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Cement and mortar COSHH assessment example

Filled COSHH assessments for the substances and dust on site. Read one, download it, then do your own from the blank or from your data sheet.

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Cement and mortar COSHH assessment example

Wet cement, mortar and concrete on a house refurbishment

Bricklaying and small pours. The risk is skin: dermatitis and burns.

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What to change

  • Your supplier’s sheet and its date
  • Where, how much and how long on your job
  • Who mixes, and who checks their skin

Sources

Checked

  1. COSHH AssessmentHollins & Reed Contracting LtdProject or siteHouse refurbishment, House 7Assessment refCA-001Date assessed5 October 2026SubstanceProduct or substanceSDS dateSupplierForm (liquid, dust…)Cement, mortar, concrete, wetyour supplieryour sheet’s datePowder, then wet pasteThe workTaskHow oftenAmount usedWhereHow long each timeUsed withMortar, blocks, small poursRear extension, outdoorsMost working daysUp to 6 hours a dayAbout 10 bags of 25 kg a weekSand, waterStorage and wasteStorageHandlingWasteDry, off the ground, oldest first: the chromate reducer only works for a limited time.Bags of 25 kg: two people or a barrow. Open bags outdoors.Set waste as builders’ rubble. Empty bags in a sealed sack.Hazards (H codes)Harmful orirritantCorrosiveToxicSerious healthhazardCancer orasthmaFlammableNo GB list entry. Yoursheet gives the codes.Exposure limitWEL, 8-hourMonitoring resultWEL, 15-minuteMeasured onInhalable 10, respirable 4 mg/m³None listedNot measuredNot measuredHow it gets inBreathing inSkinEyesSwallowingPunctureSkin, then dust from bagsWho could be harmedPeople doing itOthers nearbyCleaners, fittersVisitors, publicHigher riskBricklayer, labourer. Eczemaor allergy.Health effectsWet cement is highly alkaline: trapped on the skin it can burn quickly, and it can burn the eyes.Irritant and allergic dermatitis. Once sensitised, any exposure may trigger it. Dust irritates nose and throat.Risk of ill healthNegligibleRemotePossibleProbableMinorSignificantSeriousBefore controlsWith controlsPage 1 of 2Worked example. Typical product. Your supplier’s safety data sheet governs.
  2. COSHH AssessmentHollins & Reed Contracting LtdProject or siteHouse refurbishment, House 7Assessment refCA-001Date assessed5 October 2026ControlsIn placeStill neededAvoid or swap itChange the methodExtract at sourceFewer, for less timeWashing, welfareReady-mixed for pours. Site mixer only for mortar.Ask for pre-mixed mortar next.Long-handled tools. Knee boards when screeding.Not used: open air. Open bags outdoors, slowly.Two people only on mixing.Warm water, soap, towels. Wash at breaks andafter work.Skin cream at the cabin.PPE: type or standardGlovesEye protectionRPEOverallsBootsEN 374 nitrile or PVC gloves. Trousersover boots.If it goes wrongSpill or leakFireBreathed in or swallowedOn skin or in eyesScrape up, keep out of drains, let it set, bag it.Does not burn.Move to fresh air. Rinse mouth with water.Skin: wash off, flood for 20 minutes, treat as a burn. Eyes: flush at least 10 minutes, thenhospital.Also neededYesNoDetailNext dueExposure monitoringHealth surveillanceLEV examinationRPE face-fit testTraining, supervisionDust is brief and outdoors.Skin checks by a responsible person.WeeklyNone used.None used.Dermatitis signs, washing, gloves.Before startFurther actionWhoBy whenCheckedTrain a responsible person for skin checksDHBefore startBaseline skin check on both workersDHBefore startDateByReview: reason and changesNext review5 October2026DHFirst issue5 October2027Assessed byDan HollinsSignedDate5 October 2026Shared with workers on6 October 2026Page 2 of 2Worked example. Typical product. Your supplier’s safety data sheet governs.

The same sheet as text

Worked example. Typical product. Your supplier’s safety data sheet governs.

Sheet 1: COSHH Assessment

Hollins & Reed Contracting Ltd

  1. Project or siteHouse refurbishment, House 7
  2. Assessment refCA-001
  3. Date assessed5 October 2026

Substance

  1. Product or substanceCement, mortar, concrete, wet
  2. Supplieryour supplier
  3. SDS dateyour sheet’s date
  4. Form (liquid, dust…)Powder, then wet paste

The work

  1. TaskMortar, blocks, small pours
  2. WhereRear extension, outdoors
  3. How oftenMost working days
  4. How long each timeUp to 6 hours a day
  5. Amount usedAbout 10 bags of 25 kg a week
  6. Used withSand, water

Storage and waste

  1. StorageDry, off the ground, oldest first: the chromate reducer only works for a limited time.
  2. HandlingBags of 25 kg: two people or a barrow. Open bags outdoors.
  3. WasteSet waste as builders’ rubble. Empty bags in a sealed sack.

Hazards (H codes)

  1. No GB list entry. Your sheet gives the codes.Harmful or irritant: yes. Corrosive: yes. Toxic: no. Serious health hazard: yes. Cancer or asthma: no. Flammable: no

Exposure limit

  1. WEL, 8-hourInhalable 10, respirable 4 mg/m³
  2. WEL, 15-minuteNone listed
  3. Monitoring resultNot measured
  4. Measured onNot measured

How it gets in

  1. Skin, then dust from bagsBreathing in: yes. Skin: yes. Eyes: yes. Swallowing: no. Puncture: no

Who could be harmed

  1. Bricklayer, labourer. Eczema or allergy.People doing it: yes. Others nearby: no. Cleaners, fitters: no. Visitors, public: no. Higher risk: yes

Health effects

  1. Wet cement is highly alkaline: trapped on the skin it can burn quickly, and it can burn the eyes.
  2. Irritant and allergic dermatitis. Once sensitised, any exposure may trigger it. Dust irritates nose and throat.

Risk of ill health

  1. Before controlsNegligible: no. Remote: no. Possible: no. Probable: yes. Minor: no. Significant: yes. Serious: no
  2. With controlsNegligible: no. Remote: yes. Possible: no. Probable: no. Minor: no. Significant: yes. Serious: no

Sheet 2: COSHH Assessment

Hollins & Reed Contracting Ltd

  1. Project or siteHouse refurbishment, House 7
  2. Assessment refCA-001
  3. Date assessed5 October 2026

Controls

  1. Avoid or swap itIn place: Ready-mixed for pours. Site mixer only for mortar. Still needed: Ask for pre-mixed mortar next.
  2. Change the methodIn place: Long-handled tools. Knee boards when screeding.
  3. Extract at sourceIn place: Not used: open air. Open bags outdoors, slowly.
  4. Fewer, for less timeIn place: Two people only on mixing.
  5. Washing, welfareIn place: Warm water, soap, towels. Wash at breaks and after work. Still needed: Skin cream at the cabin.

PPE: type or standard

  1. EN 374 nitrile or PVC gloves. Trousers over boots.Gloves: yes. Eye protection: yes. RPE: no. Overalls: yes. Boots: yes

If it goes wrong

  1. Spill or leakScrape up, keep out of drains, let it set, bag it.
  2. FireDoes not burn.
  3. Breathed in or swallowedMove to fresh air. Rinse mouth with water.
  4. On skin or in eyesSkin: wash off, flood for 20 minutes, treat as a burn. Eyes: flush at least 10 minutes, then hospital.

Also needed

  1. Exposure monitoringYes: no. No: yes. Detail: Dust is brief and outdoors.
  2. Health surveillanceYes: yes. No: no. Detail: Skin checks by a responsible person. Next due: Weekly
  3. LEV examinationYes: no. No: yes. Detail: None used.
  4. RPE face-fit testYes: no. No: yes. Detail: None used.
  5. Training, supervisionYes: yes. No: no. Detail: Dermatitis signs, washing, gloves. Next due: Before start

Further action

  1. Train a responsible person for skin checksWho: DH. By when: Before start
  2. Baseline skin check on both workersWho: DH. By when: Before start

Date

  1. 5 October 2026By: DH. Review: reason and changes: First issue. Next review: 5 October 2027

Sign-off

  1. Assessed byDan Hollins
  2. Date5 October 2026
  3. Shared with workers on6 October 2026

What a filled COSHH assessment shows

Five things, in this order.

  • The substance and its H codes

    From the supplier’s sheet, with its date. The sheet is your source; the form records what you did with it.

  • The work: how much, how often, how long

    What is done, where, how much, how often and how long. The same product can be a different risk on a different job.

  • Who and how it gets in

    The person doing it, anyone nearby, anyone at higher risk, and the routes in.

  • Controls in regulation 7 order, then PPE

    Avoid it first, then change the method, extract, limit, and only then gloves and masks.

  • What else is needed and when it is reviewed

    Monitoring, health checks, extraction tests and training, each with a date, then a review date.

Two ways to do your COSHH assessment

By hand on this form, or starting from the data sheet.

Paper sheet

  • Fill it by hand or on screen
  • You read the sheet yourself
  • Each new product starts blank

SDS to Excel converter

  • Start from the supplier’s PDF
  • Get a hazard summary to work from
  • It reads the sheet; the assessment is still yours
See SDS to Excel converter

COSHH example questions

Is this the assessment for my product?

No. Each one is a typical substance on a made-up job. Yours needs your supplier’s sheet, your amounts and your people.

Why no brand names?

Formulas differ and change, so no example speaks for a company’s product. If you searched for Fairy or WD-40, the washing-up and aerosol examples are the closest. Read the sheet for the one you hold.

Where do the numbers come from?

Hazard codes from the GB mandatory classification list where it has an entry, and exposure limits from EH40. Controls follow HSE guidance where HSE has a sheet for the task, and general practice where it does not. Each example lists its sources.

Can I copy an example?

Use it to see the level of detail, then write your own from your sheet. A form copied unchanged is not an assessment of your work.

Which form for a low-risk product?

The low-risk record, as in the washing-up example. If a label warns of more than eye or skin irritation, or you use it neat for long, use a full assessment instead.

Does it cover asbestos or lead?

No. Both have their own regulations, and COSHH does not apply to them in the same way. Take specialist advice.

Where is the blank?

On the COSHH assessment template, with your logo and the sections you need.