UK Statutory Instrument SI 2002 United Kingdom

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)

These Regulations re-enact, with modifications, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/437) (“the 1999 Regulations”). The 1999 Regulations imposed duties on employers to protect employees and other persons who may be exposed to substances hazardous to health and also imposed certain duties on employees concerning their …

Enforced by
HSE, NRW
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 5 of 17 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 12 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Employer15 Any Person2

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Employer — also bound by 682 other Acts
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts

What it requires

Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.003 Duties under these Regulations (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Extend COSHH protections to non-employees affected by your workEmployer
s.006 Assessment of the risk to health created by work involving substances hazardous to health Regulated
  • Assess health risks from hazardous substances before starting workEmployer
s.007 Prevention or control of exposure to substances hazardous to health (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Prevent or control employee exposure to hazardous substancesEmployer
s.008 Use of control measures etc. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure proper use and maintenance of control measuresEmployer
s.009 Maintenance, examination and testing of control measures (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Maintain, test and record control measures and PPEEmployer
s.010 Monitoring exposure at the workplace (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Monitor employee exposure to hazardous substances and keep recordsEmployer
s.011 Health surveillance (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Provide health surveillance and keep health records for exposed employeesEmployer
s.012 Information, instruction and training for persons who may be exposed to substances hazardous to health (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Provide information, instruction and training on hazardous substancesEmployer
s.013 Arrangements to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Prepare and maintain emergency procedures for hazardous substancesEmployer
s.014 Provisions relating to certain fumigations (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Notify and display warning notices for certain fumigationsEmployer
15 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.001 Citation and commencement
s.002 Interpretation
s.004 Prohibitions relating to certain substances
s.modifications relating to the office of rail and r Modifications relating to the Office of Rail and Road
s.para.35 The following polychlorodibenzodioxins: 2,3,7,8-TCDD 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD OCDD,...
s.para.36 The following polychlorodibenzofurans: 2,3,7,8-TCDF 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF...
s.para.37 Where T=tetra, Pe=penta, Hx=hexa, Hp=hepta and O=octa.
Schedules

Schedules

7 of 33 shown
s.sch003 Classification of biological agents Regulated
  • Provisionally classify unclassified biological agents by infection riskEmployer
s.sch003 Special control measures for laboratories, animal rooms and industrial processes Regulated
  • Select correct containment measures for biological agentsEmployer
s.sch003 List of employees exposed to certain biological agents Regulated
  • Keep a list of employees exposed to Group 3 or 4 biological agentsEmployer
s.sch003 Notification of the use of biological agents Regulated
  • Notify HSE before first use of hazardous biological agentsEmployer
s.sch003 Notification of the consignment of biological agents Regulated
  • Notify HSE before sending Group 4 biological agents to other premisesEmployer
s.sch009 In the case of a fumigation to be carried out... Regulated
  • Notify the harbour authority, fire service and customs before fumigating in a harbour areaAny Person
s.sch009 The information to be given in a notification made for... Regulated
  • Provide full fumigation details in your HSE notificationAny Person
26 other schedules
s.sch001 Mustard gas (b,b’ –dichlorodiethyl sulphide).
s.sch001 Rubber manufacturing and processing giving rise to rubber process dust...
s.sch001 Used engine oils.
s.sch001 Aflatoxins.
s.sch001 Arsenic.
s.sch001 Auramine manufacture.
s.sch001 Calcining, sintering or smelting of nickel copper matte or acid...
s.sch001 Coal soots, coal tar, pitch and coal tar fumes.
s.sch001 Hardwood dusts.
s.sch001 Isopropyl alcohol manufacture (strong acid process).
s.sch001 Leather dust in boot and shoe manufacture, arising during preparation...
s.sch001 Magenta manufacture.
s.sch002 Column 1 Column 2 Description of substance Purpose for which...
s.sch002 In this Schedule— “aerosol dispenser” means an article which consists...
s.sch002a PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR THE CONTROL OF EXPOSURE TO SUBSTANCES HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH
s.sch003 Interpretation
s.sch007 The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996...
s.sch009 In the case of a fumigation, other than a fumigation...
s.schedule/3/part/iv/paragraph/wrapper15n2 The biohazard sign required by regulation 7(6)(a) shall be in...
s.schedule/3/part/iv/paragraph/wrapper16n2 schedule/3/part/IV/paragraph/wrapper16n2
s.schedule/3/part/v/paragraph/wrapper17n2 Any Group 3 or 4 agent.
s.schedule/3/part/v/paragraph/wrapper18n2 The following Group 2 agents: Bordetella pertussis Corynebacterium diphtheriae Neisseria...

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

Building compliance quick check

Fast compliance verification for experienced property managers. Checklist format covering electrical, gas, water, HVAC, lifts, and energy performance requirements.

Meet environmental compliance requirements

Navigate your environmental obligations including waste duty of care, pollution prevention, packaging responsibilities, and energy reporting

Meet workplace health and safety requirements

A comprehensive journey for UK employers to understand and comply with health and safety law. Covers the legal framework (HASAWA 1974, MHSWR …

Building compliance for new property owners

Comprehensive guide to understanding and meeting your legal obligations for building safety, maintenance, and energy performance when you acquire commercial premises.

Accommodation compliance for hotels, B&Bs, and holiday lets

Compliance journey for accommodation providers covering tourist registration, fire safety for sleeping accommodation, legionella management, VAT on accommodation, short-term lets regulation, HMO …

Run a healthcare business

Ongoing compliance for CQC-registered healthcare providers covering inspections, professional registration, safeguarding, clinical governance, medicines management, and staff obligations

Construction materials compliance checklist

Quick-check list for construction contractors covering CE/UKCA product marking, COSHH assessments, silica dust exposure limits, timber due diligence, aggregate levy obligations, and …

Control respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust in the workplace

How to identify and control silica dust exposure in your workplace. Covers COSHH assessment for RCS, the workplace exposure limit (0.1 mg/m3), …

Health surveillance at work

When health surveillance is legally required at work and how to set it up. Covers COSHH hazardous substances, noise, hand-arm vibration, lead, …

Manage hazardous construction materials

How to comply with COSHH 2002 when working with cement, silica dust, solvents, and wood dust on construction sites, and with the …

Manage legionella risk in water systems

How to identify and control legionella risk in workplace water systems. Covers your duties under ACOP L8, appointing a competent person, written …

Recognise and report occupational diseases

How to recognise the signs of occupational diseases, understand your duty to report them under RIDDOR, and maintain occupational health records. Covers …

Select and fit test respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

How to select the right respiratory protective equipment for your workplace hazards and ensure it is properly fit tested. Covers hazard identification, …

54 more guides that reference this instrument
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Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.