Reviewing and Record Keeping (21876)

When you carry out a risk assessment, you should make a record of significant findings and include:

• The hazards
• How people might be harmed by them
• What you have in place to control the risks
• Recommendations and suggestions for improvement
• Details of how and when improvements will be implemented

Any record should be simple and focused on controls.

If you have fewer than five employees you do not have to write anything down, but it is useful to do this so you can review it later, for example, if something changes.

In organisations with more than 5 employees it is a legal requirement to keep a formal record of assessments.

Review Regularly

There is no legal time frame for when you should review your risk assessment but as a guide, an annual review is recommended.

Remember that a risk assessment is a working document; changes in the workplace may require changes to working practices to ensure the health and safety of employees.

Reviews should take place when:

• Procedures are revised
• Workplace layout changes
• There are changes to the Task, Individual, Load or Environment
• New equipment is introduced
• The law changes
• An accident or near miss occurs