COSHH: The Competent person

Enquiries received by the Royal Society of Chemistry indicate there is a need for a brief outline of what is meant by a "competent person" to carry out assessments for the purposes of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health [COSHH] Regulations. 

This Note is designed to answer this need. It does not pretend to be a full or definitive guide and readers are urged to obtain more detailed guidance if this is required. 

A competent person under COSHH is somebody with the skill, knowledge, practical experience and training to enable him/her to assess the risks arising from work activities involving substances hazardous to health. A competent person is usually an employee appointed from within an organisation and does not need to be an expert. However, they should be aware of their own limitations and should know when they need to call on specialist expert advice from either inside or outside the organisation.