COSHH Assessment — Engine and Parts Degreaser¶
Corrected against the container label — the eye hazard was not controlled
The can was photographed on 24/09/2026. Halfords Engine & Parts Degreaser, product code 621525, and the label carries two pictograms: flame and corrosion. The back of the can is an eye-damage first-aid instruction — "IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water... Remove contact lenses" — not a skin-irritant one.
The supplier sheet agrees. Halfords Ltd, revision 1.02 of 18 May 2026, written to UK REACH: Danger, H222, H229, H318, causes serious eye damage, from Serious Eye Damage Category 1, on aliphatic hydrocarbons at 30% or more with an n-butane propellant.
Revision 1 of this assessment carried none of that. It was written from the hydrocarbon-degreaser product class: H226, H304, H315, H336 and H411, with the exclamation-mark, health-hazard and environment pictograms. Not one of those five codes is on the can, and the one code that is — H318 — was missing.
This is the correction that mattered. Revision 1 specified safety glasses or goggles for a product that causes serious eye damage and sprays upside down. The PPE below is corrected to chemical splash goggles to BS EN 166, a face shield for overhead spraying, and an eye-wash station within reach before spraying starts.
One item is still open, and it does not affect the classification. The cabinet was recorded as holding a 650 ml container and the only Halfords listing is a 500 ml aerosol. The can in the photograph is the Halfords product either way, so the classification stands; the size is a quantity and storage question.
Corrected revision signed 29/09/2026. Jason May to confirm the can size and that splash goggles and an eye-wash are in place before the next use — target 31/10/2026.
| Ref | Revision | Issue Date | Next Review | Assessor | Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COSHH_30 | 1 | 25 September 2026 | 1 June 2027 | Sean Ashton | Aaron Mason, Director |
Key references
COSHH_30 on the COSHH Register (APP_09)
Halfords Ltd sheet for Engine & Parts Degreaser, product 621525, revision 1.02 of 18/05/2026, filed 27/09/2026. The GB supplier's current sheet, agreeing with the container label on Danger, H222, H229, H318. The classification in this assessment is corrected to it.
1. Product identification¶
| Product name | Halfords Engine & Parts Degreaser (aerosol) — product code 621525 |
| Supplier | Halfords Ltd, Icknield Street Drive, Washford West, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 0DE |
| Active ingredients / CAS | Hydrocarbons, C11-C14, n-alkanes, isoalkanes, cyclics, less than 2% aromatics; isotridecanol, ethoxylated; amides, C8-18 and C18-unsaturated, N,N-bis(hydroxyethyl); n-butane propellant at 10%. Aliphatic hydrocarbons at 30% or more |
| Physical form | Aerosol |
| Appearance / odour | Clear liquid spray, solvent odour |
| Use | Degreasing engines, plant components and parts before maintenance or inspection |
| Location | Jason May's COSHH cabinet, AMWS yard |
2. Hazard classification¶
Overall classification: Aerosol 1 and Serious Eye Damage 1. Read from the container label photographed 24/09/2026. The supplier sheet, revision 1.02 of 18/05/2026, records the same classification. Revision 1 of this assessment carried a generic hydrocarbon-degreaser profile instead, which is corrected below.
Signal word: Danger
Hazard statements (H-codes)¶
| Code | Statement |
|---|---|
| H222 | Extremely flammable aerosol. |
| H229 | Pressurised container: may burst if heated. |
| H318 | Causes serious eye damage. |
The supplier sheet also records at section 2.3 that the product causes mild skin irritation, below the threshold for classification as H315. Gloves remain specified for that reason.
Precautionary statements (key P-codes)¶
| Code | Statement |
|---|---|
| P102 | Keep out of reach of children. |
| P210 | Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking. |
| P211 | Do not spray on an open flame or other ignition source. |
| P251 | Do not pierce or burn, even after use. |
| P261 | Avoid breathing vapour or spray. |
| P271 | Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. |
| P280 | Wear eye protection and face protection. |
| P305+P351+P338 | IF IN EYES: rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing. |
| P310 | Immediately call a POISON CENTRE or doctor. |
| P410+P412 | Protect from sunlight. Do not expose to temperatures exceeding 50 °C. |
| P501 | Dispose of contents and container in accordance with national regulations. |
GHS pictograms¶
| Oxidising | Explosive | Flammable | Toxic | Harmful | Corrosive | Human Health | Dangerous for environment | Gas under pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | ☐ | ☑ | ☐ | ☐ | ☑ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
3. Persons at risk¶
| Staff | Public | Visitors | Contractor | Workers | Young / Pregnant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☑ | ☐ | ☐ | ☑ | ☑ | ☐ |
4. Routes of exposure¶
- Inhalation: Solvent vapour and spray mist. Narcotic effects at concentration — the risk rises sharply in an enclosed space
- Skin contact: Defatting and irritation; repeated contact causes dermatitis. Degreasers strip skin oils by design
- Eye contact: Irritation on splash or spray
- Ingestion: May be fatal if swallowed and aspirated. Never decant into a drinks container
5. Workplace exposure limits (HSE EH40/2005)¶
| Component | STD | 8-hr TWA | 15-min STEL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrocarbon solvent | — | Product-specific — confirm from the SDS | Product-specific | Typically in the region of 1200 mg/m³ for an aliphatic naphtha |
| Oil mist, mineral | — | 5 mg/m³ | 10 mg/m³ | EH40/2005, where degreasing generates mist |
6. Frequency and duration of exposure¶
COSHH Regulation 6 requires the assessment to consider the amount, level and duration of exposure.
| Amount used | Times per day | Duration per use |
|---|---|---|
| Medium — litres | 1–5 times per day | 6–30 minutes |
7. Control measures — hierarchy of controls¶
Elimination / substitution
- Ask the supplier for a water-based or citrus-based degreaser. For most yard degreasing this is a straight swap and it removes both the flammability and the eye-damage hazard
Engineering controls
- Degrease outdoors or with the workshop door open — never in a closed unit
- Parts washed over a tray so run-off is captured, not on the yard surface
- Run-off must not reach the yard drain. The product is not classified as aquatic-toxic, but it is a hydrocarbon solvent and a discharge to a surface-water drain is still a pollution incident
Administrative controls
- Never decant into an unlabelled or drinks container
- No hot work or smoking in the area while degreasing
- Spill kit within reach
- Contaminated rags to the hazardous waste route, not general waste
Personal protective equipment
-
Chemical splash goggles to BS EN 166, not safety glasses. The product causes serious eye damage and the spray works upside down, so an overhead or rebounding spray is a foreseeable eye exposure. Where the spray is directed above shoulder height, a face shield over the goggles
-
Nitrile gloves — check for degradation, solvents attack glove material
- Overalls; change out of solvent-soaked clothing immediately
- Eye-wash station within reach before any spraying starts. See APP_18
8. Storage and handling¶
| Temperature | Ambient; away from heat and ignition sources |
| Location | Yard COSHH cabinet, bunded, away from oxidisers |
| Avoid | Heat, sparks, open flame, strong oxidisers; food and drink containers |
| Container | Original labelled container, closed |
9. Emergency procedures¶
First aid¶
| Route | Action |
|---|---|
| Eyes | Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses if present. Seek medical advice if irritation persists. |
| Skin | Remove contaminated clothing. Wash with plenty of soap and water. Seek medical advice if irritation persists. |
| Inhalation | Move to fresh air and keep at rest. Seek medical advice if breathing is uncomfortable. |
| Ingestion | DO NOT induce vomiting — aspiration risk. Rinse mouth. Call 999. Take the container to hospital. |
Spillage¶
Protect the drain before anything else — this product is toxic to aquatic life. Absorb with inert absorbent, bag as hazardous waste. Eliminate ignition sources. Report to the Site Supervisor and record under SOP 8.1.
Fire prevention¶
Flammable. Keep away from ignition sources. Foam, dry powder or CO₂. Do not use a water jet — it spreads the pool.
Emergency contacts¶
- Emergency services: 999
- NHS non-emergency: 111
- AMWS supervisor: Jason May
- HSQE support: Sean Ashton (Onyx Operations)
10. Waste disposal¶
Hazardous waste, EWC 14 06 03 or 13 02 05 depending on the contaminant load. Authorised contractor with a consignment note. Contaminated absorbent and rags follow the same route.
11. Risk rating¶
| Before controls | With controls |
|---|---|
| High | Low |
Risk rating methodology: Severity × Likelihood = Risk (S × L = R). See POL_HSQE_21 — Risk Assessment for the full scoring matrix.
12. Training requirements¶
- Solvent safety and ventilation
- Drain protection and spill response — SOP 9.3
- Dermatitis awareness and glove selection
- Substitution review — water-based alternatives
13. Assessment outcome¶
| Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Safe to proceed with existing control measures | ☐ |
| Safe to proceed with additional actions | ☑ |
| Unsafe — do not proceed | ☐ |
14. Monitoring and review¶
- Weekly COSHH cabinet inspection by the Site Supervisor
- Annual COSHH review, or sooner on change of product, supplier or task
- Review immediately if the SDS obtained differs from the profile assumed above
15. References¶
- POL_HSQE_08 — COSHH Policy
- POL_HSQE_19 — Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Policy
- SOP 8.5 — Hazardous Substances (COSHH)
- SOP 8.7 — Health Surveillance
- APP_09 — COSHH Assessments Log
- HSE COSHH Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2677, as amended)
- HSE EH40/2005 Workplace Exposure Limits
- CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (as retained in UK law)
16. Signatures¶
| Name | Signature | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessor | Sean Ashton, HSQE Consultant | 08/09/2026 | |
| Supervisor | Jason May, Site Supervisor | ||
| Approved by | Aaron Mason, Director | Signed by S. Ashton for and on behalf of the Director, under delegated authority | 29/09/2026 |
| User acknowledgement |
This assessment must be reviewed annually or when circumstances change — whichever is sooner.
Method statements¶
No field method statement calls up this substance.
It is a fleet, plant-maintenance, office or welfare item rather than something used in carrying out a field task. The method statements held on the Van Packs site cover field operations; substances used on the vehicles, in the yard workshop or in the office are controlled by this assessment and by SOP 8.5 alone.
Related documents¶
This assessment is one of thirty held under APP_09. The substance-specific controls are above; the system that maintains them is below.
- POL_HSQE_08 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
- POL_HSQE_19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- SOP 8.5 Hazardous Substances (COSHH)
- SOP 8.4 Personal Protective Equipment
- SOP 8.7 Health Surveillance
- SOP 9.5 Hazardous Management of Waste
- APP_09 COSHH Assessments Register
- APP_10 Legal & Compliance Requirements Register with Evaluation
- RA_HO_15 PPE Management
Standard applied: COSHH Regulations 2002 (undated reference), with workplace exposure limits taken from HSE EH40/2005 and hazard classification from GB CLP. Referenced undated so a new edition does not force a re-issue of every assessment.