COSHH & Risk Assessment

Safety Data Sheet

Within the EcoGuido website you will find the Safety Data Sheets for all our products offered. To help you meet your responsibilities the Safety Data Sheets include Risk Assessment guidelines which should help you meeting your health and safety obligations.

Our SDS and Risk Assessments include:

IDENTIFICATION OF THE SUBSTANCE/MIXTURE AND OF THE COMPANY/UNDERTAKING
HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
FIRST AID MEASURE
FIREFIGHTING MEASURE
ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES
HANDLING AND STORAGE
EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
STABILITY AND REACTIVITY
TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS
TRANSPORT INFORMATION
REGULATORY INFORMATION

Example of our safety data sheet: https://ecoguido.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/VC-250-UNIWERSAL-1.pdf

We comply with Health and Safety Executive Regulation (EC) No 648/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on detergents.

Our cleaning products comply with government’s policies for improving the natural environment. Raw materials are biodegradable according to the current regulations.

We apply appendix 4 of government policy, business and the environment, reducing the environmental impact of cleaning products, (Gov Policy 2010-2015, 2015-2020).

We are proud to have Ecolabel Certified products, EU Ecolabel is a label of environmental excellence that is awarded to products and services meeting high environmental standards throughout their life-cycle: from raw material extraction to production, distribution and disposal.

We offer our customers customer service support, audit and cleaning staff trainings.

COSHH Assessment *

A COSHH assessment concentrates on the hazards and risks from hazardous substances in your workplace.

Identify the hazards

Identify which substances are harmful by reading the product labels and safety data sheets (SDS)

Decide who might be harmed and how

How might workers be exposed? Think about the route into the body (whether the substance can be breathed in, get onto or through the skin or can even be swallowed) and the effects of exposure by each of these routes. Think of how often people work with the substance and for how long. Think about anyone else who could be exposed. Don’t forget maintenance workers, contractors and other visitors or members of the public who could be exposed

Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions

Once you have carried out a risk assessment and identified which harmful substances are present, and how workers can be harmed, you need to think about preventing exposure.

Do you really need to use a particular substance, or is a safer alternative available?
Can you change the process to eliminate its use or avoid producing it? If this is not possible, you must put in place adequate control measures to reduce exposure

The measures you adopt could include the following:

Changing the process to reduce risks

Consider whether you can change the process you use to reduce the risk of exposure. For example, you could reduce the temperature of a process to reduce the amount of vapour getting into the air or use pellets instead of powders as they are less dusty

Containment

Enclose the process or activity as much as possible to minimise the escape or release of the harmful substance
Use closed transfer and handling systems and minimise handling of materials
Extract emissions of the substance near the source

Systems of work

Restrict access to those people who need to be there
Plan the storage of materials, and use appropriate containers. Check that storage containers are correctly labelled and that incompatible materials, for example acids and caustics, are separated
Plan the storage and disposal of waste

Cleaning

Exposure to hazardous substances can occur during cleaning, so plan and organise the workplace so that it can be easily and effectively cleaned
Smooth work surfaces will allow easy cleaning
Have the right equipment and procedures to clear up spillages quickly and safely
Clean regularly using a ‘dust-free’ method – vacuum, don’t sweep

If you have five or more employees, you must record your assessment but, even if you have fewer than five, it makes sense to write down what steps you have taken to identify the risks. And the really important part is making a list of the actions you have taken to control the risks to workers’ health.

The risk assessment should be regularly reviewed to ensure that it is kept up to date to consider any changes in your workplace.