Best COSHH Assessment Software UK
5 tools for generating compliant COSHH assessments. Compared on substance databases, automation, pricing, and integration with RAMS documents.
What is a COSHH Assessment?
COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. A COSHH assessment evaluates the risks from hazardous substances in the workplace, including chemicals, dusts (wood dust, silica, cement), biological agents (Leptospirosis, Legionella), and fumes (welding, soldering). Every UK employer who uses or produces hazardous substances must carry out COSHH assessments. The assessment must identify the substance, the exposure route, the people at risk, and the control measures to reduce exposure to an acceptable level.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | swiftRMSRECOMMENDED | COSHH Essentials (HSE) | Sypol COSHH Management | HASpod COSHH Templates | AssessNET |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Included in all plans (from free) | Free | Enterprise pricing (POA) | Template packs from £49 | Enterprise pricing (POA) |
| Generation Speed | AI-generated in 2 minutes | Manual guidance (30-60 min) | Database-driven (10-20 min) | Manual (1-2 hours) | Form-based (15-30 min) |
| Substance Hazard Database | |||||
| WEL Values Included | |||||
| PPE Auto-Specification | |||||
| SDS Management | |||||
| Linked to RAMS | |||||
| PDF Export |
Tool Reviews
1. swiftRMS
BEST OVERALLGenerates COSHH assessments alongside RAMS documents. AI identifies hazardous substances from your task description and creates assessments with correct WEL values, PPE requirements, and emergency procedures. Linked to parent RAMS for project coherence.
2. COSHH Essentials (HSE)
Free tool from the HSE that provides guidance on controlling exposure to hazardous substances. Web-based questionnaire approach. Useful as a reference but does not generate formatted assessment documents.
3. Sypol COSHH Management
Specialist COSHH management software with a large substance database. Enterprise-focused with SDS management, substance approval workflows, and exposure monitoring.
4. HASpod COSHH Templates
Downloadable COSHH assessment templates in Word format. Blank forms that require manual completion with substance data, hazard information, and control measures.
5. AssessNET
Broad risk assessment platform that includes COSHH module. Enterprise software for large organisations with multiple assessment types, audit trails, and reporting.
COSHH Assessment FAQs
What must a COSHH assessment include?
Under COSHH Regulations 2002, a suitable and sufficient assessment must identify the hazardous substances present, the people who may be exposed, the nature and degree of exposure, the control measures in place, the monitoring and health surveillance requirements, and the emergency procedures. It must be reviewed regularly and whenever there is a significant change.
Can COSHH assessments be generated by AI?
Yes. AI-powered tools like swiftRMS identify hazardous substances from your task description, match them to known hazard profiles, and generate assessments with correct WEL values, PPE requirements, and control measures. The output should always be reviewed by a competent person before use.
Do I need a separate COSHH assessment for each substance?
Strictly, each hazardous substance requires its own assessment. In practice, assessments are often grouped by task (e.g., all substances used during a painting job). The assessment must cover each substance individually, including its hazard classification, exposure route, WEL if applicable, and specific controls.
What is the difference between COSHH and a risk assessment?
A risk assessment (part of RAMS) covers all hazards of a work activity: falls, manual handling, electricity, etc. A COSHH assessment specifically addresses hazardous substances: chemicals, dusts, biological agents, and fumes. COSHH is a subset of the overall risk assessment but has additional legal requirements under COSHH Regulations 2002.