Do I need a risk assessment for every hazardous substance?
Yes. EU law requires every employer to assess the risks of every hazardous substance workers can be exposed to, even if they do not work with it themselves. The depth may differ: a well-founded estimate is often enough, and a measurement is only needed when that estimate does not suffice.
Source: Directive 98/24/EC art. 4; in the Netherlands: Arbobesluit art. 4.2Last checked on 31 October 2026
What the law says
Article 4 of the Chemical Agents Directive (98/24/EC) requires every employer in the EU to assess the risks of the hazardous chemical agents present, taking into account their hazardous properties, the supplier's information, the level, type and duration of exposure, and the working conditions including quantities. In the Netherlands article 4.2 of the Arbobesluit applies as soon as workers can be exposed to hazardous substances, even if nobody works with them directly. The employer establishes which substances are involved, what their hazards are, in which situations and in what way exposure can occur, and how high that exposure is. That level is determined with a standardised measurement or another suitable measuring or calculation method, and compared with the limit value where one exists for the substance. The assessment is reviewed regularly, and in any case for new work and changed circumstances.
What this means in practice
Assessing every substance does not mean assessing every substance to the same depth. The usual approach works in steps. First, everything is in the register. Then each product gets a short screening based on the SDS and a few facts about the work: how much, how often, open or closed, with or without skin contact. For a large share of products that is enough. A smaller share needs an estimate of the risk for inhalation, skin contact and fire and explosion. Only where the risk stays high or exposure may come close to the limit value is a quantitative assessment or a measurement needed. Record the outcome and the measures taken per product, and review the assessment on a new SDS or a change in the way of working. The expert still decides; the stepwise approach makes sure most of the time goes to the substances that need it.
How Chemspark does it
Chemspark takes the hazard from the SDS; you answer a few questions about the work per product, and the screening gives one of three outcomes: safe, qualitative assessment needed or in-depth assessment needed. The qualitative assessment gives a risk level per route, and the quantitative assessment compares the calculated exposure with the limit value from the SDS. A high risk stays open until a measure is recorded. Read more about the risk assessment in Chemspark.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to measure exposure?
- Not by default. The law asks you to determine exposure with a measurement or another suitable calculation method, so a well-founded calculation or estimate is often enough. Measuring becomes necessary when the estimate is not reliable enough or exposure may lie close to the limit value; EN 689 describes how.
- How often must the assessment be reviewed?
- Regularly, and in any case for new work and when something changes that calls for it, such as a new SDS version with a different classification or a different way of working. A fixed rhythm, yearly for example, makes the review a routine instead of a reaction to an incident.
- Can I assess products with the same use together?
- Partly. The work only needs to be described once when products are used in the same way, but the hazard, and so the outcome, still differs per product.
Read more
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