Dear All Please can you help me pull together a one stop shop for Health and Safety Documentation retention and archiving timelines, i can't seem to find anything which covers all the various different assessments and regulations. much appreciated Matt

From a quick search from the forums i was able to come across some really good links and past responses (Validation required). Material Safety Data Sheets 5 years COSHH Assessment forms 40 years Training (Employee HR) Fire Alarm, Maintenance and Practice Drills Site 5 years Lifting Equipment Inspection and Testing Site 5 years Risk Assessments Undertaken Site 5 years Radiation Equipment Safeguard Testing Site 25 years First-Aid Personnel 5 years Fork-lift Drivers 5 years Pressure Systems 5 years Mobile Platform operators 5 years Site Safety Inspections 5 years Site Safety Audits 5 years Site Safety Committee Minutes 5 years Statutory Inspections 5 years Safety Organisation Structure and Appointments 5 years Visits of Enforcement/Inspection Agencies Site/Corporate 10 years Health Monitoring 40 years Accident and Incident Reports 10 years Permit to Work Documents 5 years Site Health and Safety Files 25 years Machinery and Safety Devices Declarations Site 10 years Details of relevant Surveys undertaken and outcomes 40 years

To be honest, the retention periods listed above imho are bogus. I know that Lifting Equipment records need to be kept for the life of the equipment plus 2 years and as far as I am aware COSHH assessments do not need to be kept at all but the health surveillance records for COSHH need to be kept for 40 years. Asbestos tests also need to be kept for 40 years which is not on the list. I think, Matthew, that you would be best seeing what you have and then checking the Regs and ACOPs for actual information rather than relying on forum posts which appear to be what people actually do rather than what is required by law.

This link from the CIPD website gives some good advice http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr...etention-hr-records.aspx

kenty Excellent point on Mesothelioma...

I am glad that this is providing a stimulating conversation / debate Thanks Hilary / Fscott / Elevation / Kenty for your view points, and consideration regarding LOLER / COSHH and Asbestos. I had ruled out the keeping of records of minors until 21 as i wasn't envisaging this impacting on my area of focus, but as a one stop shop it should do really. With reference to the original posts i did state that they need to be validated. (What a mammoth task that is turning out to be). It would be good if the HSE was to post an over arching document that had all this data on it so that companies could strive to be compliant. Its not moral or ethical but ... i can see why some schools of thought think it is easier to have a clean slate and pay the litigation fee .... perhaps its easier all round).

Validated COSHH general assessment 5 years (reg 10 5(b)) COSHH Personal identifiable 40 years (reg 10 5(a)) COSHH Medical reports of employees who are, or are liable to be, exposed to substances hazardous to health 40 years from date of last entry for each individual (Reg 11 (3)) COSHH Record of examination and maintenance of control equipment 5 years (reg 9) MSDS 10 years from last manufacture REACH Article 36.1