COSHH assessment example
Reviewed September 2026 · Written by Complys and checked against HSE and legislation.gov.uk guidance (sources below).
The easiest way to understand a COSHH assessment is to see one. Below is a worked example for a common task — cleaning with a concentrated bleach-based product — showing what each section covers. It's illustrative: there's no official HSE COSHH template, and yours must match your real substances and work.
Substance and hazards
Product: concentrated sodium hypochlorite cleaner. From the label and safety data sheet: corrosive (skin and eye damage) and can release chlorine gas if mixed with acids. Hazard pictograms recorded, and the manufacturer's dilution noted.
Task and who's exposed
Diluting and applying the cleaner in a washroom twice a day, roughly ten minutes each time. Exposed: the cleaner (skin contact and inhalation of vapour), and building users afterwards. Routes: skin, eye and inhalation.
Controls
Substitute to a ready-diluted, lower-strength product where possible; otherwise dilute per the label, never mix with other products, open windows or run ventilation, and keep others out during use. Gloves and eye protection to the stated standard; wash hands after.
Emergency and first aid
Splash to eyes: rinse with water for 15 minutes and seek medical advice. Chlorine gas release from accidental mixing: evacuate and ventilate. Spill: dilute and mop, wearing PPE. First-aid provision and nearest help noted.
Review and sign-off
Assessed by a named competent person, dated, with a review date and a note to review immediately if the product, method or quantities change. Employees briefed and signed.
Why the detail matters
Notice how specific it is — the real product, the real task, the real controls. A generic "cleaning COSHH assessment" copied from the internet fails because it doesn't reflect your product or how you actually use it.
Build a bespoke COSHH assessment in minutes
Complys generates a COSHH assessment tailored to your actual substances and tasks — hazards, control measures, PPE, exposure limits and emergency actions — not a generic template you have to rewrite.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. COSHH and chemical-classification rules change over time — always check the current HSE and legislation.gov.uk guidance for your work.
COSHH assessment example — FAQs
Is there an official HSE COSHH assessment example?
HSE provides worked examples and control guidance through COSHH essentials as a starting point, but there's no single official template — your assessment must be specific to your substances and work.
What does a completed COSHH assessment look like?
It names the substance and its hazards, the task and who's exposed, the control measures in hierarchy order, PPE, emergency and first-aid actions, and a review date with a competent-person sign-off.
Can I reuse a COSHH assessment for a similar product?
Use it as a starting point, but check the new product's safety data sheet and adjust — different products have different hazards, exposure limits and controls even for the same task.