Promocard. What is a ‘substance hazardous to health'? - COSHH. COSHH and hairdressers - key messages - COSHH. Emergencies - be prepared - COSHH. COSHH health surveillance - COSHH. What is health surveillance?
Health surveillance is any activity which involves obtaining information about employees' health and which helps protect employees from health risks at work. The objectives for health surveillance are: Protecting the health of employees by early detection of adverse changes or disease; Collecting data for detecting or evaluating health hazards; Evaluating control measures. It should not be confused with general health screening or health promotion. Health surveillance is necessary when: there is a disease associated with the substance in use (eg Asthma[1], Dermatitis[2], Cancers); it is possible to detect the disease or adverse change and reduce the risk of further harm; the conditions in the workplace make it likely that the disease will appear.
Monitoring the control of exposure to hazardous substances. Chemical safety data sheets - COSHH. Safety data sheets provide information on chemical products that help users of those chemicals to make a risk assessment.
They describe the hazards the chemical presents, and give information on handling, storage and emergency measures in case of accident. Safety data sheet information may lead to guidance appropriate for your task. COSHH essentials [1] is a web tool that advises employers on good control practice. By law (see REACH[2], Chemical classification[3]) suppliers of chemicals must provide an up to date safety data sheet if a substance is dangerous for supply. A safety data sheet is not a risk assessment. As well as receiving chemicals you may supply them to others. You can find further information on HSEs REACH web pages [4] and on HSEs CLP web pages[5] Workplace exposure limits - COSHH. Substance substitution - COSHH. You can prevent exposure to a hazardous substance by: substituting it with another substance which presents less, or no risk; using another process which doesn't create a hazardous form of that substance.
For example substituting a powder for a liquid; removing the need to weigh out powders by buying it pre-packed. There are seven steps to practical, well thought out decisions about substitution. Decide whether the substance or process is a hazard. You can speak to trade associations, others carrying out similar work, customers and suppliers for information if you are considering substitution. You should also look at HSE REACH web pages[1] for information about the effect of substances you use. COSHH assessment: Identifying hazard and assessing risk.
You are probably already aware of many risks in your trade or industry.
A COSHH assessment concentrates on the hazards and risks from substances in your workplace. HSE - Hairdressing: Glove trial. HSE launched the ‘Bad Hand Day?’
Campaign in 2006 to raise awareness of the risks of dermatitis in the hairdressing sector. The campaign received positive feedback but some hairdressers remained reluctant to use gloves, particularly for 'wet work', such as rinsing and shampooing. HSE wanted to find out if hairdressers were reluctant because they were simply using the wrong type of gloves.
So, in November 2007, HSE organised a glove trial inviting hairdressers to try the recommended gloves. The trial was undertaken with the support of Habia, the Hair and Beauty Suppliers Association (HBSA) and the National Hairdressers’ Federation (NHF). 750 British salons took part in the trial. 591 observation forms were returned, and the trial’s results were extremely positive: 62% of participants said they will wear gloves for wet work in the future. 80% found the gloves comfortable to wear. 74% noted that they could handle clients’ hair freely without snagging. Principles of good control practice - COSHH. What you need to do - COSHH. I'm self-employed. Does COSHH apply to me? - COSHH. Control measures to prevent or limit exposure to hazardous... What is COSHH for?
The objective of COSHH is to prevent, or to adequately control, exposure to substances hazardous to health, so as to prevent ill health. You can do this by: using control equipment, eg total enclosure, partial enclosure, LEV[1]; controlling procedures, eg ways of working, supervision and training to reduce exposure, maintenance, examination and testing of control measures; worker behaviour, making sure employees follow the control measures. Changing how often a task is undertaken, or when, or reducing the number of employees nearby, can make an improvement to exposure control.
See Working with substances hazardous to health: A brief guide to COSHH[2]. You should also look at the HSE REACH web pages[3] for information about what the Regulations mean for users of chemicals. Control equipment Other control equipment includes spillage capture, decontamination, clean-up procedures and personal protective equipment (PPE)[6]. Hairdressers wave goodbye to bad hand days. E035:09 7 May 2009 A trial commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revealed that hairdressers say 'yes' to reducing their very high chances of getting dermatitis and other uncomfortable skin conditions by wearing non-latex gloves during their work.
Owing to the amount of contact that hairdressers have with chemicals in hair products and water, hairdressers are 17 times more likely to suffer from work-related skin damage including dermatitis than any other group of workers. This means that 70 per cent of hairdressers may suffer from skin damage at some point during their career. As dermatitis and other skin conditions can be painful as well as unsightly, sufferers are often forced to take time off work - with costs for the business and the hairdresser.
Now HSE is encouraging Britain's hairdressers to wave goodbye to work-related skin conditions by getting 'gloved-up'. Successful celebrity hairdresser, Mark Hill said: Wendy Nixon, Health and Safety Manager at Habia, said: Ends. Hairdressing health and safety in the workplace.