COSHH register template Excel — track every substance on site
Need a COSHH register template Excel file before a site audit? Here is what the register is for, how it differs from a COSHH assessment, and an editable workbook you can download now.
Register vs assessment vs inventory
People search all three. They are not the same document.
- A COSHH assessment is one substance, one task: hazards, who is exposed, controls, review.
- A COSHH inventory is the list of hazardous substances on site.
- A COSHH register is the tracker: which substances you hold, whether each has an assessment and a safety data sheet, and when they were last reviewed.
Principal contractors usually want the Excel register plus a completed assessment for anything in use that week.
What the COSHH Regulations actually require
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, employers must prevent or adequately control exposure to hazardous substances, and assess the risk before work starts.
The regulations do not name a specific Excel file. In practice, sites ask for a written record they can audit: what is on site, where it is stored, and proof each item has been assessed. That record is the register.
If a product has a safety data sheet or a hazard pictogram, it belongs on the register. On construction sites that usually includes cement, silica dust from cutting, solvents, adhesives, fuels, oils, paints and welding fume.
What the Excel template must let you record
- Substance name, supplier and typical use
- Hazard classification and whether an SDS is on file
- Location and quantity on site
- Date of the COSHH assessment and the next review
- Who is responsible
Excel is what people type because they need filters, sort, and more than one row. A Word assessment is the wrong format for a live register.
Which one to buy
- Live tracker: the COSHH register template (Excel) at £7.99.
- Multiple assessments in one workbook: the COSHH assessment Excel workbook at £7.99.
- Simple list of what is on site: the COSHH inventory template at £3.99.
- One substance tonight: the COSHH assessment template at £3.99.
- Documents all year: membership at £69/year.
Start from the template, then add the substances you actually use. A blank register with no site list is not an assessment.
For the legal background, read COSHH assessments explained.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I download a COSHH register template in Excel?
SafetyPod sells an editable COSHH register workbook for £7.99. Instant email download, no subscription. Membership is £69/year if you need documents all year.
Is a COSHH register a legal requirement?
COSHH 2002 requires you to assess and control exposure. It does not name a specific Excel register. Most principal contractors still ask for a written register of substances, assessments and safety data sheets.
What is the difference between a COSHH register and a COSHH assessment?
The assessment covers one substance and the controls for that task. The register is the site list that shows every substance, whether it has been assessed, and when it is due for review.
Why Excel instead of Word?
A register is a living list. Excel lets you add rows, filter by location, and see review dates. Word is better for a single COSHH assessment.