Biological COSHH Risk Assessments
This guidance is provided to help you carry out your biological COSHH risk assessments. Health and safety, animal health, plant health and environmental legislation require employers to protect people and the environment against risks from work with biological hazards. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) is the main law which requires controls for work with biological hazards to protect people, while the Specified Animal Pathogens Order (SAPO) requires controls for work with animal pathogens although there are many other relevant animal, plant and environmental laws. There is detailed guidance on work with biological hazards which must be followed that is available from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Scottish Government, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and other agencies. You need to read the relevant guidance if you are working with biological hazards and to understand biological COSHH risk assessment and control. Here are some useful websites.
- HSE
- HSE Biological Safety
- Scottish Government Animal Health
- Scottish Government Plant Health
- DEFRA
- DEFRA Animal and Plant Health Agency
- SEPA
- Health Protection Scotland
- UK Health Security Agency
- World Health Organisation Biological Safety
- World Organisation for Animal Health
There is extensive guidance for work with biological hazards, biological COSHH risk assessment and controls for protection of people and the environment. Please read this guidance since they will help you understand how to best do your risk assessments and safely carry out the work.
- HSE About infections at work
- HSE ACDP Approved list of biological agents
- HSE ACDP Safe working and prevention of infection in clinical laboratories and similar facilities
- HSE ACDP Management and operation of microbiological containment laboratories
- HSE ACDP DEFRA Biological agents: Principles, design and operation of containment level 4 facilities
- HSE Fumigation
- HSE Bloodborne viruses in the workplace
- HSE ACDP Working safely with research animals: Management of infection risks
- HSE Control of laboratory animal allergy
- HSE Managing infection risks when handling the deceased
- HSE SACGM Compendium of guidance
- HSE Containment and control of specified animal pathogens
- WHO Transport of infectious substances
These guidance documents and many others on work with biological hazards are available on the HSE, Scottish Government and DEFRA websites. You may need to use guidance on specific hazards on other websites. Please contact your safety coordinator if you need advice on biological COSHH risk assessments and controls.