제  목 : COSHH: a progress report for employers and managers
  일  자 : 1998년 08월
  제공처 : Internet

    COSHH: a progress report for employers and managers
    ====================================================

    ㅇ COSHH - What difference has it made?
    ㅇ COSHH - What happens next?
    ㅇ Further information

 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) is very
important health and safety law. It is a new type of legislation that
lets employers decide what is right for their own circumstances, rather than
imposing inflexible rules. It deals with virtually all exposures to all
hazardous substances in all workplaces. In practice, this means assessing the
risks from these substances, then doing what is necessary to control
the risks. In short, where risks are low COSHH requires little but where they
are higher it asks for more.

  Because it is important HSE has looked hard at how
COSHH has worked in real life. In partnership with local authorities we
carried out formal evaluation across a wide range of large and small
workplaces both before and after COSHH came into effect. This leaflet tells
you the main findings and how HSE and local authorities will respond to them.

  COSHH - What difference has it made?
  ------------------------------------

The evaluation survey found that employers' response to COSHH has fallen into
four main categories.

Those who have got it just about right

The majority of companies employing most of the working population are coping
fairly well. This applies to both large firms and small firms (defined as
those with under 50 employees) in the survey. They know about COSHH; they have
assessed the risks at their premises; they have put some control measures in
place; they have not spent too much money and they are reaping some benefits
(health and safety and otherwise). For example:

    ㅇ71% of those surveyed have implemented COSHH satisfactorily (or with just
     minor shortcomings). Both large and small firms have done well;
    ㅇ50% have spent at most ?1000 introducing control measures as a result of
     COSHH;
    ㅇ49% reported more efficient use of chemicals as a result of COSHH and 41%
     reported reductions in other stocks;
    ㅇ57% have successfully completed all or almost all of their COSHH
     assessments. Most of these are large firms but many small firms also
     emerged with credit.

 To these companies HSE and local authorities say keep up the good work.

Those who have done more than COSHH requires

Some companies have gone 'over the top'. They may have employed consultants
where they did not need to, and have spent too much. For simpler situations
common sense and basic information will often tell you when enough has been
done. For example:

    ㅇ 11% of those surveyed have carried out assessments that go further than
     COSHH requires;
    ㅇ 15% have introduced control measures that go further than COSHH requires;
     assessments prepared by employers without outside help scored as well as
     those prepared by consultants.

To these companies HSE and local authorities say - assess your risks and take
action in proportion to your risks. COSHH isn't open-ended - stop when you've
done enough.

Those who have done too little

It is clear that some employers, both large and small, have tried complying
with COSHH but are finding difficulties, while others fall short because they
are less well motivated. Inspectors have therefore spent considerable time and
effort advising companies on COSHH, but they have also had to take formal
action in many cases. For example:

     22% of those surveyed need to make more effort to comply with COSHH. This
     applies to both the large and small firms surveyed;
     9% have made assessments which fail to comply with COSHH. Again, this
     applies to both the large and small firms surveyed;
     over 5000 enforcement notices have been issued for breaches of COSHH.
     Around 70% of these have required employers to provide a suitable and
     sufficient assessment of risks.

To these companies HSE and local authorities say - if you are finding it
difficult to cope with COSHH, please contact us and we will do our best to
help. On the other hand, if you are deliberately neglecting your
responsibilities, don't expect us to turn a blind eye - we won't.

Those who have done nothing

Some companies have done nothing to comply with COSHH. There are not many of
these companies but there are still a few. Some have never heard of COSHH,
others don't think it applies to them, and others don't care whether it does
or not. Such flagrant disregard gives HSE and local authorities little option
but firm enforcement. For example:

     6% of those surveyed have made little or no attempt to comply with COSHH.
     Most of these are small firms;

     12% have made no assessments at all. Again, most of these are small
     firms;
     prosecutions have produced average fines of around ?690 per offence,
     ?1200 per employer. An increasing proportion of prosecutions have been
     for failure to provide adequate information, instruction and training to
     employees working with hazardous substances.

To these companies HSE and local authorities say - we will take all possible
steps to ensure you comply with COSHH.

   COSHH - What happens next?
   --------------------------

It is still too early to judge how far COSHH has made inroads into the
incidence of ill health from exposure to hazardous substances. This impact
will take several years to assess but the early signs are encouraging.

So there is still a lot to do. But don't be discouraged. As the survey shows,
a lot has been done already and it has often been done very simply. Remember,
too, that we in HSE and local authorities are always there to provide help and
advice, particularly if you are a small firm.

These are just some of the conclusions from the COSHH evaluation survey. The
full report is published in the July/August edition of Occupational Health
Review.

  For details, contact:
  Industrial Relations Services (IRS) 18-20 Highbury Place
  London N5 1QPTel: 071 354 5858 Fax: 071 226 8618

  Further information
  --------------------
You can obtain additional copies of this leaflet and information about other
HSE publications from:

HSE Books PO Box 1999 Sudbury Suffolk CO10 6FS Tel: 01787 881165
Fax: 01787 313995

This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement
or sale purposes. The information it contains is current at 7/93. Please
acknowledge the source as HSE.