COSHH means the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. It is an important part of workplace safety in a professional kitchen because catering staff may use cleaning chemicals, handle products that irritate the skin or breathe in dust. COSHH is about identifying harmful substances, assessing the risks and putting sensible controls in place. For WJEC Level 1/2 Hospitality and Catering, you should be able to explain how COSHH helps protect workers and other people in a catering workplace. This guide uses realistic kitchen examples to support your health and safety revision.
What does COSHH mean?
COSHH is the abbreviation for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. A substance is hazardous if it can cause harm when someone is exposed to it. Exposure means coming into contact with the substance, for example by breathing it in, swallowing it or getting it on the skin or in the eyes.
In catering, hazardous substances may include:
- oven cleaners, which may irritate or damage skin and eyes;
- dishwasher chemicals and concentrated detergents;
- sanitisers and disinfectants used on food-contact surfaces;
- bleach or other cleaning products, where used according to workplace instructions;
- flour dust, which can be breathed in during repeated handling; and
- some substances used for maintenance, such as products for removing grease.
Whether a product is hazardous depends on its properties and how it is used. Always follow the product label, workplace instructions and the relevant safety information rather than making assumptions.
Why is COSHH important in a kitchen?
A busy kitchen contains heat, sharp equipment, water, food and chemicals. Cleaning products are useful because they help maintain hygiene, but incorrect use can cause injury or illness. For example, a worker could splash a concentrated cleaner into their eye, develop irritated skin after repeated contact with detergent, or breathe in dust while tipping a dry ingredient from a height.
COSHH helps a business prevent these problems. It is not simply a rule about wearing gloves. It involves considering the substance, the task, the people who may be exposed and the controls needed to reduce the risk.
The COSHH process
1. Identify the hazardous substance
The employer or responsible person should identify substances that could harm health. In a kitchen, this might involve checking cleaning products and considering whether dust or fumes are produced during a task. Product labels and safety information can help identify hazards.
2. Assess the risk
A risk assessment is a careful check of what could cause harm, who could be harmed and how the risk can be controlled. For COSHH, the assessment should consider questions such as:
- What is the substance and what harm could it cause?
- How is it being used, diluted, moved or stored?
- Could it be inhaled, swallowed or splashed onto skin or eyes?
- Who could be exposed, including new or inexperienced staff?
- Could the substance react dangerously with another product?
For example, a risk assessment for oven cleaner might identify splashes to the eyes and skin as possible hazards. It could then specify the correct method of use, suitable protective equipment, storage arrangements and action to take if a spill occurs.
3. Put controls in place
Controls are the measures used to remove or reduce the risk. The most effective approach is to avoid exposure where possible and use a safer method or product. Other controls may include:
- using the product only for its intended purpose;
- following the label and workplace instructions;
- keeping chemicals in their original, clearly labelled containers;
- storing chemicals safely and away from food, food packaging and preparation areas;
- using suitable ventilation where fumes or dust could build up;
- keeping chemicals away from incompatible substances;
- providing suitable personal protective equipment, such as protective gloves or eye protection, when required; and
- training staff in safe handling, cleaning and emergency procedures.
Personal protective equipment, often shortened to PPE, is equipment worn to reduce exposure. PPE is important, but it should not be treated as the only control. A glove does not make it safe to use a chemical incorrectly, and gloves must be suitable for the substance and task.
4. Follow safe working procedures
Staff should read instructions before using a product, measure or dilute it only as directed, and avoid creating unnecessary splashes or dust. Chemicals should never be transferred into an unlabelled food container. A bottle that looks like it contains water could be mistaken for a drink, creating a serious hazard.
Good housekeeping also matters. Clean up spills using the workplace procedure, keep containers closed when not in use and wash hands as instructed after handling chemicals. Do not mix cleaning products unless the instructions specifically allow it. If someone is exposed to a substance, tell the responsible person and follow the workplace emergency procedure.
COSHH and workplace responsibilities
Employers are responsible for assessing risks, providing suitable controls and giving staff the information, instruction and training needed for safe work. Employees also have responsibilities. They should follow training and workplace procedures, use equipment correctly, report damaged containers or unsafe conditions, and tell a supervisor about accidents, spills or symptoms linked to exposure.
Procedures should be reviewed if a product, process or piece of equipment changes, or if an incident shows that controls are not working well. Guidance on workplace safety and legal requirements can change, so check the current official information from WJEC, the Health and Safety Executive or GOV.UK before publication or assessment preparation. The supplied WJEC specification should be used to confirm the qualification content.
Applying COSHH to a catering example
Imagine a kitchen assistant is cleaning a greasy oven with a concentrated product.
| Stage | Possible answer |
|---|---|
| Hazard | The product may harm skin or eyes if it splashes. |
| Exposure | The worker could touch the product, inhale fumes or get a splash in the eye. |
| Controls | Follow the instructions, use suitable ventilation and specified PPE, and keep the product in its labelled container. |
| Training | The worker should know how to use, store and dispose of the product safely. |
| Emergency action | Follow the workplace procedure and report exposure or spills promptly. |
This structure can help you write a clear answer: identify the substance, explain the harm, describe exposure and give a relevant control with a reason.
Exam-ready COSHH checklist
- Can I expand COSHH correctly?
- Can I define a hazardous substance and explain exposure?
- Can I give relevant catering examples, such as cleaning chemicals or flour dust?
- Can I explain why a risk assessment is needed?
- Can I suggest controls covering instructions, storage, ventilation, training and suitable PPE?
- Can I connect each control to the hazard it reduces?
- Can I explain the responsibilities of employers and employees?
For effective GCSE food revision, practise turning short statements into developed explanations. “Wear gloves” is incomplete on its own. “Wear the specified protective gloves to reduce skin contact with the cleaning chemical” shows the control and its purpose.
Key point
COSHH protects people from substances that could harm their health in a catering workplace. Strong answers identify the substance, describe the possible exposure, explain the risk and give practical controls. Always use current official guidance for detailed legal or safety requirements.