A COSHH assessment for cleaning chemicals identifies the hazardous substances in use, assesses who is exposed and how, and sets the control measures that reduce the risk. It is built from each product's safety data sheet — but the sheet is only the raw material; the assessment applies it to your site, your tasks and your people, and is recorded so it can be checked and reviewed.
Step one: identify the hazardous substances
List every cleaning product used and read its label and safety data sheet (SDS) to identify the hazards — corrosive, irritant, sensitising, harmful if inhaled, and so on. The SDS gives the hazard classification and handling advice. Remember the HSE's point: the SDS is a source of information, not the assessment itself. See COSHH for cleaning for the underlying duty.
Step two: assess who is exposed and how
For each substance, work out who could be exposed, by what route (skin contact, splashes to the eyes, inhalation of mists or vapours, or ingestion), how often, and for how long. Cleaning's characteristic exposures are frequent wet work causing dermatitis, splashes from decanting and diluting, and vapours in poorly ventilated washrooms and enclosed spaces. High-risk tasks — descaling, drain work, spillage clean-up — deserve particular attention.
Step three: decide the control measures
Apply the hierarchy of control: can a hazardous product be eliminated or swapped for a milder one? If not, control exposure through dilution systems, safe technique that minimises contact and spills, adequate ventilation, and PPE — gloves, aprons and eye protection appropriate to the product. Good hand care and skin checks reduce dermatitis. Products must stay in labelled containers and never be mixed.
Step four: record, train and review
Record the assessment so it can be checked, and make it available to the operatives who do the work. Train them on the controls, the correct PPE, dilution rates, and what to do in a spill or splash. Review the assessment when a product, task or work pattern changes, or after any incident. On regulated sites this record is part of the cleaning evidence inspectors expect.
What a good COSHH assessment protects against
Done properly, the assessment prevents the three hazards the HSE flags in cleaning — dermatitis, respiratory sensitisation, and corrosive burns or eye injuries — and the acute risk of mixing incompatible chemicals. It also protects the client: on a contract with Optus Glean UK, every product carries an assessment and every operative is trained on it, so the cleaning is safe and the paperwork stands up to audit.
Building a COSHH assessment for cleaning chemicals
| Step | What you do | Cleaning example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Identify | List products; read labels and safety data sheets for hazards | Acidic descaler classified corrosive |
| 2. Assess exposure | Who, by what route, how often, how long | Skin and eye splash risk when decanting and diluting |
| 3. Control | Substitute, dilute, ventilate, PPE, safe technique | Gloves and eye protection; never mix with bleach |
| 4. Record & review | Write it up, train staff, review on change or incident | Signed assessment held on site for audit |