Help us to improve the website - give your feedback.

REACH and COSHH working together

COSHH and REACH sit side-by-side.  Both of them call for risk assessment. This page sets out the overlaps and differences, as we see them in 2009. 

What are the main obligations?

Issue COSHH REACH

Who must assess risk?

The employer

The manufacturer or  importer, mostly

What substances?

Hazardous to health, including those arising from processes and germs

Manufactured or imported in quantities of 10 or more tonnes per year in the EU

What duty?

Control exposure in all uses by site and process-specific measures

Develop exposure scenarios and identify 'Risk Management Measures' for named tasks and procedures

REACH identifies a Derived No Effect Level for substances (DNEL). This is a benchmark not an exposure limit. The manufacturer or importer uses this DNEL to identify the correct Risk Management Measures for your task or procedure the exposure scenario.

Exposure scenarios and the 'Risk Management Measures' (RMM) appear in the REACH Safety Data Sheet[62] for a substance or product. REACH[63] is being phased in until 2018.

By using the RMM in the Safety Data Sheet, you are likely to comply with the DNEL. By using good control practice such as is given by COSHH essentials, you are likely to comply with any Workplace Exposure Limit.

Good practice under COSHH and RMM under REACH should match up. If your COSHH assessment calls for extra controls, use these too.

Importantly if the RMM in the safety data sheet don't seem to apply to your use, you must provide feedback to the supplier.

What if?

  • I use a substance and the REACH Safety Data Sheet doesn't cover it

    If the RMM doesn't cover your task or procedure, tell your substance supplier. If you want to keep your use a secret, go to the REACH pages for advice.

  • I use a substance and there isn't a REACH safety data sheet

    Continue to follow COSHH, ask your supplier for a safety data sheet. If the substance isn't dangerous for supply ask for instructions for safe use.

  • I use a substance with neither a WEL nor a DNEL or RMM

    Use COSHH essentials with the CLP hazard statement to identify the right level of control.

See also

Link URLs in this page

  1. COSHHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/index.htm
  2. COSHH overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/index.htm
  3. What is a ‘substance hazardous to health’?https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/substance.htm
  4. I’m self-employed. Does this apply to me?https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/selfemployed.htm
  5. What you need to dohttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/whatdo.htm
  6. COSHH assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/assessment.htm
  7. Substitutionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/substitution.htm
  8. Exposure limitshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/exposurelimits.htm
  9. Chemical safety data sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/datasheets.htm
  10. Control measureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/control.htm
  11. Permits to workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/permits.htm
  12. Personal protective equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/ppe.htm
  13. Monitoringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/monitoring.htm
  14. Health surveillancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/surveillance.htm
  15. Training for employeeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/training.htm
  16. Emergencieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/basics/emergencies.htm
  17. Detailed overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/detail/index.htm
  18. COSHH, CLP and REACHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/detail/coshh-clp-reach.htm
  19. REACH and COSHHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/detail/reach.htm
  20. Principles of good practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/detail/goodpractice.htm
  21. Overview - Your industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/index.htm
  22. Agriculturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/agriculture.htm
  23. Bakinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/baking.htm
  24. Beautyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/beauty.htm
  25. Cateringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/catering.htm
  26. Cleaninghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/cleaning.htm
  27. Engineeringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/engineering.htm
  28. Fumigationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/fumigation.htm
  29. Hairdressinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/hairdressing.htm
  30. Offshore oil and gashttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/offshore.htm
  31. Printinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/printing.htm
  32. Motor vehicle repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/mvr.htm
  33. Weldinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/welding.htm
  34. Woodworkinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/industry/woodworking.htm
  35. Frequently asked questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/faq.htm
  36. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/resources.htm
  37. COSHH Essentialshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/essentials/index.htm
  38. Overview - Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/index.htm
  39. Soldererhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/solder.htm
  40. Bakerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/baker.htm
  41. Cookhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/cook.htm
  42. Weldershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/welder.htm
  43. Isocyanateshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/isocyanates.htm
  44. Dermatitishttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/dermatitis.htm
  45. Overview - Example risk assessmentshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/index.htm
  46. Officehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/office.htm
  47. DIY shop https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/diyshop.htm
  48. Workshop https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/workshop.htm
  49. Engineer https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/engineer.htm
  50. Sandwich makerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/sandwichmaker.htm
  51. Garden centrehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/gardencentre.htm
  52. Paving companyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/paving.htm
  53. Feed mill https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/feedmill.htm
  54. Die caster https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/diecaster.htm
  55. Electronicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/electronics.htm
  56. Fruit farmhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/fruitfarm.htm
  57. Warehousehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/warehouse.htm
  58. Further informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/furtherinfo.htm
  59. Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/publications.htm
  60. Research reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/research-reports.htm
  61. REACH – Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicalshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/index.htm
  62. REACH Safety Data Sheethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/chemical-classification/labelling-packaging/safety-data-sheets.htm
  63. REACHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/about.htm
  64. EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limitshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm
  65. Working with substances hazardous to health: A brief guide to COSHHhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg136.htm
  66. COSHH Essentialshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/essentials/index.htm
  67. Case studies (Examples of real life situations with COSHH)https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/casestudies/index.htm
  68. Example risk assessments (Use these to get ideas for completing assessments)https://www.hse.gov.uk/COSHH/riskassess/index.htm
  69. Nanotechnologyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/nanotechnology/index.htm
  70. Risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm
  71. Local exhaust ventilation micrositehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/lev/index.htm
  72. Chemicals micrositehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/chemicals/index.htm
  73. REACH – Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicalshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/index.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

DNEL
Derived No Effect Level
RMM
Risk Management Measures
RMM
Risk Management Measures
RMM
Risk Management Measures
RMM
Risk Management Measures
RMM
Risk Management Measures
WEL
Workplace exposure limit
DNEL
Derived No Effect Level
RMM
Risk Management Measures

Is this page useful?

2022-03-01