COSHH Assessments

COSHH Record Keeping: What to Keep and for How Long

What COSHH Records to Keep, Where to Store Them, and How Long to Retain Them

COSHH is judged as much on your records as on your controls. An inspector cannot see the dilution someone used last Tuesday, but they can see whether you have a current assessment, the safety data sheets to back it up, and evidence that staff were trained. Good record keeping is also what protects the business if someone ever claims an illness was caused by a substance at work. This article sets out exactly what COSHH records to keep, where to store them, and how long to retain each one.

Key takeaways

Keep four core records: the assessment, safety data sheets, training records, and a chemical inventory.

Store assessments and safety data sheets where staff work, not only in the office.

Maintain one definitive, current version of each record and make sure staff know where it is.

Health surveillance records, where they apply, must be kept for 40 years.

For everyday records, retain enough history to show your controls were adequate at any given time.

The Core Records to Keep

There are four records every hospitality business should hold. The first is the COSHH assessment itself, covering each hazardous substance and its controls. The second is the set of safety data sheets for every product, kept current with the versions your supplier publishes. The third is a record of staff training and briefing, showing who has been told about the substances they use and the controls they must follow. The fourth is your chemical inventory or register, the master list of what is on the premises and where. Together these show that you have identified the hazards, decided on controls, and made sure the people exposed know about them. Where you carry out any health surveillance or exposure monitoring, those records form a fifth category with much longer retention requirements.

Where and How to Store Them

Records must be accessible to the people who need them. Safety data sheets and assessments should be available where staff work, so kitchen and bar teams can check controls and emergency advice without going to the office, and so the information is to hand if there is a splash or spill. A printed folder in the cleaning store works, but it is easily out of date, and the version in the folder is rarely the version the supplier currently publishes. Storing COSHH digitally solves the two biggest weaknesses of paper: it keeps every safety data sheet at its latest version, and it timestamps training and reviews so you can prove the system is current. Whichever method you use, make sure there is one definitive version and that staff know where it is.

How Long to Retain COSHH Records

Retention depends on the record. The current assessment, safety data sheets, and training records should be kept for as long as they are current and for a reasonable period afterwards, so that you can show the history of your controls; keeping the last few years is sensible for a hospitality business. Health surveillance records, where they apply, must be kept for 40 years because work-related ill health from chemical exposure can take a long time to appear. Records of any monitoring of exposure should also be kept long term. Most hospitality businesses will never need health surveillance, but if you do, the 40-year requirement is a hard rule. For everyday records, the practical test is whether you could demonstrate, after an incident or a claim, that your controls were adequate at the relevant time.

What to do next

Assemble the four core COSHH records

Bring the assessment, safety data sheets, training records, and chemical inventory into one place and check each one is current.

Put safety data sheets where staff work

Make sure kitchen and bar teams can reach the assessment and emergency advice without going to the office.

Record every COSHH briefing

Log who was trained, on what, and when. Training records are a core part of demonstrating compliance.

Common mistakes to avoid

Mistake

Keeping safety data sheets that are years out of date

Instead

Suppliers update safety data sheets as classifications change. Refresh them periodically so your assessment is based on current hazard information.

Mistake

Holding records only in the office

Instead

Staff need the assessment and emergency advice where they use the chemicals. Records kept only in the office are no help during a splash or spill.

Frequently asked questions

How long do you have to keep COSHH records?

Everyday records such as assessments, safety data sheets, and training should be kept while current and for a reasonable period afterwards, with the last few years being sensible. Health surveillance records, where they apply, must be kept for 40 years.

Do safety data sheets count as COSHH records?

Safety data sheets are a key supporting record but are not the assessment itself. Keep them current alongside the assessment, the training records, and the chemical inventory.

Can COSHH records be kept electronically?

Yes. Electronic records are fully acceptable and often better than paper because they keep safety data sheets at their latest version and timestamp training and reviews. The key requirement is that staff and inspectors can access them when needed.

COSHH Assessments