CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
COSHH Risk Assessment and Control Arrangement
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- Primary and secondary schools in England, including maintained schools and academies, excluding independent schools. Use where the school uses or creates harmful substances or carries out processes that may harm health.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
School activities involving substances or processes that may cause harm to health, including substances used or created in teaching, cleaning, maintenance, catering, grounds work, workshops, laboratories, art and design, and other relevant work activities. The assessment should consider workers, pupils where relevant, contractors, maintenance staff, visitors and members of the public who may be exposed.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
Harmful substances used, created or otherwise present in the activity have not been identified, or their relevant hazard information is incomplete.
- Existing controls
- Record the substances, products and processes currently present; record the information available from product labels and safety data sheets; record any substances produced by the process; and identify any information that is unavailable or requires confirmation.
- Proposed controls
- Identify each harmful substance and process using product labels and safety data sheets, contacting the supplier if information is unclear. Record substances produced by the activity, including dust, fume, vapour, mist or gas. Confirm whether separate arrangements are needed for substances covered by regulations other than COSHH.
Local assessment and additional controls
Exposure to a harmful substance through inhalation, skin contact, absorption through the skin, eye contact or swallowing.
- Existing controls
- Record the exposure routes that may occur for each substance or process and document the controls currently used for each route. Do not assume that a control is present unless it has been verified for the activity.
- Proposed controls
- Assess how exposure could occur by each relevant route and specify controls for the substance and activity. Prioritise preventing exposure and reducing contact with the substance through elimination, substitution, process change, containment, closed handling or appropriately designed local exhaust ventilation before considering PPE.
Local assessment and additional controls
Exposure may occur repeatedly or for extended periods because the frequency and duration of work with the substance or process have not been assessed.
- Existing controls
- Record how often the activity is carried out, how long each exposure may last, the people undertaking it, and any variation between normal, occasional, planned and non-routine work.
- Proposed controls
- Assess frequency and duration for each relevant task and use the findings to determine further controls. Consider whether the process can be changed to reduce exposure, including reducing process temperature where this could reduce vapour release or using less dusty forms of materials where suitable.
Local assessment and additional controls
Processes may emit harmful dust, fume, vapour, mist or gas, exposing people in or near the work area.
- Existing controls
- Record the emissions generated by the process, the people who may be exposed, the controls currently used and any information available about their design or suitability. Do not record local exhaust ventilation or other controls as existing unless confirmed for the activity.
- Proposed controls
- Consider eliminating the process or using a safer alternative. If the process remains necessary, change it to reduce emissions, enclose it as far as possible, minimise handling, and use a properly designed local exhaust ventilation system through a suitable hood or booth where required by the assessment.
Local assessment and additional controls
Handling, transfer or movement of harmful substances may release or spread the substance and expose workers or other people.
- Existing controls
- Record how substances are currently handled and transferred, whether handling is open or enclosed, how often handling occurs, who may be exposed and what controls are currently in place.
- Proposed controls
- Consider whether the substance or activity can be eliminated or substituted. Where it remains necessary, minimise handling, use containment and closed transfer or handling systems where suitable, and prevent escape or release from the process as far as possible.
Local assessment and additional controls
Workers or other people may be exposed because the assessment does not identify everyone who could come into contact with the substance or process.
- Existing controls
- Record the groups who may be exposed, including workers, pupils where relevant, maintenance workers, contractors, visitors and members of the public. Record any differences in tasks, access, proximity or exposure between groups.
- Proposed controls
- Include every relevant group in the assessment and identify how each group could be exposed. Specify further controls and responsibilities for groups who may be present without carrying out the activity, including maintenance workers, contractors, visitors and members of the public.
Local assessment and additional controls
Existing controls may be unsuitable, incomplete or insufficient to prevent exposure to harmful substances.
- Existing controls
- For each substance or process, record what is already being done to control risk, the evidence or confirmation available, any limitations, and any control that has not yet been verified.
- Proposed controls
- Compare existing controls with the assessed exposure routes, frequency, duration and affected people. Set out further action where needed, giving priority to elimination, substitution, process change, containment, closed handling and appropriately designed local exhaust ventilation. Record who needs to carry out each action and when it is needed by.
Local assessment and additional controls
Reliance on PPE alone may leave people exposed where higher-order controls could prevent or reduce exposure.
- Existing controls
- Record any PPE currently relied upon, the task and exposure route it is intended to address, and the other controls currently used. Do not treat PPE as an existing control unless its use has been verified for the activity.
- Proposed controls
- Review whether exposure can instead be prevented or reduced by eliminating the substance, substituting a safer alternative, changing the process, enclosing the activity, using closed handling or installing appropriately designed local exhaust ventilation. Specify PPE only where it is appropriate as part of the control arrangement and does not replace practicable higher-order controls.
Local assessment and additional controls