Veterinary COSHH Assessments: What Your Practice Needs and How to Get Compliant

What COSHH means for veterinary practices

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require employers to assess the risks from hazardous substances used in the workplace and implement control measures. For veterinary practices, this covers a broader range of chemicals than many practice managers realise.

COSHH applies to every hazardous substance your practice uses — not just the obvious ones. The HSE defines a hazardous substance as anything that can cause harm through inhalation, skin contact, ingestion, or injection.

Chemicals that require COSHH assessments in vet practices

Anaesthetic agents

• Isoflurane and sevoflurane — waste anaesthetic gases (WAGs) are a significant inhalation hazard
• Control measures: active scavenging systems, room ventilation, exposure monitoring
• Workplace exposure limits apply — check the HSE EH40 table

Radiographic chemicals

• X-ray developer and fixer solutions (for practices still using wet processing)
• Control measures: ventilated processing area, gloves, eye protection
• Note: digital X-ray eliminates this hazard — update your COSHH assessment if you have transitioned

Disinfectants and cleaning products

• Chlorine-based disinfectants (e.g., Virkon)
• Glutaraldehyde-based sterilisation solutions
• General cleaning products with hazardous classifications
• Control measures: ventilation, PPE, dilution procedures

Parasiticides and insecticides

• Spot-on treatments, dips, and sprays handled by staff
• Organophosphate or pyrethroid-based products
• Control measures: gloves, hand washing, designated application areas

Laboratory chemicals

• Formalin for histopathology samples
• Staining reagents
• Control measures: fume extraction, PPE, spill procedures

Other hazardous substances

• Cytotoxic drugs (if handling chemotherapy agents)
• Dental materials (mercury amalgam — largely phased out)
• Latex (for staff with latex allergies — consider as a sensitiser)

How to structure a veterinary COSHH assessment

Each COSHH assessment should cover:

1. Substance identification — product name, manufacturer, active ingredients
2. Safety data sheet (SDS) — obtain from the manufacturer or NOAH Compendium for veterinary products
3. Who is exposed — staff roles, frequency of exposure, duration
4. Route of exposure — inhalation, skin contact, ingestion, injection
5. Current control measures — what is already in place (ventilation, PPE, procedures)
6. Risk rating — severity x likelihood after control measures
7. Additional controls needed — any gaps in current protections
8. Review date — when the assessment will be reviewed (at least annually, or when circumstances change)

Common COSHH gaps in veterinary practices

Waste anaesthetic gas exposure

Many practices have scavenging systems but do not monitor actual exposure levels. The HSE expects practices to demonstrate that WAG exposure is controlled, not just that equipment is installed. Consider periodic exposure monitoring, particularly for theatre staff.

Outdated safety data sheets

Safety data sheets must be current. If a product formulation changes, the SDS changes. Check that your SDSs match the products you actually use, not products you used three years ago.

Missing assessments for "everyday" products

Practice managers often assess the obvious hazards (anaesthetics, X-ray chemicals) but miss everyday products like cleaning agents, hand sanitisers with hazardous ingredients, or staff-applied parasiticide products.

No review schedule

A COSHH assessment conducted once and filed is not compliant. Assessments must be reviewed regularly — annually as a minimum, and immediately when substances change, new products are introduced, or incident data suggests controls are inadequate.

Meeting RCVS Practice Standards Scheme requirements

COSHH compliance is assessed as part of the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme health and safety standards. Assessors check for:

• Current COSHH assessments for all hazardous substances in use
• Safety data sheets accessible to staff
• Evidence of staff training on chemical handling
• Control measures documented and implemented
• Review dates and evidence of periodic review

Getting started

If your practice has never conducted a formal COSHH assessment, or if existing assessments are outdated:

1. List every hazardous substance used in your practice — walk through each room and note what is stored and used
2. Obtain safety data sheets for each product from the manufacturer or supplier
3. Prioritise assessments by risk — start with anaesthetic agents, radiation chemicals, and cytotoxic drugs
4. Use a consistent template for each assessment so they are comparable and auditable
5. Set review dates in your calendar — do not rely on memory

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COSHH requirements are set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. Safety data sheets for veterinary medicines can be found in the NOAH Compendium.