COSHH — the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations — requires employers to assess the risk from hazardous substances used at work, including ordinary cleaning chemicals, and put controls in place. This template gives you the fields a cleaning-chemical COSHH assessment needs; the specific hazard data must come from the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each product you actually use.
Download the template
Download the PDFA fillable per-product COSHH assessment form with every field below.
What a COSHH assessment must cover
- The substance identity and the manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) reference
- Where and how it is used (task, area, frequency, quantity)
- The hazard classification (e.g. irritant, corrosive, sensitiser) taken from the SDS
- Who might be exposed and how (inhalation, skin contact, ingestion, splash to eyes)
- The control measures in place (ventilation, dilution control, PPE)
- Storage requirements (segregation of incompatible chemicals, locked storage where required)
- Emergency procedures (spillage, accidental exposure, first aid)
- Waste disposal method
- Review date and reviewer
Assessment fields (per product)
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Product name | As on the label / SDS |
| Hazard classification | From SDS Section 2 (e.g. irritant, corrosive) |
| Task/area of use | e.g. washroom disinfection, kitchen degreasing |
| Who is at risk | Operative; others in vicinity if applicable |
| Exposure route | Skin, eyes, inhalation, ingestion |
| Control measures | Dilution rate, ventilation, PPE (gloves, eye protection) |
| Storage | Segregation, locked/restricted access, temperature |
| Spillage/emergency action | Reference to spill kit and first-aid procedure |
| Disposal | Method and any special requirements |
| Review date | At least annually, or when the product/SDS changes |
Common cleaning chemicals to assess
As a minimum, assess every product actually in use — commonly this includes disinfectants, degreasers/kitchen cleaners, descalers, glass cleaners, and any specialist products (carpet cleaners, biocides used in fogging). Never assume a product is low-risk just because it is widely used — check its SDS.
Training and access
Every operative using a product must be trained in its safe use and know where the assessment and SDS are kept. Keep assessments accessible on site (paper folder or digital), not filed away centrally where staff cannot reach them in an emergency.
Linking to method statements
For specialist or higher-risk tasks (biohazard work, fogging, floor stripping), pair the COSHH assessment with a task-specific method statement. See our RAMS template.