Educational guidance on registers and logs — what each records, who maintains it, what it typically contains and how long it is generally kept. Informational only — template examples, not official documents or legal advice; a register documents activity, it does not by itself prove compliance, and employers remain responsible.
What a COSHH register is
A COSHH register is an index of the substances hazardous to health in a workplace and the assessments that control them — dusts, fumes, vapours, biological agents and chemicals — so a single document shows which substances have been assessed and how exposure is managed.
This page is an educational overview with a simplified example. It is not an official template, not jurisdiction-specific and not legal advice. COSHH-style terminology and duties vary by country — the employer decides what their register must cover.
Purpose
- Index the hazardous substances that have been assessed.
- Link each substance to its assessment, controls and safety data sheet.
- Show which assessments are current and which need review.
- Support health surveillance, training and exposure control.
Who maintains it
- A competent person appointed by the employer keeps it current.
- Assessors and supervisors feed in new and reviewed assessments.
- It is reviewed within the organisation’s own safety process.
- The employer decides who is competent to assess and maintain it.
When it is used
- When a new hazardous substance is introduced or a process changes.
- When an assessment is reviewed or controls are updated.
- During health and safety inspections and audits.
- When planning training, health surveillance or emergencies.
Typical fields
- Substance name and its linked safety data sheet.
- The task or process where it is used and who is exposed.
- Key hazards and the control measures in place.
- Assessment reference, assessor and assessment date.
- Review date, status and whether health surveillance applies.
- Example columns only — adapt to your substances and the applicable law.
Common mistakes
- Treating the register as a substance list with no real assessment behind it.
- Letting assessments go stale after a process or substance changes.
- Listing controls that are not actually in place or used.
- Missing substances generated by the work, such as dust or fume.
Document workflow
A COSHH register sits in the middle of the substance chain: the chemical register and safety data sheets come first, the hazardous-substance assessments are recorded here, and health surveillance, exposure monitoring and instruction follow afterwards. A change of substance or process should trigger a review.
See the related documents below for what is commonly completed before, alongside and after a COSHH register entry.
Retention (high level)
Assessments of substances hazardous to health are generally kept for as long as they are relevant, and exposure or health records linked to them may need to be retained for a long time. This page does not state a required period — confirm with the applicable law and the official authority.
Completing and sharing as a PDF
A COSHH register is often held in a system and exported to PDF for audits, inspections and training. Exporting to PDF supports the record; it does not make the assessments official or prove compliance.
Employer checklist
- Make sure every hazardous substance and process is assessed and listed.
- Record the controls that are genuinely in place and used.
- Set review triggers for substance, process and legal changes.
- Link the register to training, monitoring and health surveillance.
Worker notes
- Know which substances you work with and what the controls are.
- Use the extraction, ventilation and PPE the assessment specifies.
- Report new substances, dusts or fumes the assessment may have missed.
Country considerations
The duty to assess and control substances hazardous to health, and the terminology used, vary by country, and the official authority differs. This page is general and high-level — not a statement of any country’s law and not legal advice.
Confirm current requirements with the official authority for your country and a qualified professional.
Who is responsible
The employer is responsible for assessing and controlling substances hazardous to health and for compliance. This page is an educational overview with a template example; it does not make a workplace compliant and does not transfer responsibility.
Export, edit and share documents
The documents, policies and templates this involves can be exported, edited, signed, stored and shared as PDFs with the HELPERG PDF Editor.
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