Example COSHH risk assessment - Warehouse

Important reminder

This example risk assessment shows the kind of approach a small business might take. Use it as a guide to think through some of the hazards in your business and the steps you need to take to control the risks. Please note that it is not a generic risk assessment that you can just put your company name on and adopt wholesale without any thought. This would not satisfy the law - and would not be effective in protecting people.

Every business is different - you need to think through the hazards and controls required in your business for yourself.

Company name: Wholesale warehouse Department:
Step 1 Substance	Step 2	Step 3			Step 4 Action
Whats the hazard?	What harm, and who?	What are you doing already?		What improvements do you need?	Who	When	Check
Battery acid for electrical picker trucks - skin contact and breathing in mist	Burns from acid, lung irritation from mist
	Maintenance worker - liquid	Rubber apron, gauntlets, eye protection for acid handling		Spill containment and clean-up kit
	Night-watchman - mist from charging batteries overnight	restrict access		Roof louvres open during & 30 minutes after charging
Breathing in fog from pest control (insecticide)	Unknown - contractor uses respirator
	Everyone	Keep out for 1 hour after fogging, then open doors		None
Anti-slip floor coating - 2 yearly - solvent / isocyanate	Irritating vapours, skin sensitisation
	2 chargehands mixing and applying product	Vapour RPE, protection = 10, long-handled roller, protective gloves, coverall		Discard roller and gloves after use. Open doors while applying. New footwear.

Also:		Action taken		Action needed
Thorough examination & test - COSHH
Supervision				Supervise floor coating
Instruction and training		Warn about skin contact		Respirator training
Emergency plans		Fire
Health surveillance		None
Monitoring		None		Urine test for isocyanate
Step 5 Review date:			Review your assessment - make sure you are not sliding back. Any significant change in the work? Check the assessment and change it if necessary
Other hazards needing attention: vehicle movements, manual handling