnies to COSHH and CHIPS and we’ll print the best in the next edition of Safety Snapshots. Oh – and here are the answers to our competition in the last edition. 1. WORDLESS 2. WORDBLIND 3. PASSWORD 4. WATCHWORD 5. WORDBOUND 6. BUZZWORD 7. WORDAGE 8. FOREWORD 9. HEADWORD 10. WORDPLAY 11. WORDBOOK 12. LOANWORD 13. WORDLORE 14. CROSSWORD 15. CATCHWORD ******

MYTH OF THE MONTH Myth: Health and safety laws banned hanging baskets The reality: Back in 2004 a town did briefly take down its hanging baskets over fears that old lamp posts would collapse. This was an overly-cautious reaction to a low risk. However, after quick checks the hanging baskets were replaced and have been on lamp posts in the town every year since. Despite this, the story continues to be repeated and the danger is someone will believe it is a genuine requirement and follow suit. Cartoon courtesy of HSE website ****** Myth of the month