Updated guidance from the HSE
Health and Safety Executive updates guidance on COSHH and DSEAR with revisions to ACOPs
INFORMATION on controlling substances that are hazardous to the health of workers has been updated to help businesses comply with legal requirements.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revised its Approved Code of Practice to clarify and simplify practical advice to help duty-holders comply with the requirements of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH).
Contained within an updated document, the revised guidance is aimed at management, supervisory staff, safety representatives and technical specialists.
The revisions reflect other ongoing reviews of technical guidance associated with COSHH, eg the Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV); and on Health Surveillance, and clarify specialist terminology wherever possible.
In addition, five pieces of health and safety legislation have been combined to help employers more quickly and easily understand how to protect their workers form dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres.
The HSE has consolidated five ACOPs under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR), covering issues from plant design and operation to maintenance.
The consolidated document (with the series code L138) is relevant to businesses handle or store flammable substances.
The changes to the COSHH and DSEAR ACOPs follow periods of public consultation and both HSE board and ministerial approval.
Legal responsibilities to protect workers’ health and safety are not altered by any changes or redrafting to the ACOPs.
