Section 3: COSHH – Care Of Substances Hazardous to Health
Hazardous substances can come in various forms such as:
Chemicals
Fumes
Dust
Vapours/mists
Gases
Biological agents like bacteria
Lead
Asbestos
There are four routes for a hazardous substance to enter the body:
Inhalation – when a substance is breathed in through nose or mouth
Ingestion – when swallowed. This can occur when you transfer chemicals to your mouth via eating
Absorption – substances pass through the skin into the bloodstream
Injection – via broken skin or injection from a sharp object
Once a substance has entered the body it can cause:
Cancer
Lung disease
Respiratory problems like asthma
Skin problems like dermatitis
Interference with other organs like the nervous system
Identifying the hazard:
There should be a label on every bottle and hazardous products will have pictograms and warnings. Pictograms will be in Red, Black and White. The label will:
Have a Hazard Statement – a phrase describing the nature of the hazard e.g. toxic if swallowed
A precautionary statement – a phrase describing the precautions that could be put in place to minimise or prevent the effects of the exposure e.g. wear eye protection or gloves.
Safety Data Sheets will be available from the suppliers which provide info on the safe use, handling, storage, and emergency measures in the case of an incident.