There is no fixed legal frequency for risk assessments in UK law. However, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to carry out "suitable and sufficient" risk assessments, and the HSE expects them to be kept up to date.
When Must Risk Assessments Be Reviewed?
Risk assessments should be reviewed and updated whenever:
- There has been a significant change — new equipment, processes, substances, or work methods
- An accident or near miss occurs — indicating the current assessment may be inadequate
- New legislation or guidance is introduced
- There is a change in personnel — particularly new or young workers, pregnant employees, or workers with disabilities
- A workplace relocation or refurbishment takes place
- Monitoring reveals the controls are inadequate
Best Practice Frequency
As a general rule, most health and safety professionals recommend:
- Annual review as a minimum for all risk assessments
- More frequent reviews (quarterly or monthly) for high-risk activities, dynamic environments, or industries with frequently changing hazards (e.g., construction)
- Immediate review after any incident, complaint, or enforcement action
Documentation
If you have 5 or more employees, you must record the significant findings of your risk assessments in writing. Even if you have fewer, it's good practice to document them.
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