Explaining COSHH and regulations attached
- COSHH refers to a law that requires those who employ other people to control substances that are hazardous to health. The prevention or reduction of exposure of workers to hazardous substances can be carried out by; trying to establish what the health hazards are:
- Making a decision about the way to offer prevention to health harm (carry out risk assessment).
- Giving out measures of control so as to bring down the level of harm to health
- Giving out information as well as instructing and offering training for the workers among other people
- Putting place plans for emergencies
- In appropriate cases; offering health surveillance and monitoring.
- COSHH regulations cover the storage and utilization of the products containing substances that are hazardous. These substances may include such chemicals as surgical spirit, bleach, glutaradehyde, among other substances. The COSHH regulations require that all the commodities that have or contain substances that are believed to be hazardous to human health should be subjected to risk assessment so as to have consideration of safe use, to put in place first aid measures and to put in place details in regard to measures to be taken just in case there arise exposure and disposal that might be accidental.
- According to Health, safety and environment consultants, “ COSHH covers chemicals, products containing chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapors, dusts, mists and gases and biological agents” (Para, 4). In the case where the packaging has whatever hazardous symbol, then it is put in the category of being a hazardous substance. COSHH as well covers asphyxiating gases. However, COSHH does not cover such substances as lead, radioactive substances as well as asbestos. This is for the reason that these substances have specific regulations of their own.
- In order to comply with COSHH, currently, the employers are supposed to follow some steps. The first step is carrying out the assessment of the risks. The second one is making a decision in regard to what precautions need to be put in place. The next step is ensuring prevention or having adequate control of exposure. The fourth step is making sure there is use and maintenance of the control measures. Another step is carrying out health surveillance that is appropriate. The next step is putting in place plans as well as procedures that help in dealing with accidents and incidents as emergencies.
Emergency procedure, emergency service and ways of conducting them
- An emergency procedure can be defined as a plan of action that is employed in the occurrence of an emergency such as a fire. In such a case, the common procedure that can be used is to leave the place where a fire has occurred immediately through the exit that is near and not an elevator and this is followed by dialing of an emergency number and this number depends on the location where this event has occurred.
- Each and every workplace needs to have a plan of action for emergency. This is supposed to include the action that is supposed to be taken by the members of staff in case a fire occurs, the procedure of evacuation and the arrangements need to be put in place for calling the authorities that can deal with the fire.
- For the workplaces that are not large, this can made in a way that is not complex in form of a simple action in regard to fire by putting g a notice at a point where the workers can easily see and read and turn out to be familiar with this. The work places that are large need to have a plan that is more detailed. This plan needs to take in to account of the findings that the risk assessment team comes up with. In such workplaces, notices should be put in the right place giving out instructions that are concise and clear in regard to the procedure that is supposed to be followed in case a fire occurs. In this notice, there should be giving out of the method that need to be used to raise alarm in the event that a fire occurs and the place where the workers need to assemble to report after they have escaped from the fire (Hughes and Ferrett, 307).
- There should be nomination of a member of staff to carry out the supervision and co-ordination of all the fire and emergency arrangements. This member who is nominated is supposed to be one who is in a senior position or be the person who has direct access to the general manager. More so, there should be the appointing of the departmental fire wardens together with their assistants.
- This team is supposed to ensure that: each and every person can be made alert in case of emergency; each and every person on the site is aware of the signal that will have to be given out and the steps to take thereafter; a person who has training on what to do is on the site and this person is in a position to carry out the coordination of activities.
- More so, this team should ensure that; there is keeping clear of the emergency routes at all times, signed and sufficiently lit; arrangements are made for contacting the fire services and rescue team and give out information that is special in regard to high hazard work; there is enough site access by the emergency services and there is constant keeping of this clear; there is setting up of the appropriate arrangements for treating the people who might be injured; and a person is posted to the entrance of the site to welcome and give direction to the emergency services.
- In the normal circumstances, the fire wardens are supposed to ensure that the good standards of housekeeping are in their areas. They should also ensure that the routes through which people can escape in case of an emergency are not obstructed, they are well lit and they should also ensure the availability of the fire fighting appliances.
- They should also ensure that there is rigid control of smoking and that the workers on the site are familiar with the emergency procedures and are aware of using the fire fighting equipment as well as being in a position of knowing how to raise alarm (Hughes and Ferrett, 307).
The control of substances hazardous to health regulations 2002 – COSHH
- It is necessary to assess the hazards that come from the biological agents.
- Being exposed to a substance can cause harm to health that can be short term as well as long term.
- Classifying the hazards assists in choosing the right measures of control.
- Giving out information of hazards by use of datasheets is the starting point for health hazards control.
“The ionizing radiation regulations 1999 – IRR ‘99”
- Each practice that involves one getting exposed to ionizing radiation is supposed to be justified by the benefits that come from it.
- There must be keeping of all the exposures to a minimal level possible.
- There shall be no exceeding beyond particular limit of the total doses received.
“The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997”
- Accidents that result from the environments that have insufficient oxygen are predictable.
- There is easy making of arrangements for the identification of situations that are dangerous.
- There must be putting in place of the arrangements for emergency in the common kinds of work.
- There is always restriction of access and egress from a space that is confined.
“The Fire Precautions Act 1971 – FPA ‘71”
- There must be affording by the premises of a basic standard of control and prevention of fire.
- There is monitoring of certified premises to make sure there is compliance.
- Altering the design and carrying of modifications on workplace are in most cases to the disadvantage of fire precautions 11.
“The reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations 1995 – RIDDOR ‘95”
- Reporting of incidents of serious injuries, major or minor injuries bringing about lost time.
- Specifying of those diseases that are connected to the occupations.
- Occurrences that are dangerous that could have brought about injury or even death.
- National statistics gathering to assist HSC and HSE in directing their activities enforcement (Johnston).
Works Cited
- “Health, safety and environment consultants”, COSHH, 2009. Web.
- Hughes Phil and Ferrett Ed, Introduction to health and safety in construction: the handbook for construction professionals and students of NEBOSH and other construction courses. 3rd Ed, Elsevier, 2008. Web.
- Johnston John, Health and Safety for beginners, n.d. Web.