How long to keep old risk assessment forms

Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 2:25 pm

I am just having a tidy out of my desk and have found risk assessment forms from 2006. These have all been reviewed and revised and are no longer 'working' documents. Therefore is there any legal requirement for me to keep them for a specific period of time and if so what is it?

I am aware that in some cases, there is a set time limit for record keeping eg. occupational health records have to be kept for 40 years (unless changed recently).

The risk assessments I am talking about are non specific and generic ones that have been done for an office environment.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Tracey Cool

Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 8:05 am

Very good question Tracey. The difficulty is could there be a potential claim prior to 2006 where you would need the evidence. Is there something on the assessment that could come back and bite.

For example I am currently sourcing documentation prior to 2000 for deafness claims. Information that is extremely difficlut to find which crosses two companies.

Personally I would archive them off, copy them to server. They are always a source of information. The difficulty is always finding old documentation once it has gone to the archives.

Mark

Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 8:57 am

Thanks for the advice Mark.

As I am trying to reduce 'folders on my desk' I think my best course of action is to scan them into my computer and as you say keep them in an archive folder on our system.

Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 12:20 pm

Well it all depends what they are. If they are about chemical use - they should be in a CoSHH assessment. If they involve noise they should be in the form of a noise survey etc.

So if they are about mowing the lawn, knocking nails into walls, taking cash to the bank than it's a different matter. You only have 3 years from the date of knowledge for a civil claim and unless you hit a live wire, mowed your toes off or were mugged then they have no relevance do they? We have to stop hoarding stuff. It only populates the various myths. If there are no actions pending from an enforcement authority, what use do they have?

Throw them away. It's really the difference between chronic and acute effects.

Chris

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