Pollution Control - Hazardous Substances

Exposure to hazardous substances at work affects many thousands of people each year. Examples of work related illness caused by exposure to hazardous substances include:

• Lung disease (e.g. through working in dusty conditions),
• Allergies including skin irritation,
• Dermatitis/cancers resulting from frequent contact with corrosive liquids),
• Other occupational cancers (e.g. from exposure to toxic fumes),
• Occupational asthma (e.g. from sensitisation to isocyanates in paints or adhesives).

There are high costs as a result of ill-health resulting from work exposure to hazardous substances arising from a number of causes, including loss of earnings, loss of productivity, prosecution and civil action, among others.

The COSHH Regulations 2002
Require employers to control exposure to hazardous substances in order to prevent ill health. Substances may be used directly in the work (e.g. cleaning chemicals, chemical reagents) or may arise from the work (e.g. dusts, fumes and waste products).
Advice and leaflets can be found at on the HSE website via the following link:
HSE Advice Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Opens new window to HSE website)
COSHH lays down a sensible, step-by-step approach to the necessary precautions and is therefore a useful tool of good management (reduced costs, improved morale and better industrial relations have been widely realised).
COSHH applies to virtually all substances hazardous to health. Exceptions include:

• Asbestos and lead Covered by specific regulations,
• Substances which are hazardous only because they are:
• Asphyxiate
• Radioactive
• Used at high pressures or temperatures,
• Have explosive or flammable properties.

Definitions

• Hazard - the potential to cause harm,
• Risk - likelihood that it will cause harm in the actual circumstances of use.

The risk will depend on a number of factors, such as:

• The hazard presented by the substance,
• How it is used,
• How exposure is controlled,
• The degree and extent of exposure.