Your legal obligation
What the law requires from self-employed florists
Self-employed florists face some of the most specific COSHH requirements of any retail trade. Floral foam - oasis - is classified as a potential human carcinogen and the fine synthetic fibres released when it is cut or soaked present inhalation risks. Fresh cut flowers carry pesticide residues from their growing and supply chain that create skin and inhalation exposure during handling. Many florists also use aerosol finishing sprays, adhesives, and wiring products that contain hazardous substances. || Cutting tools - floristry knives and scissors - are used constantly throughout the working day and create sharp tool injury risks. Manual handling of heavy buckets of water and large floral arrangements creates musculoskeletal risks. || A COSHH assessment covering floral foam, pesticide-treated flowers, and all chemical products used in floristry, alongside a thorough risk assessment, are both required.
The real problem
Florists are among the trades with the most specific COSHH requirements but the lowest documentation rates
The combination of floral foam, pesticide exposure from commercially grown flowers, and regular use of adhesives and sprays makes floristry one of the more chemically complex sole trader occupations. Yet COSHH documentation in the floristry industry is almost entirely absent. CompliantDocs generates floristry-specific documentation from your answers.
2 hours
What it takes to produce florist compliance documentation. Our service handles it in minutes.