Expanding foam 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.
Get the blankChoose a substance or task
- Wet cement, mortar and concrete on a house refurbishmentBricklaying and small pours. The risk is skin: dermatitis and burns.2 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Petrol for a cut-off saw and generatorRefuelling small plant on site. Fire first, then what is in the vapour.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Diesel for a dumper, generator and space heaterNot the same as petrol: a different hazard entry, skin first, and oil storage rules.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Sodium hypochlorite cleaner in the welfare cabinCleaning the toilet and cabin. Burns to skin and eyes, and gas if mixed.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Washing-up liquid and general detergentsThe right answer is a low-risk record, not a two-page assessment.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Aerosol penetrating lubricantA small can with an extremely flammable propellant, used in tight spaces.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Cutting blocks, kerbs and flags with a cut-off sawMade by the work, so no safety data sheet comes with it. Lung disease is the risk.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Sanding and sawing softwood, hardwood and MDFSecond-fix joinery. An asthma risk, and hardwood is also a cancer risk.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Solvent gloss paint and white spirit on a house refurbishmentBrushing doors and trim, then cleaning brushes. A flammable liquid with a vapour and skin risk.2 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Hydraulic oil on a mini excavator and breakerTopping up and changing a split hose. Low hazard on the sheet, but a pinhole jet can go through skin.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Cutting and sanding plasterboard on a drylining jobMade by the work, so no safety data sheet comes with the dust. Low in silica, but sanding makes a lot of it.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Solvent contact adhesive for sheet flooring and worktop laminateSpreading adhesive in a small room. Fire first, then the solvent vapour.2 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Generator and dumper exhaust at a partly enclosed basementMade by the work, so no safety data sheet comes with it. Worst in an enclosed space, or with blue or black smoke.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- Gun-grade PU foam around window framesA few cans a few times a year. A bead from a gun, not a spray. The isocyanate can cause asthma, and the can is extremely flammable.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
- A COSHH register for a house refurbishmentEvery product and dust on the job, one line each, pointing to its assessment. It does not replace them.1 page, checked 2 November 2026
Expanding foam COSHH assessment example
Gun-grade PU foam around window frames
A few cans a few times a year. A bead from a gun, not a spray. The isocyanate can cause asthma, and the can is extremely flammable.
What to change
- Your supplier’s sheet and date: codes differ, and it says when you need a filter mask
- How often: this job is occasional. If yours is not, HSE’s G402 asks for lung function testing too. Ask occupational health.
- Who uses it, and anyone with asthma or eczema
Sources
- HSE: isocyanates in construction
- HSE: health surveillance for asthma (G402)
- HSE: GB mandatory classification list
- HSE: EH40/2005 workplace exposure limits
- HSE: first aid at work (INDG347)
Checked
The same sheet as text
Worked example. Typical product. Your supplier’s safety data sheet governs.
COSHH Assessment
Hollins & Reed Contracting Ltd
- Project or siteHouse refurbishment, House 7
- Assessment refCA-014
- Date assessed5 October 2026
Substance
- Product or substanceGun-grade PU foam, MDI
- Supplieryour supplier
- SDS dateyour sheet’s date
- Form (liquid, dust…)Pressurised foam
The work
- TaskSealing new window frames
- WhereIndoors, window open beside it
- How often, how longFew times a year, under 1 hour
- Amount, used withA few cans, nothing mixed in
Hazards (H codes)
- Main: H222, H334, H351Harmful or irritant: yes. Corrosive: no. Toxic: no. Serious health hazard: yes. Cancer or asthma: yes. Flammable: yes
How it gets in
- Vapour, skin, eyesBreathing in: yes. Skin: yes. Eyes: yes. Swallowing: no. Puncture: no
Who could be harmed
- Fitter, anyone nearbyPeople doing it: yes. Others nearby: yes. Cleaners, fitters: no. Visitors, public: no. Higher risk: yes
Health effects
- May cause asthma and skin allergy: once allergic, a trace can set it off. Suspected of causing cancer. Extremely flammable.
- EH40 isocyanates 0.02 mg/m³, 0.07 over 15 minutes. Skin checks each job. Yearly breathing questionnaire, health record.
Controls
- Avoid or swap itIn place: Foam tape where it will do. Still needed: Try tape on the next job.
- Change the methodIn place: Gun, not a straw. A bead only. Cool, no flames.
- Extract at sourceIn place: Not used. Window beside it and door open. Still needed: Room that will not air: stop, ask.
- Fewer, for less timeIn place: One fitter. Nobody with asthma or eczema near.
- Washing, welfareIn place: Soap and water at breaks. No solvent on skin. Still needed: Skin cream at the cabin.
PPE: type or standard
- Nitrile gloves, goggles, overalls.Gloves: yes. Eye protection: yes. RPE: no. Overalls: yes. Boots: no
If it goes wrong
- Spill or leakWet foam: wipe up with a cloth. Cured: cut away. Bag as hazardous waste.
- FireGet out, ring 999. Cans can burst. Extinguisher only if trained and it is safe.
- First aidSkin, wet or cured: soap, water, brush, no solvent. Eyes: rinse 15 minutes. Wheeze: doctor.
Further action
- Isocyanate training recorded, breathing checks set upWho: DH. By when: Before start
Sign-off
- Assessed byDan Hollins
- Date5 October 2026
- Next review5 October 2027
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
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.