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The Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) says, "An employer shall not carry on any work which is liable to expose any employees to any substance hazardous to health unless he has made a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks created by that work to the health of those employees and of the steps that need to be taken to meet the requirements of these Regulations.

The assessment ... shall be reviewed regularly and forthwith if (a) there is reason to suspect that the assessment is no longer valid or (b) there has been a significant change in the work to which the assessment relates, and, where as a result of the review, changes in the assessment are required, those changes shall be made."

As part of the COSHH assessment, an employer must look at the types of substances workers are exposed to, what effects these could have, and estimate the current levels of exposure. They then need to consider whether exposure can be prevented, or if not, how it can be controlled.

Whoever does the assessment must be competent to do so (Regulation 12). The HSE says, "Except in very simple cases, whoever carries out the assessment will need to have access to and understand the requirements of the COSHH Regulations and appropriate Approved Codes of Practice, have the ability and authority to get all the necessary information, and the knowledge and skill to make correct decisions about the risks and the precautions needed. Remember that you and your employees have the most knowledge of what really happens in your workplace."

Safety reps have legal rights to be consulted on COSHH assessments, and should remember that safety data sheets are just one source of information on a chemical's hazards. A collection of manufacturers' or suppliers' data sheets alone is not a COSHH assessment!

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