Under COSHH, what must employers do?

• A. Control exposure to hazardous substances
• B. Ensure consent for chemical handling
• C. Perform annual regulatory returns
• D. Train patients about hazardous substances

Answer: (A)

Under COSHH, the obligation is to control exposure to hazardous substances. Employers must assess the risks from all substances that are hazardous to health and put in place appropriate controls to keep exposure as low as possible. This includes using measures such as elimination or substitution where feasible, engineering controls like ventilation or containment, safe handling procedures, proper storage, and supplying PPE when needed. They also need to provide information, instruction and training to workers, and arrange monitoring or health surveillance if indicated. The other options don’t reflect the core duty of COSHH, which is about protecting employees (and those at risk) from exposure, rather than obtaining consent, filing annual returns, or training patients about hazardous substances.