What COSHH assessments do UK cleaning companies need?

UK cleaning companies need a separate COSHH assessment for every hazardous chemical used, typically bleach (sodium hypochlorite), caustic oven cleaner (sodium hydroxide), acid descaler (hydrochloric acid), IPA sanitiser, ammonia-based glass cleaner, and heavy-duty degreasers.

Why do commercial cleaning contracts require COSHH paperwork?

Facilities managers, hospitals, schools, and large offices require COSHH assessments as part of pre-contract vendor due diligence. Missing COSHH paperwork has cost UK cleaning businesses contracts worth thousands of pounds.

What is the most dangerous mixing risk in cleaning?

Mixing bleach with toilet cleaner (acid) produces chlorine gas, potentially fatal at high concentrations. Mixing bleach with ammonia glass cleaner produces chloramine gas causing severe respiratory injury. Every cleaning company COSHH assessment must cover these incompatibilities.

COSHH for Cleaning Companies UK 2026, Bleach, Degreasers, Descalers

The chemicals every UK cleaning business needs COSHH assessments for

MEDIUM

Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach)

The number one cleaning chemical. Corrosive Category 1B. Never mix with acid-based products (chlorine gas) or ammonia (chloramine gas).

HIGH

Sodium Hydroxide (Oven/Drain Cleaner)

Caustic soda. Severe burns possible with delayed onset. Requires full PPE, eye damage may not be apparent for up to 72 hours.

MEDIUM-HIGH

Hydrochloric Acid (Descaler)

Toilet descaler, limescale remover. Corrosive with vapour inhalation risk. Never in confined space without ventilation.

MEDIUM

Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)

Surface sanitiser and disinfectant. Highly flammable. Requires ventilation and no ignition sources.

MEDIUM

Ammonia-based Cleaners

Glass cleaners, general purpose. Respiratory irritant. Store separately from bleach.

MEDIUM

Heavy-duty Degreasers

Kitchen and industrial degreasers. Skin and eye irritants. Alkaline formulations require specific PPE.

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Why cleaning company COSHH matters for contracts

Most commercial cleaning contracts require you to provide COSHH assessments as part of the pre-contract vendor pack. Facilities managers, hospital procurement, schools, and any large office block will ask for:

A separate COSHH assessment for every chemical your staff will use on their site
Emergency procedures that include their site's specific first-aid arrangements
Evidence of annual review with sign-off from a named competent person
PPE specifications matching your risk ratings
Spillage procedures, increasingly asked about since 2020 hygiene focus

Missing COSHH paperwork has cost UK cleaning businesses contracts worth thousands. It's no longer an optional back-office task, it's a sales prerequisite.

The mixing danger, number one cause of UK cleaner injuries

The HSE consistently reports that the most common cleaning-chemical incidents involve accidental mixing:

Bleach + toilet cleaner (acid) = chlorine gas (potentially fatal at high concentration)
Bleach + ammonia glass cleaner = chloramine gas (severe respiratory injury)
Caustic (oven cleaner) + acid descaler = violent exothermic reaction with splashing
Isopropyl alcohol + oxidiser = fire risk

Every one of these should be explicitly covered in the incompatibility section of your COSHH assessment. Our generator pre-fills these warnings for the relevant substances.