COSHH Assessment for Cleaning Companies: Complete Guide

Why Cleaning Companies Need COSHH Assessments

Cleaning businesses handle hazardous chemicals every single day. Bleach, degreasers, descalers, disinfectants, oven cleaners, floor strippers — the list goes on. Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), every employer must assess the health risks these products create and put controls in place to protect staff.

This is not a "nice to have." The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can and does inspect cleaning companies, and failing to have proper COSHH assessments in place can lead to improvement notices, prohibition notices, and prosecution. For contract cleaners, it can also mean losing clients — many facilities managers now ask to see your COSHH assessments before awarding a contract.

Common Hazardous Substances in Cleaning

The products below appear in almost every cleaning operation. Each one needs its own COSHH assessment (or you can group very similar products together if the hazards and controls are identical).

Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)

Hazards: Corrosive to skin and eyes. Releases toxic chlorine gas if mixed with acids or ammonia-based products.
Routes of exposure: Skin contact, eye splash, inhalation of fumes (especially in poorly ventilated spaces like bathrooms).
Key controls: Nitrile gloves, eye protection when decanting, adequate ventilation, never mix with other chemicals.

Alkaline Degreasers and Oven Cleaners

Hazards: Highly alkaline products (pH 12-14) are corrosive. Can cause severe burns to skin and eyes.
Routes of exposure: Skin contact, eye splash, inhalation of spray mist.
Key controls: Chemical-resistant gloves, face shield when spraying overhead surfaces, use pump sprays instead of aerosols where possible.

Acidic Descalers and Limescale Removers

Hazards: Corrosive. Hydrochloric acid or phosphoric acid formulations can damage skin, eyes, and respiratory tract.
Routes of exposure: Skin contact, eye splash, inhalation of vapour.
Key controls: Gloves, eye protection, ventilation, never mix with bleach or alkaline products.

Disinfectants (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds)

Hazards: Can cause skin irritation and sensitisation with repeated contact. Some formulations are harmful if swallowed.
Routes of exposure: Prolonged skin contact, accidental ingestion.
Key controls: Gloves, correct dilution ratios, labelled spray bottles, hand washing after use.

Floor Strippers and Polish

Hazards: Often contain solvents or strong alkalis. Can be irritating to skin and eyes; solvent-based products may be flammable.
Routes of exposure: Skin contact, inhalation of vapour in enclosed areas.
Key controls: Gloves, ventilation (open windows or use fans), no smoking or naked flames nearby.

Toilet Cleaners

Hazards: Many contain hydrochloric acid or strong surfactants. Corrosive to skin and eyes.
Routes of exposure: Skin contact, eye splash from angled nozzles, inhalation in small toilet cubicles.
Key controls: Gloves, eye protection, adequate ventilation, avoid mixing with bleach.

Step-by-Step: How to Write a COSHH Assessment for a Cleaning Task

The process follows the same structure as any COSHH assessment — if you need a blank form to work from, grab our free COSHH assessment template. Below we tailor each step to the cleaning industry.

Step 1 — Identify the Substance

Record the product name, supplier, and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) reference. If you use multiple brands of the same type of product, assess each one separately unless the hazard profile is identical.

Step 2 — Note the Hazards

Read the product label and SDS. Record every hazard pictogram, signal word, and H-phrase. Pay particular attention to whether the product is an irritant, corrosive, a sensitiser, or harmful by inhalation.

Step 3 — Identify Who Is at Risk

Think about everyone who might be exposed: the cleaner using the product, other staff working in the area, building occupants, and anyone who might enter a store cupboard or encounter a spill.

Step 4 — Describe the Task

COSHH assessments for cleaning companies work best when they are task-based rather than purely product-based. For example, "cleaning commercial kitchen ovens using Product X" tells you more about the real exposure scenario than just assessing the product in isolation. Note how the product is used (spray, pour, dilute), how long the task takes, and how often it is done.

Step 5 — Record Current Control Measures

Document the PPE provided, ventilation arrangements, dilution procedures, storage conditions, and training given. Be specific — "gloves provided" is weaker than "nitrile chemical-resistant gloves provided and replaced weekly."

Step 6 — Decide if Controls Are Adequate

Compare your current controls against the SDS recommendations and HSE guidance. Common gaps in cleaning companies include:

No eye protection provided for decanting concentrated products
Staff mixing chemicals in poorly ventilated cupboards
Dilution carried out by guesswork rather than measured doses
New starters not trained before using chemicals

If there are gaps, write down the actions needed, who is responsible, and the deadline.

Step 7 — Review and Communicate

Share the completed assessment with every cleaner who carries out the task. Pin a summary near the chemical store if practical. Set a review date — annually at minimum, or whenever you change products or procedures. Our general guide on how to do a COSHH assessment covers these steps in more detail for any industry.

Real-World Tips for Cleaning Businesses

Keep a Chemical Register

Maintain a single list of every cleaning product you use across all sites. For each product, record the name, supplier, SDS issue date, hazard classification, and the location(s) where it is used. This makes it far easier to spot duplicate products and ensure every substance has a current assessment.

Standardise Your Product Range

The fewer products you use, the fewer assessments you need and the less training your staff require. Review your product list at least once a year and remove anything that is no longer needed.

Use Task-Based Assessments

Rather than assessing each product in isolation, group your assessments by task: "daily kitchen clean," "weekly floor strip and polish," "washroom deep clean." This mirrors how your cleaners actually work and makes the assessments more practical.

Train Your Supervisors

Supervisors should understand every assessment that applies to their team. They are the first line of defence when something goes wrong and the best people to spot when controls are not being followed.

Never Mix Chemicals

This is the single most dangerous mistake in the cleaning industry. Bleach plus acid produces chlorine gas. Bleach plus ammonia produces toxic chloramine vapour. Both can be fatal. Make it a non-negotiable rule: never mix chemicals, and never pour one product into another product's container.

Digital COSHH Assessments for Cleaning Companies

Managing COSHH assessments across multiple client sites on paper or in Word documents quickly becomes unmanageable. Our comparison of the best COSHH software reviews the options available to cleaning businesses. Assessments go missing, review dates are forgotten, and new starters do not get the information they need.

COSHHmate is designed for exactly this scenario. You get a guided assessment builder, an automatic chemical register across all your sites, email reminders before review dates, and instant PDF export when a client or inspector asks to see your paperwork. Pricing is a flat monthly fee with no per-user charges — so you can give every supervisor access without worrying about the cost.

If you are running a cleaning business and want to get your COSHH compliance sorted properly, create a free account and complete your first assessment in minutes.