How Much Does Workplace Exposure Monitoring Cost in the UK?
2026 price guide for COSHH personal dust sampling. Worked examples for wood dust, silica, flour, grain and cement — with the lab cost and travel position laid out clearly.
A straight answer, not a sales call
Most consultancy websites won't put a price on a workplace exposure survey before you've had a "discovery call". We think that's rubbish — you need a rough budget to know whether to enquire at all. So here are typical 2026 figures for the most common COSHH dust surveys we run.
Every quote depends on the number of workers (similar-exposure groups), the substances of concern, the number of shifts, the site location and whether you need static area samples on top of personal sampling. The figures below assume a single site, a single day on site, personal sampling of all named workers, UKAS-accredited gravimetric analysis and a full written report.
Travel within mainland UK is included in the quoted fee — no per-mile surprises. Lab analysis is shown as a separate line because the laboratory bills us, and we pass that cost through with no markup.
Indicative 2026 Survey Costs
All figures are typical fixed-fee quotes including travel, sampling, lab cost and report — before VAT.
Small joinery, wood dust, 4 workers
Around £900–£1,150 + VAT. Includes 4 personal IOM-head samples across a full shift, MDHS 14/4 sampling, UKAS-accredited gravimetric analysis, written report with EH40 comparison and control recommendations.
Medium bakery, flour dust, 6 workers + 2 short-term
Around £1,200–£1,500 + VAT. 6 personal IOM-head 8-hr samples plus 2 task-specific short-term samples against the 30 mg/m³ STEL. Gravimetric analysis, written report.
Stonemason, silica, 4 workers
Around £1,100–£1,400 + VAT. 4 personal cyclone samples per MDHS 14/4, XRD respirable crystalline silica analysis per MDHS 101, gravimetric weighing, written report.
Engineered quartz worktops fabricator, silica + general respirable, 5 workers
Around £1,300–£1,600 + VAT. Dual gravimetric + XRD analysis on each filter. Critical given accelerated silicosis cases in this sector.
Concrete batching plant, dual inhalable + respirable + silica, 5 workers
Around £1,500–£1,900 + VAT. Each worker wears both an IOM head and a cyclone simultaneously, with XRD silica analysis on the cyclone filter.
Animal feed mill, grain dust, 6 workers + endotoxin
Around £1,400–£1,800 + VAT. Includes parallel endotoxin sampling on a separate polycarbonate filter and LAL assay benchmarked against the DECOS 90 EU/m³ value.
Large multi-site survey, repeat annual programme
Volume rates available. For multi-site or repeat annual surveys we offer a framework rate — typically a 15–25% discount on the per-site headline figures above.
Urgent / HSE Improvement Notice survey
Standard fixed fee + £350 expedite. Where HSE has issued an Improvement Notice, we will normally be on site within 5 working days and deliver the report within 10 working days of sampling. Expedite surcharge covers out-of-sequence calibration and same-week lab booking.
What changes the price
The main things that move a workplace exposure survey up or down the price scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a basic workplace dust survey cost?
A typical baseline survey for 4 to 8 workers in a single facility, with UKAS-accredited gravimetric analysis and a written report, ranges from around £750 to £1,500 plus VAT depending on the substance and the number of samples. See the worked examples above for the most common scenarios.
Is the lab cost included in your quote?
Yes. We quote a single fixed fee that includes all sampling, all UKAS-accredited lab analysis, the written report and travel. The lab cost is itemised on the quote so you can see what it covers, but you don't pay it separately.
Do you charge for travel?
No. Travel within mainland Britain is included in the quoted fee. Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands and Islands attract a modest travel allowance — quoted up front, never added later.
Do you offer framework rates for multi-site companies?
Yes. For companies running 5+ surveys a year across multiple sites we offer framework pricing — typically 15–25% off the headline per-site rates above.
Can I get a fixed quote without a site visit?
For most surveys, yes. A 15-minute call to scope the substances, processes and worker numbers is enough to issue a fixed quote. For unusual or high-risk operations we may need to visit first — the scoping visit is usually free of charge.