COSHH stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and is governed by the COSHH Regulations 2002. These regulations apply to substances that pose a risk in the workplace, including many commonly encountered in construction. Activities on site often expose workers to dust, fumes and chemicals such as cement, solvents and silica dust, which can be generated during tasks like cutting or scabbling concrete.
Hazardous substances may be products brought onto site or by-products created through work processes. Employers have a legal duty to assess these risks and prevent exposure where reasonably practicable. Where exposure cannot reasonably be prevented, it must be adequately controlled.
COSHH Regulation 12 specifically requires that workers receive suitable information, instruction and training to understand the hazards and how to protect themselves.
The type of training needed varies depending on an individual’s role and exposure risk. Workers require practical knowledge of controls relevant to their tasks, while managers responsible for COSHH assessments need a deeper understanding of risk evaluation. Training should also be reviewed and updated whenever significant changes occur in work methods or control measures.
Key Takeaways:
- COSHH training should reflect the hazardous substances employees encounter, the work they carry out and their responsibilities on site.
- Construction teams may need training covering hazards such as silica dust, wood dust, cement, welding fumes, paints and solvents.
- Employees who follow existing COSHH controls have different training needs from managers, supervisors or those responsible for completing assessments.
- COSHH training isn’t one-size-fits-all. General awareness may need to be supplemented with more specific training in areas such as dust exposure or chemical and oil spills.
- Training doesn’t replace a COSHH assessment. The assessment identifies the risks and necessary controls, while training helps employees understand and apply them correctly.
- THSP offers COSHH training covering general awareness, risk assessments and method statements, dust awareness, and chemical and oil spill response.
What is COSHH Training?
COSHH training helps employees understand the risks associated with hazardous substances in the workplace and how to work with or around them safely. In construction, this can include substances brought onto site, such as paints, solvents and cement, as well as hazardous substances created by work activities, including silica dust, wood dust and welding fumes.
Under Regulation 12 of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), employers must provide suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training to employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances at work.
COSHH training should therefore be relevant to the work an employee actually carries out. Someone using a product containing hazardous substances needs to understand the risks, the control measures in place and what to do if something goes wrong. A person responsible for completing COSHH assessments will need more detailed knowledge of how hazards and exposure are assessed and appropriate controls are selected.
There isn’t a single COSHH course that’s right for every member of a construction team. The appropriate training will depend on the substances someone may encounter, the work they carry out and their level of responsibility.
Who Needs COSHH Training in Construction?
COSHH training is needed for employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances as part of their work. On a construction site, that can include far more people than those directly handling chemicals.
Workers may be exposed to hazardous substances when cutting concrete or stone, mixing cement, welding, painting, using solvents or adhesives, working with timber or carrying out tasks that generate dust or fumes. Training should reflect the substances and exposure risks associated with the work they actually carry out.
The type of training will also depend on an individual’s responsibilities:
| Role | Typical COSHH responsibilities | Training needs |
| Operatives | Working with or around hazardous substances | Recognising hazards, understanding control measures, safe working methods, PPE/RPE and emergency procedures |
| Supervisors | Overseeing work involving hazardous substances | Understanding the relevant controls, monitoring how they’re applied and recognising when they’re not working effectively |
| Managers | Planning and overseeing COSHH arrangements | Understanding COSHH duties, risk management, assessments and how exposure is controlled |
| COSHH assessors | Completing and reviewing COSHH assessments | Identifying hazards, assessing exposure and selecting appropriate control measures |
The important point is that COSHH training should be based on exposure and responsibility, rather than job title alone. Two people with similar job titles may need different training if the substances they encounter or their responsibilities for managing them are different.
What Should COSHH Training Cover?
The content of COSHH training should reflect the hazardous substances and working practices employees are likely to encounter. For construction teams, this means making the training relevant to real site activities rather than covering hazardous substances only in general terms.
Depending on the role and the work involved, COSHH training may cover:
- The hazardous substances present or generated during work
- How those substances can affect health and how exposure can occur
- The control measures employees are expected to follow
- Safe handling, storage and disposal procedures
- Correct use of PPE and respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
- What to do if control measures fail
- How to respond to spills, accidental exposure and other emergencies
- How to understand and follow the relevant COSHH assessment
For example, someone cutting concrete needs to understand the risks associated with respirable crystalline silica and the controls used to reduce exposure. Someone working with wet cement, paints or solvents will face different hazards and need training that reflects them.
Training should ultimately give employees the information they need to understand the risks involved in their work and use the controls that have been put in place to protect them.
COSHH Awareness vs COSHH Assessment Training: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between COSHH awareness and assessment training is what the person will be responsible for doing after the training.
COSHH awareness training is suitable for employees who need to understand the hazardous substances they may encounter and the controls they’re expected to follow. For construction workers, this could include recognising exposure risks, following safe working methods, using PPE or RPE correctly and knowing what to do in an emergency.
COSHH assessment training is intended for people who are responsible for completing or reviewing COSHH assessments. They need a more detailed understanding of how to identify hazardous substances, assess how workers could be exposed and determine whether appropriate control measures are in place.
An operative who follows an existing COSHH assessment therefore has different training needs from the person responsible for producing that assessment. When choosing between awareness and assessment training, the key question is whether the individual needs to follow the controls or determine what those controls should be.
Which COSHH Training Course Is Right for Your Team?
The right COSHH training will depend on the hazards employees encounter and what they’re responsible for managing. THSP offers several courses covering general COSHH knowledge as well as specific areas such as risk assessments, dust and spill response.
| Course | Best Suited To | Main Focus |
| An Overview of COSHH | Employees who need a general understanding of COSHH | Understanding hazardous substances and the principles of controlling exposure |
| Risk Assessment, Method Statements and COSHH | Managers, supervisors and others involved in planning work and managing risk | Bringing together risk assessments, method statements and COSHH requirements |
| Dust Awareness | Employees who work in environments where hazardous dust may be generated | Understanding dust hazards and how exposure can be controlled |
| Spill Kits – Chemicals & Oils | Employees who may need to respond to chemical or oil spills | Understanding spill response and the appropriate use of spill kits |
These courses aren’t necessarily alternatives to one another. An employee may need general COSHH knowledge alongside more specific training in dust or spill response, depending on the work they carry out and the hazards present on site.
An Overview of COSHH
For employees who need a broad introduction to COSHH, An Overview of COSHH provides a starting point for understanding hazardous substances and why exposure needs to be controlled.
This may be appropriate for employees who work with or around hazardous substances but aren’t responsible for carrying out COSHH assessments themselves.
Risk Assessment, Method Statements and COSHH
For people with greater responsibility for planning and managing work, Risk Assessment, Method Statements and COSHH brings COSHH into the wider risk management process.
This is particularly relevant to construction, where managers and supervisors may need to understand how COSHH requirements relate to the risk assessments and method statements used to plan work safely.
Dust Awareness
Dust Awareness provides more focused training for people whose work could expose them to hazardous dust.
On construction sites, dust can be generated by everyday activities such as cutting, drilling, sanding and grinding. A dedicated course can therefore be useful where dust exposure forms a significant part of the risks employees face.
Spill Kits – Chemicals & Oils
Spill Kits – Chemicals & Oils focuses on a specific practical risk: responding when chemicals or oils are spilled.
This makes it relevant for employees who work with substances where spills could occur and who may be expected to use spill-control equipment as part of the site’s response procedures.
How to Choose the Right COSHH Training for Your Team
Choosing the right COSHH training starts with looking at what people actually do on site. Rather than selecting training based on job title alone, consider the substances employees encounter, how they could be exposed and the responsibilities they have for controlling those risks.
The Substances They Encounter
Training should reflect the hazards present in the employee’s work. Someone exposed to silica dust from cutting concrete will need different practical knowledge from someone regularly working with solvents, adhesives or wet cement.
The Work They Carry Out
Consider how employees interact with hazardous substances as part of their day-to-day tasks. This includes substances they handle directly as well as dusts, fumes or other hazardous substances generated by the work itself.
Their Responsibilities
Employees who follow established control measures may require COSHH awareness training alongside suitable task and site-specific information and instruction. Supervisors need enough knowledge to recognise whether controls are being followed and remain effective, while anyone completing COSHH assessments will need more detailed training.
How the Training Will Be Applied
The training method should also suit what employees need to learn. Online training can be useful for developing general COSHH knowledge, but some roles may also require practical, site-specific instruction on the controls, equipment and working methods they’ll actually use.
Choosing the Right COSHH Training and Support Tools
Effective COSHH training should reflect the hazardous substances people encounter, the work they carry out and the responsibilities they have on site. For some employees, that may mean developing a broad understanding of COSHH, while others may need more specific training around risk assessments, hazardous dust or responding to chemical and oil spills.
THSP offers a range of COSHH and hazardous substance training courses to help construction businesses develop the right knowledge across their teams. If you’re unsure which training is appropriate for your employees, get in touch with us to discuss your requirements and find the right course for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions About COSHH Training
Is COSHH training a legal requirement?
The COSHH Regulations require employers to provide suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training to employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances at work. This doesn’t mean every employee must complete the same formal COSHH course. The training provided should reflect the substances, risks and control measures relevant to their work.
Who needs COSHH training on a construction site?
Employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances need appropriate information, instruction and training. In construction, this can include people working with chemicals and products such as cement, paints and solvents, as well as those exposed to substances generated by work activities, including silica dust, wood dust and welding fumes.
How often should COSHH training be refreshed?
There isn’t a set expiry period for COSHH training. Training should be reviewed when necessary, particularly if there are changes to the substances being used, working methods, control measures or an employee’s responsibilities.
Can COSHH training be completed online?
Some COSHH knowledge can be covered through online training, particularly general awareness and theory. However, employees may also need practical or site-specific instruction on the substances, equipment, control measures and working methods relevant to their role.
What’s the difference between COSHH training and a COSHH assessment?
A COSHH assessment identifies the hazardous substances associated with a work activity, considers how employees could be exposed and determines the controls required. Training ensures employees understand the risks and know how to follow those controls correctly. One doesn’t replace the other.
Does every construction worker need the same COSHH training?
No. COSHH training should be appropriate to the hazards and responsibilities associated with an individual’s work. An operative following established control measures will have different training needs from a manager overseeing COSHH arrangements or someone responsible for completing assessments.
Do employees need separate training for construction dust?
Where employees may be exposed to hazardous dust, they need appropriate information, instruction and training on the risks and relevant controls. Depending on the work involved, more focused dust awareness training may be appropriate alongside broader COSHH training.
Does COSHH training cover chemical spills?
General COSHH training may cover emergency procedures, but employees who are expected to respond to chemical or oil spills may need more specific instruction. THSP’s Spill Kits – Chemicals & Oils course provides training focused specifically on this area.