My employer gives us gloves. Isn't that enough?

No. Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), gloves and other personal protective equipment such as masks should only be used as a last resort.

Your employer must do a risk assessment (see workSMART's section on hazards and risks), decide what precautions they need to take, and then prevent or adequately control your exposure.

The Regulations expect employers to use a 'hierarchy of controls', which means that in the first instance your employer should:

• Change the work process to eliminate the chemical.
• Substitute the chemical for a safer one.
• Protect you from exposure to it by enclosing the process.
• Provide adequate ventilation.
• Only then should your employer rely on personal protective equipment to prevent exposure.

For certain chemicals, the law sets a limit on the amount you should be exposed to. These chemicals and their workplace exposure limits (WELs) are listed annually in a Health and Safety Executive booklet called EH40. Whether or not a chemical is listed in EH40 depends on whether enough is known about its effects to set an exposure limit, so there are many substances not listed in EH40 that are also harmful to your health.

Special requirements apply to your employer if you use chemicals that cause cancer (called 'carcinogens'), lead or asbestos.

Your employer also has special legal duties to protect new or expectant mothers. See workSMART's section on women's health for more information.

Good hygiene is important if you work with chemicals – you should not eat, drink or smoke in areas that chemicals are used (smoking is now banned in enclosed public places in the UK), and you should always wash your hands first.