The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 require employers to prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances. On a welfare hire, COSHH touches three things: the sanitary chemicals, the fuel, and, less obviously, the wash basin, which is not just a convenience but a control measure the law expects.
Sanitary chemicals and waste
Toilet treatment fluids are hazardous substances with safety data sheets, which is why on our hires they are dosed and replenished by BOXD at servicing rather than left for site staff to handle, and why SDS documents are available on request. The waste itself stays in a sealed tank and is removed only by us under the applicable waste rules. Your side of the COSHH bargain is simple: nothing but intended sanitary waste into the system, and report spills or damage rather than dealing with them heroically.
Fuel
Diesel handling is routine but not exempt: refuelling follows the handover procedure, engine off and cooled, no ignition sources, spills contained and reported. Fuel stored on site beyond the unit’s tank is the Hirer’s to assess and store properly.
Hand washing as a legal control
For crews working with cement, dusts, oils, sealants and soils, COSHH expects skin exposure controlled, and adequate washing facilities are part of that control, not merely welfare comfort. It is why Schedule 2 of CDM specifies hot and cold running water rather than a cold tap and optimism, and why every BOXD unit carries a hot water hand wash beside the WC and in the canteen. The CDM guide covers the wider welfare list; our risk assessments page covers the unit-side controls.
Plain-English summary, not legal advice. COSHH 2002 and its Approved Code of Practice are at hse.gov.uk. Our own insurances, accreditations and risk assessment register are published on our compliance page, and our written policies, including health and safety, quality, environmental and modern slavery, are at boxdhire.co.uk/policies.
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