Any experience of COSHH?

[Helen Dempster]

Me again - another issue that came up on my first aid course was COSHH and that we are meant to have data sheets. Can anyone more knowledgable please advise me as to what these are - are they just risk assessments, but named differently? I've never heard of them before - do you all use them??

Thank you and sorry if it's a dumb question! :blush:

[miss mopple]

They are sheets provided by the manufacturer with hazard details etc on them. Many are available to print on their websites, others you can call and get copies of.

They are more good practice than a legal requirement I think.

[Babycat]

data safety sheets give you information of products ingredients, what measures to take incase of ingestion inhalation etc. if you google 'name of product' data safety sheet you will find most things and can also email companies. I have a few links that helped me with household products if you would like them let me know.

[alwaysright]

i think in the first aid courses they just go into worst case scenario stuff, hopefully stuff that will never happen! coshh just means care of substances hazardous to health, so its basically your cleaning products and probably alcohol in childrens cases, so how you store them which is covered on risk assessments

[rickysmiths]

Many people hold COSHH data sheets however you are then meant to do a COSHH risk assessment and non of us is trained to do this.

I think that the main thing is to identify on your home RAs how and where you store any hazzardous substances. Household and don't forget things like paint, paint strippers and thinners, garden chemicals such a weed killers, slug pellets, plant food.

There is some useful information on the HSE website here:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/

[Babycat]

COSHH RA's are as simple as other RAs me personally I have both lots and homemade x