How do I create a COSHH assessment for hospitality & food service?

With COSHH.app, you can scan chemical labels using AI, automatically retrieve Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and generate inspection-ready COSHH reports aligned with HSE guidance in minutes — pre-configured for hospitality & food service hazards and requirements.

COSHH Assessment for Hospitality & Food Service — UK Industry Guide

Industries in Hospitality & Food Service

🍽️

Restaurants & Cafés

Sanitiser Degreaser Oven cleaner Bleach

🍺

Pubs, Bars & Nightclubs

Line cleaner Glass wash Sanitiser CO2 gas

🏨

Hotels & B&Bs

Cleaning products Laundry chemicals Disinfectant

🎪

Catering & Event Catering

Sanitiser Degreaser Washing up liquid

🍔

Takeaways & Fast Food

Oven cleaner Degreaser Sanitiser Drain cleaner

🥐

Bakeries & Patisseries

Flour dust Cleaning chemicals Oven cleaner

☕

Coffee Shops

Descaler Sanitiser Cleaning products

🚚

Food Trucks & Street Food

Sanitiser Degreaser LPG gas

Common Hazardous Substances

These are the most commonly encountered hazardous substances across hospitality & food service workplaces. Each substance requires a specific COSHH assessment covering exposure routes, control measures, and PPE.

BleachCO2 gasCleaning chemicalsCleaning productsDegreaserDescalerDisinfectantDrain cleanerFlour dustGlass washLPG gasLaundry chemicalsLine cleanerOven cleanerSanitiserWashing up liquid

COSHH Requirements for Hospitality & Food Service

Risk Assessment

Identify all hazardous substances used in your hospitality & food service workplace and assess the risk of exposure to employees, contractors, and visitors.

Control Measures

Implement appropriate controls following the hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE as a last resort.

Health Surveillance

Where substances may cause occupational diseases (e.g. dermatitis, asthma), health surveillance programmes must be in place.

Training & Records

All staff must be trained on the hazards they face, how to use controls properly, and what to do in an emergency. Keep records of all training.

How COSHH.app Helps Hospitality & Food Service Businesses

Creating COSHH assessments manually is time-consuming and error-prone. COSHH.app streamlines the entire process for hospitality & food service businesses:

Scan chemical labels — Use your phone camera to scan any chemical label. Our AI extracts the product name, GHS symbols, hazard statements, and precautionary statements automatically.
Automatic SDS retrieval — We cross-reference the identified chemical against Safety Data Sheet databases to pull in detailed safety information including Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs).
Generate compliant reports — Our AI generates a comprehensive COSHH report covering all 15 sections recommended by the HSE, tailored to your specific workplace and industry.
Train your staff — Assign training modules to team members and track completion with digital sign-off records.

Whether you're a sole trader or a large organisation, COSHH.app makes chemical safety compliance straightforward and affordable. Learn more about COSHH requirements or get started free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a COSHH assessment for hospitality & food service?

Yes. Under the COSHH Regulations 2002, any UK business in hospitality & food service that uses, stores, or produces hazardous substances must carry out a suitable and sufficient COSHH risk assessment.

What are the most common chemical hazards in hospitality & food service?

The most common hazardous substances include Bleach, CO2 gas, Cleaning chemicals, Cleaning products, Degreaser, Descaler. Each requires specific control measures documented in a COSHH assessment.

How often should I review my COSHH assessments?

At least annually, or when there is a change in work processes, new substances are introduced, or following an incident.

COSHH Assessment for Hospitality & Food Service