Reading List

Authoritative sources used to prepare this course. They provide the regulatory and practical guidance for COSHH assessments, labels and safety data sheets, selecting and using PPE, training, emergency response, cleaning-product safety, skin protection and optical-practice governance.

1. Optical standards and optical guidance

• GOC - Standards for Optical Businesses
  The business standards cover safe care, suitable environments, regulatory compliance, governance, staff training, supervision and support. They are useful guardrails for optical workplace safety culture.
  https://optical.org/standards-and-guidance/standards/standards-for-optical-businesses.html

• College of Optometrists - Infection control
  Optometry-specific infection-control guidance. Relevant where COSHH overlaps with cleaning products, disinfection, equipment cleaning, waste and accident response.
  https://www.college-optometrists.org/clinical-guidance/guidance/safety-and-quality/infection-control

2. Core COSHH guidance

• HSE - COSHH
  The main HSE page for controlling substances hazardous to health, including assessment, prevention or control of exposure, training, monitoring, health surveillance and emergencies.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/

• HSE - How to carry out a COSHH risk assessment
  Guidance on identifying hazardous substances, routes of exposure, people affected, control measures, recording findings and reviewing assessments.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/assessment.htm

• HSE - Training for employees working with substances hazardous to health
  Explains what employees need to know about hazards, risk assessment outcomes, control measures, safe work methods and actions after accidents or spillages.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/training.htm

• HSE - Chemical safety data sheets
  Explains safety data sheets and how they support, but do not replace, local COSHH risk assessment.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/datasheets.htm

3. PPE, emergencies, cleaning products and skin

• HSE - COSHH basics: Personal protective equipment
  Explains why PPE is a last-resort control and why correct selection, fit, use, maintenance and training matter.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/ppe.htm

• HSE - Emergencies: be prepared
  Guidance on planning for spillages and exposure incidents, trained responders, protective equipment, decontamination and waste from emergencies.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/basics/emergencies.htm

• HSE - COSHH and cleaners: key messages
  Practical guidance for cleaning work, including corrosive products, skin and eye risks, inhalation hazards, PPE, hand care and following product instructions.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/industry/cleaning.htm

• HSE - Dermatitis in health and social care
  Guidance on occupational dermatitis risk from wet work, chemicals, biological agents, hand hygiene and glove use.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/dermatitis.htm

• HSE - Labelling and packaging
  Explains labels, pictograms, signal words, hazard and precautionary statements, and how chemical labels communicate risk.
  https://www.hse.gov.uk/chemical-classification/labelling-packaging/

4. Northern Ireland COSHH

• HSENI - Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
  Northern Ireland COSHH overview covering hazardous substances, assessment, control measures, safety data sheets, training, emergency planning, monitoring and health surveillance.
  https://www.hseni.gov.uk/topics/control-substances-hazardous-health-coshh

• HSENI - COSHH (NI): A brief guide
  A brief guide to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2003 in Northern Ireland.
  https://www.hseni.gov.uk/publications/coshh-ni-brief-guide-control-substances-hazardous-health-regulations-2003

Use these sources alongside your employer's COSHH assessments, local SOPs, safety data sheets, product labels, equipment manuals and incident reporting procedures.