COSHH

So aside from the obvious things like a bottle of bleach or acid, you need to be careful of all the substances that COSHH covers, including:

• Gases – like carbon dioxide, methane, and environments that lack oxygen.
• Dusts – from textiles and paper particles, to tiny parts of soil and coal
• Mists – that come from neat oils or water-based fluids, often used to cool metals when they’re being made and shaped.
• Biological agents and germs that cause disease – this covers things like bacteria, viruses and parasites, which are often worked within laboratories, farming, refuse collection and sewage treatment.
• Liquids – such as cleaning products and pesticides.
• Fumes – such as sulphur dioxide from petrol fumes or burning coal.
• Vapours – like acetone, which is in cleaning products and certain nail varnish removers.
• And finally, Nanomaterials and technology – which are found in things like batteries, cosmetics, food products, coatings and anti-bacterial clothing.

A worker might be exposed by:

• Breathing in gases
• Contact with the skin
• Swallowing
• Contact with the eyes
• Puncturing the skin

It is a good idea to lock hazardous chemicals away, for example in a cupboard, if there are people such as children or those with visual impairments, who might be at risk of accidentally accessing them.

The way that these substances can affect someone is different for each person and depends on the substance. Mild effects can include dermatitis or eye and skin irritation. Moderate effects include allergies, or viral infections caused by exposure to biological agents Severe effects might include, someone being poisoned, or developing skin diseases or respiratory diseases, and even have reproductive problems that can lead to birth defects. Long-term or intense exposure can also cause diseases such as cancer.