COSHH Risk Assessment Example: 3 Worked Examples

Why Examples Help

Reading guidance about COSHH assessments is one thing. Seeing a finished one — with real substances, real hazards, and real control measures — makes the whole process click.

Below are three complete COSHH risk assessment examples covering different industries and risk levels. Use them as a reference when writing your own. Do not copy them word-for-word — your assessment must reflect your specific workplace, tasks, and products.

If you need a refresher on the process itself, read our step-by-step COSHH assessment guide first.

Example 1: Bleach (Cleaning Company)

Substance: Thick Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite 4.5%) Supplier: CleanChem Supplies Ltd SDS Reference: CC-BL-2025-03 (dated March 2025)

Hazard identification

Field	Detail
GHS pictograms	Corrosion, Environment
Signal word	Danger
H-phrases	H314 (causes severe skin burns and eye damage), H410 (very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects)
Hazard summary	Corrosive liquid. Causes serious chemical burns on skin contact and severe eye damage. Releases toxic chlorine gas if mixed with acids or ammonia-based products.

Who is at risk and how

• Cleaners — direct skin and eye contact when pouring, decanting, or applying. Inhalation of vapour in small, poorly ventilated bathrooms. Typically used 6-8 times per shift, 10-15 minutes per application.
• Building occupants — potential inhalation if bleach is applied in occupied areas without ventilation.
• Other cleaners — risk of chemical mixing if bleach and acidic cleaners are stored together or used in sequence without rinsing.

Exposure route

Skin contact (primary), eye splash (when decanting), inhalation (in enclosed spaces).

Current control measures

1. Substitution — not reasonably practicable; bleach is required for disinfection by client contract specifications.
2. Engineering — windows opened during bathroom cleaning where possible. No mechanical ventilation available on most client sites.
3. Administrative — written procedure: never mix chemicals; rinse surfaces between products; never decant into unlabelled containers. Induction training covers chemical safety for all new starters.
4. PPE — nitrile chemical-resistant gloves provided (replaced weekly). Safety glasses provided for decanting from 5L containers.

WEL check

Sodium hypochlorite does not have a specific WEL, but chlorine gas (a decomposition product) has a WEL of 0.5 ppm (STEL). With adequate ventilation and correct use (no mixing), exposure is expected to remain well below this limit.

Health surveillance

Not required at current exposure levels. Supervisors carry out weekly skin checks for signs of dermatitis.

Emergency procedures

• Skin contact: Remove contaminated clothing immediately. Wash skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Seek medical attention if burns develop.
• Eye contact: Rinse eyes continuously with clean water for at least 15 minutes. Do not rub. Call 999 if vision is affected.
• Inhalation (chlorine gas): Move to fresh air immediately. Call 999 if breathing difficulty persists.
• Spill: Ventilate area. Absorb with inert material. Do not wash into drains.

Conclusion

Current controls are adequate for normal use. One action required:

Action	Owner	Deadline
Purchase splash-proof safety goggles for all cleaning teams (current safety glasses do not provide adequate splash protection when decanting)	Operations Manager	28 Feb 2026

Assessment date: 8 February 2026 Assessor: [ASSESSOR_NAME], Operations Manager Review date: 8 February 2027

For more on assessing cleaning chemicals, see our full COSHH assessment guide for cleaning companies.

Example 2: Wood Dust (Joinery Workshop)

Substance: Hardwood dust (Oak, Ash — process-generated) Supplier: N/A — generated by cutting, sanding, and routing operations SDS Reference: N/A — refer to HSE COSHH Essentials guidance sheet WD1

Hazard identification

Field	Detail
GHS classification	Not a commercial product — classified by HSE as a substance hazardous to health
Hazard summary	Hardwood dust is a known respiratory sensitiser (can cause occupational asthma) and is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen (causes cancer of the nasal cavity and sinuses) by the IARC. Prolonged skin contact can cause dermatitis.

Who is at risk and how

• Joiners operating machinery — direct inhalation of airborne dust during cutting, sanding, and routing. Skin contact with settled dust. Working 7-8 hours per day in the workshop.
• Workshop assistant — inhalation of background dust levels when sweeping or moving timber. 2-3 hours per day in the workshop.
• Office staff — minimal risk; workshop is separated from the office by a solid partition with self-closing door. Occasional visits to the workshop.

Exposure route

Inhalation (primary), skin contact (secondary), eye irritation (incidental).

Current control measures

1. Elimination — not practicable; wood dust is inherent to joinery operations.
2. Substitution — softwood used where client specifications allow (softwood dust has a higher WEL). However, many commissions require hardwood.
3. Engineering — local exhaust ventilation (LEV) fitted to table saw, bandsaw, planer-thicknesser, and spindle moulder. Portable dust extractor used with hand-held sanders. LEV system tested and certified annually by specialist contractor (last test: November 2025, passed).
4. Administrative — workshop cleaned daily using vacuum with HEPA filter. Dry sweeping prohibited. Dust masks (FFP3) worn during sanding operations. Training provided on correct respirator fit-testing.
5. PPE — FFP3 disposable respirators for sanding and routing. Safety goggles when operating machinery. Long-sleeved work clothing.

WEL check

Hardwood dust WEL: 3 mg/m³ (8-hour TWA). Last air monitoring carried out October 2025 by occupational hygienist — results: 1.8 mg/m³ at the table saw position, 1.2 mg/m³ at the sanding bench. Both below the WEL. Next monitoring scheduled October 2026.

Health surveillance

Required. All workshop staff undergo annual health surveillance:

• Lung function testing (spirometry) — last completed December 2025
• Respiratory symptom questionnaire — completed at each test
• Referral to occupational health physician if any abnormalities detected
• Records retained for 40 years (carcinogen exposure requirement)

Emergency procedures

• Inhalation (heavy dust exposure): Move to fresh air. Seek medical attention if coughing or breathing difficulty persists.
• Eye contact: Flush with clean water for 10 minutes.
• Fire: Wood dust is combustible. Fire extinguishers (CO2 and water) positioned at workshop exits. Dust extraction system emptied weekly to prevent accumulation.

Conclusion

Current controls are adequate. LEV testing and air monitoring confirm exposure is below the WEL. Health surveillance programme is in place. No further actions required at this time.

Assessment date: 8 February 2026 Assessor: [ASSESSOR_NAME], Workshop Manager Review date: 8 August 2026 (6-monthly review due to carcinogen classification)

Example 3: Hair Colour (Hairdressing Salon)

Substance: Professional permanent hair colour (contains p-Phenylenediamine / PPD) Supplier: SalonPro UK Ltd SDS Reference: SP-HC-2025-07 (dated July 2025)

Hazard identification

Field	Detail
GHS pictograms	Exclamation mark, Health hazard
Signal word	Warning
H-phrases	H317 (may cause allergic skin reaction), H319 (causes serious eye irritation), H412 (harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects)
Hazard summary	Contains PPD, a known skin sensitiser. Repeated unprotected contact can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Once sensitised, even trace exposure can trigger a reaction. Some formulations also contain ammonia or ethanolamine (respiratory irritants).

Who is at risk and how

• Stylists — repeated skin contact when mixing and applying colour. Inhalation of ammonia vapour during mixing. Typically handling colour products 8-12 times per day.
• Salon assistants — skin contact when shampooing colour out. Less frequent but still regular (4-6 times per day).
• Clients — skin contact during application. Patch test required 48 hours before first use (industry standard, manufacturer requirement).
• Reception staff — minimal; occasional inhalation of ammonia vapour if mixing station is near reception.

Exposure route

Skin contact (primary), inhalation (secondary — ammonia vapour during mixing).

Current control measures

1. Substitution — PPD-free colour range offered to clients with known sensitivity. Not all colour results achievable without PPD.
2. Engineering — mixing station positioned near open window. No mechanical ventilation currently installed.
3. Administrative — client patch test policy enforced (48-hour minimum). Staff trained on safe mixing procedures. Colour only mixed immediately before use (never premixed and stored).
4. PPE — nitrile gloves worn by all staff handling colour (changed between clients). Protective aprons worn. No respiratory protection currently provided.

WEL check

No specific WEL for PPD. Ammonia WEL: 25 ppm (8-hour TWA), 35 ppm (15-min STEL). Given the small quantities mixed and brief mixing time (2-3 minutes per client), exposure is expected to remain well below these limits. If staff report eye or throat irritation, air monitoring should be arranged.

Health surveillance

Recommended. Salon staff handling hair colour should undergo regular skin checks for early signs of contact dermatitis:

• Supervisors check hands and forearms of all colour-handling staff monthly
• Any redness, cracking, or itching referred to GP or occupational health
• Staff encouraged to report skin changes immediately rather than waiting for monthly check

Emergency procedures

• Skin contact (allergic reaction): Wash skin thoroughly with water. If rash or swelling develops, seek medical attention. Record the incident.
• Eye contact: Flush with clean water for 15 minutes. Seek medical attention if irritation persists.
• Client allergic reaction: Stop application immediately. Wash product from hair and skin. Call 999 if swelling of face, lips, or throat (anaphylaxis risk, though rare with patch-tested clients).

Conclusion

Controls are mostly adequate. Two actions required:

Action	Owner	Deadline
Install a small extractor fan above the mixing station to improve ventilation during colour mixing	Salon Owner	31 March 2026
Source and provide nitrile gloves in sizes S, M, and L (currently only M available — staff with small hands report gloves slipping during application)	Salon Manager	14 February 2026

Assessment date: 8 February 2026 Assessor: [ASSESSOR_NAME], Salon Manager Review date: 8 February 2027

For more on COSHH requirements for hairdressers, see our dedicated guide.

Use These Examples as a Starting Point

These three examples cover different industries, different substance types (commercial product, process-generated, sensitiser), and different risk levels. The structure is the same in every case.

Your assessment does not need to be this long. A low-risk substance with simple controls might take half a page. A high-risk carcinogen with health surveillance requirements will need more detail. The key is that your assessment is specific to your workplace and covers every required field.

If you want to stop wrestling with Word documents and spreadsheets, COSHHmate walks you through every field in a guided builder, stores your assessments and chemical register in one place, and sends email reminders before review dates. Create a free account and try it with your first substance — it takes about 5 minutes.