COSHH guide
COSHH risk assessment for commercial kitchens
Kitchens use some of the most corrosive cleaning products in any workplace. Oven cleaners and dishwasher detergents can cause severe burns and eye damage, and flour dust is a leading cause of occupational asthma.
Products to assess
- Oven and grill cleaners (often sodium or potassium hydroxide)
- Heavy-duty degreasers
- Dishwasher detergent and rinse aid
- Food-safe sanitisers and surface sprays
- Descalers for kettles, coffee machines and combi ovens
- Flour and other dusty ingredients in bakeries and pizza kitchens
Typical controls
- Clean ovens cool, use gel or foam rather than spraying, and ventilate
- Chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection for oven cleaners and when changing dishwasher containers
- Closed dosing systems for dishwasher chemicals
- Low-dust handling of flour: don't throw it, use lids and extraction where there's a lot
- Store chemicals away from food and keep them labelled
Quick to set up
Find each product in our SDS library or upload its SDS, and you'll have a full set of assessments in one sitting. Print a QR label for the chemical store so the team can scan the assessments.
Questions
Do food safety rules cover chemicals?
Food safety rules cover contamination of food. COSHH covers the health of the people using the chemicals. You need to think about both.
Is flour covered by COSHH?
Yes. Flour dust has a workplace exposure limit and can cause asthma, so it needs assessing where there's significant dust.
Important
EasyCOSHH is a tool, not professional advice. You must check each assessment against the supplier's Safety Data Sheet and your actual work, adapt it and sign it off. For high-risk substances (carcinogens, asbestos, lead, respiratory sensitisers such as isocyanates) use a competent person. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by HSE.