Employee Duties Under COSHH

The HSE state that there are duties of employees in a workplace to ensure compliance. 

The five main duties of employees are to:

(1) co-operate with their employers so far as this is necessary to enable employers to meet their obligations under the Regulations, e.g. by following established procedures which minimise the risk of exposure 

(2) make full and proper use of control measures including personal protective equipment and report defects 

(3) ensure that equipment is returned after use to any storage place the employer provides for it, and to report immediately to the employer any defects discovered in equipment 

(4) attend, where appropriate, medical examinations at the appointed time and give a medical inspector information about their health that may reasonably be required 

(5) report any accident or incident which has or may have resulted in the release into the workplace of a biological agent which could cause severe human disease. 

These duties are then broken down into more detail to include: 

(a) use the control measures provided for materials, plant and processes 

(b) follow the defined methods of work; 

(c) wear PPE provided correctly and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions 

(d) store the PPE, when not in use, in the accommodation provided 

(e) remove any PPE, which could cause contamination, before eating, drinking or smoking 

(f) practise a high standard of personal hygiene, and make proper use of the facilities provided for washing, showering or bathing and for eating and drinking

(g) report promptly to the appointed person, like a ‘foreman’, supervisor or safety representative any defects discovered in any control measure or any item of PPE.