COSHH and Hazardous Substances Toolbox Talk
Adhesives, solvents, fuels, sealants, form oil and cleaners can burn your skin, damage your lungs or catch fire. Some cause cancer or asthma years later. The information you need to stay safe is on the label and the safety data sheet, so read them before you use the product.
Takes about 6 minutes, plus a 5-question quiz.
Key points to read out
- Read the safety data sheet (SDS) and the COSHH assessment before using a product. Follow the controls they set out.
- Know the hazard pictograms on the label: flame, skull, corrosion, health hazard and exclamation mark.
- Keep SDSs on site where everyone can get to them.
- Never decant chemicals into unlabelled containers, and never into drink bottles.
- Use good ventilation. Do not use solvents or adhesives in enclosed spaces without extra air or a respirator.
- Read the label for drying or flash-off times. Solvent vapour hangs around after you stop spraying or spreading, and it can travel along the floor to an ignition source.
- Keep heat guns, torches, grinders, heaters and cigarettes well away from flammable adhesives, primers and fuels until the vapour has cleared.
- Wear the PPE listed on the SDS: usually gloves, eye protection and sometimes a respirator.
- Store flammables away from heat and sparks, and keep incompatible chemicals apart.
- Know where the spill kit is, and report spills straight away.
- Know the first aid steps on the SDS before you need them, and where the eyewash is.
- Wash your hands before eating, drinking or smoking.
Questions to ask the crew
- What chemicals are we using today?
- Where are the safety data sheets kept?
- What PPE does the SDS say we need?
- What would you do if a product splashed on your skin?
- Which products today give off flammable vapour, and what ignition sources are nearby?
Reference: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
How to run this talk
- Bring two or three products the crew will use today, with their safety data sheets.
- Read one label out loud and have the crew find the hazards, PPE and first aid on the SDS.
- Show where the SDS folder or app, the spill kit and the eyewash are on this site.
- Check any decanted containers on site and fix missing labels on the spot.
- Agree which products give off flammable vapour today and what ignition sources must be kept away.
- Record attendance and the products covered on the sign-in sheet.
COSHH and Hazardous Substances quiz
Ask these after the talk. Answers are underneath each question.
Where do you find out what PPE a product needs?
- The supplier's website banner
- The safety data sheet (SDS) and the COSHH assessment
- Ask whoever used it last
Answer: B. The SDS sets out the hazards, PPE, first aid and storage for each product, so read it before you start.
You need a small amount of solvent in a smaller container. What do you do?
- Use an empty drink bottle
- Use a proper container with a label showing the product name and hazards
- Use any container and remember what is in it
Answer: B. Unlabelled or drink containers lead to people drinking, mixing or misusing chemicals.
You have just spread a flammable contact adhesive. When can you use a heat gun nearby?
- Straight away, the glue is down
- Only after the vapour has cleared as the label or SDS says
- Never, heat guns are banned
Answer: B. Solvent vapour lingers and travels along the floor to ignition sources, and flash fires from it have badly burned workers.
A chemical splashes in your eye. What do you do first?
- Rub it
- Flush it at the eyewash with clean water for a long time and get help
- Wait to see if it stings
Answer: B. Fast, long flushing limits the damage; most SDSs say at least 15 minutes, then follow the SDS first aid steps.
What does a flame pictogram on a label tell you?
- The product is flammable
- The product is toxic if swallowed
- The product is corrosive
Answer: A. Pictograms give a quick warning of the main hazard, and the SDS gives the detail.
Questions about coshh and hazardous substances
What is a safety data sheet and where should it be kept?
A safety data sheet (SDS) is the supplier's document setting out a product's hazards, safe handling, PPE, first aid, storage and spill steps in 16 standard sections. Keep a current SDS for every hazardous product on site where workers can get to it quickly, on paper or on a device that works on site.
How often do safety data sheets need to be updated?
Suppliers must update an SDS when significant new information about the product's hazards becomes available. Check that the copies on site match the latest version from the supplier.
What training does COSHH require?
COSHH regulation 12 requires employers to give employees suitable information, instruction and training on the substances they work with, the risks, the controls, and what to do in an emergency. It should be refreshed when work or substances change.
What do the hazard pictograms mean?
The red diamond pictograms on labels show the main hazards: flame (flammable), skull and crossbones (acutely toxic), corrosion (burns skin and eyes, damages metal), health hazard (long term harm such as cancer or asthma), exclamation mark (irritant or less serious harm), gas cylinder (gas under pressure), flame over circle (oxidiser), exploding bomb (explosive) and environment (harmful to aquatic life). The SDS explains each hazard in detail.
Sign-in sheet
Print this page or download the sign-in sheet. Or run it in the app and the crew signs on the phone.
| Name | Company | Signature |
|---|---|---|
Get it signed
Run this talk in the app. The crew signs on your phone and you get a dated attendance record as a PDF.