Short answer: yes, if you use any substance that could harm health. UK law (COSHH Regulations 2002) requires you to assess and control exposure to cleaning chemicals, solvents, dust, fumes or biological agents — in almost every workplace, and to record it in writing once you employ five or more people.
If your work involves any substance that could harm health, the short answer is almost certainly yes. COSHH assessments are one of the most common legal requirements small businesses overlook — and one of the easiest for an inspector to spot when missing.
COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. The law requires employers (and self-employed people) to prevent or adequately control exposure to hazardous substances at work.
A COSHH assessment is the written record showing you've identified the hazardous substances you use, judged the risk, and put controls in place.
It's much broader than people expect. It includes:
COSHH does not cover asbestos, lead or radioactive substances — those have their own separate regulations.
A suitable and sufficient assessment should identify the substances and their hazards, who could be exposed and how, the level of risk, the control measures in place, and what to do in an emergency such as a spill. It should be specific to your workplace — a generic template with your name on it usually isn't enough.
Failing to control hazardous substances is a breach of health and safety law. It can lead to improvement or prohibition notices, prosecution and fines — and, more importantly, to staff developing conditions like occupational asthma or dermatitis. Many cases of work-related ill health are caused by exposure that a proper COSHH assessment would have controlled.
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