Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002


The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, as amended, is a United Kingdom Statutory Instrument which states general requirements imposed on employers to protect employees and other persons from the hazards of substances used at work by risk assessment, control of exposure, health surveillance and incident planning. There are also duties on employees to take care of their own exposure to hazardous substances and prohibitions on the import of certain substances into the European Economic Area. The regulations reenacted with amendments the Control of Substances Hazardous to Work Regulations 1999 and implement several European Union directives.
Breach of the regulations by an employer or employee is a crime, punishable on summary conviction or on indictment by an unlimited fine. Either an individual or a corporation can be punished and sentencing practice is published by the Sentencing Guidelines Council. Enforcement is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive or in some cases, local authorities.
The regulations are complementary to the Chemicals Regulations 2002 which require labelling of hazardous substances by suppliers. There are other regulations concerning the labelling and signage of pipes and containers, and since 2008 a further level of control mechanism on dangerous chemicals was added by the EU regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations have been in place for more than 25 years and the scientific evidence suggests that over this time industry has, in general, been consistently reducing exposure to hazardous substances.

European Legislation implemented

The regulations implement the following European Union directives:
The regulations are consistent with Commission Directive 91/322/EEC requirements on indicative limit values.

Prohibited substances

Import prohibited

is prohibited into the UK, other than from another EU member state or member of the European Economic Area, of :
Contravention is an offence under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 rather than health and safety regulations.

Supply prohibited

Supply is prohibited, during the course of work or for use at work, of, :
Use of the following substances is prohibited for the purposes specified :
SubstanceProhibited purpose

  • 2-naphthylamine;
  • Benzidine;
  • 4-aminodiphenyl;
  • 4-nitrodiphenyl;
—their salts and any substance containing any of those compounds, in a total concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by mass.		Manufacture and use for all purposes, including any manufacturing process in which such a substance is formed.
Sand or other substance containing free silica.Use as an abrasive for blasting articles in any blasting apparatus.
A substance:
Use as a parting material in connection with the making of metal castings.
Carbon disulphideUse in the cold-cure process of vulcanisation in the proofing of cloth with rubber.
Oils other than white oil, or oil of entirely animal or vegetable, or mixed animal-vegetable, origin.Use for oiling the spindles of self-acting spinning mules.
Ground or powdered flint or quartz other than natural sand.Certain uses in the manufacture and decoration of pottery.
Dust or powder of a refractory material containing not less than 80% of silica other than natural sand.Use for sprinkling the moulds of silica bricks, namely bricks or other articles composed of refractory material and containing not less than 80 per cent of silica.
White phosphorusManufacture of matches
Hydrogen cyanideFumigation except where certain specified precautions are taken.
Benzene and any substance containing benzene in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by mass, but excluding:
  • Motor fuels covered by Council Directive 85/210/EEC;
  • Waste covered by Council Directive 75/442/EEC.
    		• Use for all purposes except:
  • Industrial processes; and
  • Research and development or for the purpose of chemical analysis.
  • Chloroform ;
  • Carbon tetrachloride ;
  • 1,1,2-Trichloroethane ;
  • 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane ;
  • 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane ;
  • Pentachloroethane ;
  • Vinylidene chloride ;
  • 1,1,1-Trichloroethane ;
    • — and any substance containing one or more of those substances in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1% by mass, other than:
    • Medicinal products;
    • Cosmetic products.
    		Supply for use at work in diffusive applications such as in surface cleaning and the cleaning of fabrics except for the purposes of research and development or for the purpose of analysis.

    Exceptions

    The following are excluded from the operation of regulations 6 to 13 concerning the general process for management and control of hazardous substances :

    Risk assessment

    Regulation 6 requires that an employer should not carry out work liable to expose employees and non-employees, such as members of the public to a substance hazardous to health without a risk assessment and implementation of the steps necessary to comply with the regulations. The assessment must include consideration of any information provided by the supplier of a substance ) and must be reviewed regularly, and also when there is reason to think the assessment is no longer valid, if the system of work is changed or if necessary because of the results of health monitoring. The assessment must also consider any occupational exposure limit, in particular, those mandated by the HSE ) or by the workplace activities

    Prevention or control of exposure

    Regulation 7 requires that an employer prevent exposure to hazardous substances or, if this is not reasonably practicable, that he adequately controls exposure.
    One of the main points of the COSHH risk assessment is to identify the measures that are to be used to avoid a hazard or reduce the level of risk associated with a hazard. Employers must ensure that exposure to hazardous substances is prevented or, if this is not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled. Ideally, this will mean preventing exposure by:
    Where this is not reasonably practicable, controlling exposure by, for example:
    It is for the employer to decide on the method of controlling exposure. The regulations, however, limit the use of personal protective equipment, as the means of protection to only those situations where other measures cannot adequately control exposure.

    Use of control measures

    Employers must take all reasonable steps to ensure that control measures, and any necessary equipment of facilities, are properly used or applied. Employees must use the control measures properly, return them after use and report any defective equipment.

    Maintenance and testing of control measures

    Regulation 9 requires that employers maintain control measures in efficient working order and in good repair, with thorough examination and testing of local exhaust ventilation plant generally every 14 months, and for other controls "at suitable intervals".

    Monitoring exposure

    Where the risk assessment indicates that workplace monitoring of exposure is necessary, the employer must perform such monitoring unless he can demonstrate another means of preventing or controlling exposure. Monitoring must be at regular intervals in addition to when a change occurs that may affect exposure. There is mandatory monitoring for :
    Substance or processMinimum frequency
    Vinyl chloride monomerContinuous or in accordance with a procedure approved by the HSE
    Spray given off from vessels at which an electrolytic chromium process is carried on, except trivalent chromiumEvery 14 days

    Exposure monitoring

    There are many methods for monitoring a persons exposure to inhalation risks, the most common is to use personal air sampling pumps. These are usually flow controlled, rechargeable pumps worn by the operator, which pull a known volume of air through a sampling media such as filters or charcoal tubes. Pumps are generally worn for 8 hours or for a full working shift. The sample media is then sent for weighing if sampling for simple dusts, or for more in depth analysis via accredited laboratory.

    Health surveillance

    Regulation 11 requires that health surveillance of employees is carried out where:
    — or where there is exposure to any of the following substances in the specified occupations:
    SubstanceProcess
    Vinyl chloride monomerManufacture, production, reclamation, storage, discharge, transport, use or polymerisation
    Nitro or amino derivatives of phenol and of benzene or its homologuesManufacture of nitro or amino derivatives of phenol and of benzene or its homologues, and the making of explosives with the use of any of these substances
    Potassium chromate, potassium dichromate, sodium chromate or sodium dichromateManufacturing
    Ortho-tolidine, dianisidine and dichlorobenzidine, and their saltsManufacturing
    Auramine and magentaManufacturing
    Carbon disulphide, disulphur dichloride, benzene, including benzole, carbon tetrachloride and trichlorethyleneProcesses in which these substances are used, or given off as vapour, in the manufacture of indiarubber or of articles or goods made wholly or partially of indiarubber
    PitchManufacture of blocks of fuel consisting of coal, coal dust, coke or slurry with pitch as a binding substance

    Information, instruction and training

    Regulation 12 demands that all employees liable to exposure to hazardous substances are provided with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training, including:
    Some biological agents can cause severe human disease and be a serious hazard to employees. Further diseases may be likely to spread to the community and there may be no effective prophylaxis or treatment available. Where employees are working with such an agent, or material that may contain such an agent, they must be provided with written instructions and, if appropriate, notices must be displayed that outline the procedures for handling such an agent or material.

    Accidents, incidents and emergencies

    Regulation 13 requires that employers prepare for possible accidents, incidents and emergencies involving hazardous substances by:
    Regulation 14 requires that appropriate warning notices are affixed to premises that are to be fumigated with hydrogen cyanide, phosphine or methyl bromide. In most cases, notice must be given to any harbour authority in whose area the fumigation is to take place.

    Exemptions

    The HSE may issue certificates of exemption to certain employers so long as they are satisfied that the health and safety of workers will not be compromised. The Secretary of State for Defence may issue certificates of exemption on the grounds of national security to the UK and visiting armed forces.

    Record keeping

    An employer with five or more employees must record the results of the risk assessment.

    Regulations on labelling of containers and pipes