Workplaces that deal with hazardous chemicals can face accidents if proper steps aren’t taken.
If you work with cleaners, fuels, gases, or other chemicals, safety should be part of your business model. It is important to protect your people, maintain productivity, and follow the law.
In this article, you’ll learn what chemical safety covers, the current rules, and how to reduce risk without slowing work.
What “chemical safety” means for your business
Chemical safety means planning, handling, storing, and disposing of chemicals to protect workers, communities, and the environment across the full lifecycle from production to use and disposal. Under COSHH, this is driven by proportionate risk assessments, practical controls and training people can use on the job.
A substance can be hazardous, yet the risk depends on how much, how long, and through which route people are exposed. That framing underpins decisions about controls and PPE, with Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) used to judge airborne risks listed in EH40.
Effect of chemical safety on workers, business uptime & cost control
1) Prevent injuries and fatalities
Recent national figures show 1.7 million people with work-related ill health, 604,000 self-reported non-fatal injuries, and £21.6 billion in annual costs from injury and new ill-health. Between 2023 and 2024, 138 workers were killed in work-related accidents. These numbers underline why prevention matters.
2) Lower total cost of risk
Incidents trigger evacuations, investigations and rework. Systematic COSHH controls, effective local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and compliance with DSEAR for flammables and explosive atmospheres reduce downtime and cost.
3) Stronger morale and productivity
HSE’s principles of good control practice emphasise engineering and work-practice controls, with PPE as the final option where residual risk remains. Getting controls right builds confidence and stability on the shop floor.
What makes a chemical safety program effective
1) Build and maintain a live chemical inventory and SDS library
- Keep a real-time inventory by location and container
- Link each item to a current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that meets UK REACH requirements
- Track responsible owners.
- Keep a centralized, digital SDS system with version control and mobile access.
SDSs support COSHH risk assessments and emergency actions.
2) Labeling that workers can act on fast
- Apply GB CLP labels with product identifiers, signal words, hazard and precautionary statements, and supplier details.
- Relabel decanted and secondary containers so information is visible at the point of use.
3) Apply the Hierarchy of Controls before PPE
Follow COSHH’s control hierarchy: eliminate or substitute, apply engineering controls (for example LEV or enclosure), use administrative measures, then PPE as the last line.
This is how you achieve adequate control and reduce exposure ALARP for carcinogens, mutagens and asthmagens.
4) Storage and segregation that prevent reactions and fires
Segregate incompatibles (acids/bases, oxidisers/organics), minimise flammables in workrooms, and follow HSG71 for warehousing packaged dangerous substances. Good housekeeping reduces secondary incidents.
5) Training Your Team on Chemical Hazards
Train workers on hazards, labels, SDSs and task-specific procedures, and refresh training when processes or chemicals change. Pair classroom learning with drills to lock in response steps.
6) Exposure monitoring and health surveillance when required
Measure personal exposure to demonstrate control against WELs, and use biological monitoring where appropriate. Provide health surveillance where residual risks remain, as set out in COSHH guidance. Keep records to show due diligence.
7) Emergency planning, spill response, and reporting
Tie site-specific spill response to SDS guidance. Where thresholds apply, align prevention and emergency planning with COMAH; for flammables and explosive atmospheres, apply DSEAR. Test plans and involve local responders.
8) Continuous improvement: audits, near-misses, and metrics
Review near-misses, incident investigations and sampling data. Track leading indicators such as SDS updates completed, training completion, LEV thorough examinations and closed corrective actions to show progress and ROI. HSE
Rules you must track in 2024–2025
COSHH duties and exposure reduction. COSHH requires prevention or adequate control of exposure using good practice, not just meeting a number. For carcinogens, mutagens and asthmagens, reduce exposure as low as is reasonably practicable.
GB CLP and the GB MCL List. Classification and labelling must follow GB CLP. The GB Mandatory Classification and Labelling (GB MCL) List is legally binding and was updated 17 February 2025; check substances and update labels/SDS accordingly.
Exposure limits and what goes on your SDS. Use EH40/2005 for WELs, and ensure SDSs include the hazard and control information needed for COSHH assessments.
Final thoughts
The importance of chemical safety is practical: fewer injuries, fewer shutdowns, and easier audits. Build from your inventory and SDSs, label clearly, design controls that reduce exposure, and keep training short and frequent. Align your programme with COSHH and GB CLP, monitor against WELs, and apply COMAH/DSEAR where relevant while continuing prevention work. Managing many sites or thousands of SDSs can be time consuming; a dedicated SDS management platform helps teams act faster during routine work and emergencies.
FAQs
1) What recent classification and labelling changes should we check?
Review the GB MCL List (latest update 17 February 2025) and confirm labels and SDSs reflect current entries.
2) Do we still need PPE if we install local exhaust ventilation?
Often yes. LEV reduces airborne exposure but may not address splash or skin contact. COSHH places PPE as the final layer when risks remain.
3) Which exposure limits should we follow on task assessments?
Use WELs from EH40/2005 and monitor to demonstrate control; tighten controls to ALARP for carcinogens, mutagens and asthmagens.
4) How do COMAH and DSEAR influence emergency planning?
COMAH sites must document prevention and emergency measures and engage with responders. DSEAR requires risk assessment, ignition control and procedures for dangerous substances.
5) What’s a simple way to show ROI from chemical safety?
Track leading indicators (SDS updates, training completion, exposure trends, time-to-close actions) and map them to HSE’s £21.6bn annual cost baseline to show avoided losses.