Cement COSHH sheet

Also called Portland cement, general purpose cement.

Builders, landscapers and maintenance teams mix cement for mortar and concrete. This sheet classifies it as causing serious eye damage, skin irritation and respiratory irritation. Wet cement is alkaline, which is why the sheet asks for watertight, alkali-resistant gloves.

Taken from the Common Cements, including bagged general purpose cement safety data sheet from Heidelberg Materials UK (formerly Hanson Cement), revision 10 January 2024. Open the data sheet. Formulas differ between products, so check against the sheet for the product you actually buy. The document prints version 10, January 2024, and cites EU wording. Its label leaves out the skin sensitiser statement H317 because a chromate reducer keeps soluble chromium(VI) low. Page checked against the sheet on 14 November 2026.

Hazards on the data sheet

Signal word: Danger.

H318 Causes serious eye damage
H315 Causes skin irritation
H335 May cause respiratory irritation

Precautions

P280 Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection.
P305+P351+P338+P310 IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing. Immediately call a POISON CENTRE or doctor/physician.
P302+P352+P333+P313 IF ON SKIN: Wash with plenty of soap and water. If skin irritation or rash occurs: Get medical advice/attention.
P261+P304+P340+P312 Avoid breathing dust. IF INHALED: Remove victim to fresh air and keep at rest in a position comfortable for breathing. Call a POISON CENTRE or doctor/physician if you feel unwell.
P501 Dispose of product/packaging by hardening with the application of water and dispose of as concrete waste.

Workplace exposure limit

Long-term (8-hour): 10 mg/m³ inhalable dust and 4 mg/m³ respirable dust, from EH40/2005's Portland cement entry. No short-term limit. The products contain under 1% crystalline silica; EH40's limit for respirable crystalline silica is 0.1 mg/m³ (8-hour).

PPE

Eyes	Approved glasses or safety goggles to EN 166 when handling dry or wet cement.
Hands	Watertight, wear- and alkali-resistant gloves (e.g. nitrile soaked cotton gloves with UKCA marking) internally lined with cotton. Nitrile impregnated cotton gloves (c. 0.15 mm) give sufficient protection over 480 minutes, subject to wear; change damaged or soaked gloves immediately.
Breathing	Above exposure limits, respiratory protection to EN 149 suited to the dust level; the section 8 table specifies P1, P2 or P3 masks by task.
Skin	Boots, closed long-sleeved protective clothing, skin care products including barrier creams; waterproof trousers or kneepads when laying concrete or screed. Do not let wet cement enter boots; avoid kneeling in fresh mortar or concrete.

First aid

Eyes	Do not rub. Remove contact lenses. Flush immediately with plenty of clean water for at least 20 minutes, eyelids held open; isotonic water (0.9 % NaCl) if possible. Contact an occupational medicine or eye specialist.
Skin	Dry cement: remove and rinse abundantly with water. Wet cement: wash skin with plenty of water. Remove contaminated clothing, footwear, watches. Seek medical treatment for any irritation or burns.
Breathed in	Move to fresh air. Contact a physician if irritation, coughing or other symptoms persist or develop later.
Swallowed	Do not induce vomiting. If conscious, wash out mouth and give plenty of water. Get immediate medical attention or contact the poison centre.

Storage, spills and what to keep it away from

Storage	Packed products: unopened bags, clear of the ground, cool and dry, protected from draught, stacked stably. Bulk: waterproof, dry, clean silos (engulfment hazard). Do not use aluminium containers for wet cement mixtures. The chromate reducer loses effect over time; observe the storage period on the bag.
Spills	Collect dry where possible by vacuum or vacuum extraction (HEPA/EPA filters); never compressed air; or wet methods. Wet cement: collect, allow to harden. Keep out of drains and water.
Keep away from	Acids, ammonium salts, aluminium or other non-noble metals. Uncontrolled use of aluminium powder in wet cement should be avoided as hydrogen is produced.

What your assessment still has to cover

Record who opens and tips bags, whether mixing happens in the open or an enclosed space, and how dust is controlled. Note skin contact with wet mix, such as kneeling in concrete or cement inside boots and gloves, and where clean water for eyes and skin is kept.

Fill these in for your own workplace. HSE lists them as the points an assessment considers. For a full form, use the COSHH assessment template.

Workplace and location
Task and how the product is used
Who is exposed, including anyone more at risk
How often and for how long
Controls already in place
Further action needed, by whom and by when
Assessed by, and date
Review date

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