Who is responsible for COSHH assessments?
Reviewed September 2026 · Written by Complys and checked against HSE and legislation.gov.uk guidance (sources below).
COSHH questions often come down to "whose job is this?". The short answer: the employer holds the legal duty, a competent person usually carries the assessment out, and every employee has duties too. Here's how it breaks down.
The employer holds the legal duty
Under COSHH, the duty to assess the risk and to prevent or control exposure sits with the employer. That duty can't be contracted or delegated away — you can ask someone to carry out the work, but responsibility for a suitable and sufficient assessment stays with you.
A competent person carries it out
COSHH doesn't create a titled "COSHH officer", but the assessment must be done by a competent person — someone with the knowledge, training and experience for it. That can be a trained employee or an external adviser; either way the employer remains responsible for the result.
Employees have duties too
Under COSHH regulation 8 and the Health and Safety at Work Act, employees must make full and proper use of the control measures and PPE provided, follow the procedures and training, and report any defects. Controls only work if people use them.
On multi-employer sites
Where contractors work on someone else's site, each employer assesses the risks their own work creates, and they cooperate and share information so everyone's controls fit together. The site operator coordinates.
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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
- COSHH 2002, reg 6 (assessment of health risks)
- COSHH 2002, reg 8 (use of control measures)
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 7 (competent persons)
- HSE — Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH)
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.
Who is responsible for COSHH assessments? — FAQs
Who is legally responsible for a COSHH assessment?
The employer. The duty to assess and control exposure sits with the employer and cannot be delegated away, even if someone else carries out the assessment.
Who should carry out a COSHH assessment?
A competent person — someone with sufficient knowledge, training and experience. It can be a trained employee or an external adviser, but the employer stays responsible.
What are employees' COSHH duties?
Under COSHH regulation 8, employees must properly use the controls and PPE provided, follow their training and procedures, and report any defects.