COSHH Risk Assessment Tool
COSHH Risk Assessment Tool
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require every employer to assess the risk from hazardous substances — chemicals, dusts, fumes, vapours, mists and biological agents — and to prevent or adequately control exposure. Even a low-risk office has COSHH duties: cleaning products alone count. The hard part isn't knowing the rule; it's working through every substance in a structured way and catching the gaps before an inspector — or an illness — does.
This tool builds a register of your substances and assesses each one against the COSHH framework and the hierarchy of control. It branches by work type (cleaning & general vs construction & industrial), takes the hazard classification straight off the safety data sheet, weighs exposure route, amount and frequency, and flags the failures the HSE acts on most often — relying on PPE or RPE first, a serious inhalation hazard controlled by procedure alone, health surveillance that's needed but missing, and tight-fitting RPE with no face-fit testing. You get a prioritised set of control actions in hierarchy order and a dated, printable assessment record for your file.
What it does
- Builds a multi-substance COSHH register in one assessment
- Applies the hierarchy of control — eliminate, substitute, engineering/LEV, safe systems, then PPE/RPE
- Detects the prosecuted failures: PPE-first, no LEV where needed, missing health surveillance, no face-fit testing, no SDS on file
- Flags Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) and health-surveillance duties (e.g. isocyanates, silica, sensitisers)
- Branches by work type for relevant substance prompts and controls
- Produces a dated, printable record with a 12-month review date
Who it’s for
Employers, managers, supervisors and anyone responsible for assessing or controlling hazardous substances — from an office or cleaning store to construction, manufacturing and workshops.
How you get it
Instant digital download after purchase. A single HTML file — open it in any browser on a PC, Mac, tablet or phone. No software, no sign-up, works offline.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a substitute for a full COSHH assessment by a competent person?
No. It's an assessment aid that applies the COSHH framework and the hierarchy of control to your answers, helping you build a register, decide controls and record your findings. It does not replace a suitable and sufficient assessment by a competent person, and it is not the HSE's COSHH Essentials scheme. Higher-hazard substances — isocyanates, silica, lead, asbestos, biological agents — and any work near a Workplace Exposure Limit should be assessed and signed off by a competent occupational-hygiene or health-and-safety professional.
Do I really have COSHH duties if I only use cleaning products?
Yes. COSHH covers any substance hazardous to health, and ordinary cleaning chemicals are classified as hazardous. If substances are used, stored or generated at work, the duty to assess and control exposure applies — which is why the tool starts from a register of everything in use, however everyday it seems.
What is the hierarchy of control, and why does the order matter?
It's the order COSHH requires you to control exposure: first eliminate the substance, then substitute it for something safer, then use engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation (LEV), then safe systems of work, and only then PPE and RPE as a last resort. Relying on PPE or RPE first — ahead of the higher controls — is the most common COSHH failure the HSE acts on, and the tool flags it wherever it sees it.
Do I need to install anything or be online?
No. It's a single self-contained file that runs in any modern web browser. Once downloaded it works completely offline, with no software, account or subscription.
Is it based on official guidance?
Yes. The framework follows the COSHH Regulations 2002 and published HSE guidance (including HSG97 and the EH40 Workplace Exposure Limits). It is an independent tool built on that public guidance — it is not endorsed by or affiliated with the HSE, and it is not the HSE's COSHH Essentials scheme. The safety data sheet (SDS) remains your primary source for each substance.
Important. This is an assessment aid, not legal advice and not a guarantee of compliance. It helps you carry out and document your own assessment; it does not replace a suitable and sufficient assessment by a competent person. Outputs are indicative only and should be checked by a competent person. © 2026 drewmitchell.co.uk. All rights reserved. Licensed for the purchaser's own use; not to be resold, redistributed or republished.