Thick bleach COSHH assessment guide

Cleaners, kitchens and care homes use thick bleach every day. This sheet classifies it as causing severe skin burns and eye damage, and it carries the warning that mixing it with other products releases dangerous gases, including chlorine.

Taken from the Country Range Thick Bleach (4.37% sodium hypochlorite) safety data sheet from The Country Range Group Ltd, revision 16 January 2023. Open the data sheet. Formulas differ between products, so check against the sheet for the product you actually buy. Strength and classification differ between brands, and this sheet was revised in January 2023. Its skin and eye first aid says to get medical attention if irritation persists, while the same sheet classifies the product H314 and carries P310. Treat a burn or eye contact as urgent.

Hazards on the data sheet

Signal word: Danger.

H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
H400 Very toxic to aquatic life.
H411 Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
H290 May be corrosive to metals.
EUH206 Warning! Do not use together with other products. May release dangerous gases (chlorine).

Precautions

P273 Avoid release to the environment.
P280 Wear protective gloves/ protective clothing/ eye protection/ face protection.
P301+P330+P331 IF SWALLOWED: Rinse mouth. Do NOT induce vomiting.
P303+P361+P353 IF ON SKIN (or hair): Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water or shower.
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 CENTER/ doctor.

Workplace exposure limit

EH40/2005 has no entry for sodium hypochlorite. This sheet prints 0.5 ppm and 1.5 mg/m³ against sodium hypochlorite, but those are EH40's 15-minute figures for chlorine, so we don't show them as a bleach limit.

PPE

Eyes	Tight-fitting safety glasses, unless the risk assessment indicates a higher degree of protection is required.
Hands	Chemical-resistant, impervious gloves if a risk assessment indicates skin contact is possible: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Rubber (natural, latex). A break through time of >60 minutes is suggested.
Breathing	Respiratory protection not required.
Skin	Wear appropriate clothing to prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact. Use appropriate skin cream to prevent drying of skin.

First aid

Eyes	Remove any contact lenses and open eyelids wide apart. Continue to rinse for at least 15 minutes. Get medical attention if irritation persists after washing. Rinse immediately with plenty of water.
Skin	Remove contaminated clothing. Get medical attention if irritation persists after washing. Rinse immediately with plenty of water.
Breathed in	Move affected person to fresh air at once. Get medical attention if any discomfort continues. Rinse nose and mouth with water.
Swallowed	Do not induce vomiting. Rinse mouth thoroughly with water. Give plenty of water to drink. Keep affected person under observation. Get medical attention if any discomfort continues.

Storage, spills and what to keep it away from

Storage	Store in tightly-closed, original container in a dry, cool and well-ventilated place. Protect from light. Store away from acids. Store at temperatures between 5°C and 25°C.
Spills	Stop leak if safe to do so. Absorb in vermiculite, dry sand or earth and place into containers; do not use sawdust or other combustible material. Provide adequate ventilation. Flush contaminated area with plenty of water. Do not discharge into drains or watercourses or onto the ground.
Keep away from	Acids. Ammonia. Organic compounds. Some metals. Nickel. Iron. Copper.

What your assessment still has to cover

Record which rooms it is used in and whether they have ventilation, how staff dilute or decant it, and which other cleaning products are kept alongside it. The sheet says not to use it with other products, and lists acids and ammonia among the materials to avoid.

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