COSHH guide
COSHH risk assessments for schools
Schools have hazardous substances in more places than people expect: the caretaker's store, cleaning cupboards, science prep rooms, art and design and technology. Pupils are a vulnerable group, so storage and supervision matter as much as PPE.
Where to look
- Caretaking and cleaning products, including bleach, descalers and floor products
- Science: many schools use CLEAPSS guidance for lab chemicals and experiments
- Art: glazes, solvents, aerosol fixatives and spray paints
- Design and technology: resins, adhesives, and wood dust (hardwood dust is a carcinogen)
- Swimming pool chemicals, where the school has a pool
Typical controls
- Locked storage away from pupils, and products kept in original labelled containers
- Cleaning done outside lesson times where possible
- Extraction for dusty or fume-producing work in D&T
- Pupils' exposure considered explicitly in each assessment
- Staff training and SDSs available in each department
Organise by department
Create a COSHH file for each department or building, download one PDF per file, and print a QR label for each store so staff can scan and read the assessments. Review reminders help keep everything in date.
Questions
Does CLEAPSS replace COSHH assessments?
CLEAPSS provides model risk assessments for school science that many employers adopt. Your employer (the local authority, trust or governors) decides the arrangements; other areas such as cleaning still need their own assessments.
Who should do the assessment?
Someone who knows the work, such as the site manager or head of department, with input from your health and safety adviser for higher-risk activities.
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.