UK compliance guide
How long to keep health and safety records
Retention periods vary by record type. Some are set in law — for example RIDDOR reports for at least 3 years, accident-book entries for 3 years, and health surveillance records for 40 years. Others (risk assessments, training) have no fixed statutory period but should be kept as current and long enough to serve as evidence. The full table is below.
Written by Thomas Featherstone, NEBOSH IGC-qualified and IOSH Managing Safely trained · Reviewed July 2026
UK health & safety record retention table
“No statutory minimum” means the law doesn’t set a fixed period, but you should keep the record current and long enough to evidence compliance and defend claims.
| Record | How long to keep | Legal basis / notes |
|---|---|---|
| RIDDOR report records | At least 3 years | RIDDOR 2013, reg. 12 (from the date the record was made). |
| Accident book (BI 510) entries | 3 years from the last entry | Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979. Remove/redact personal data in line with UK GDPR. |
| First-aid / incident investigation records | No statutory minimum — keep ~3 years+ | Best practice; align with RIDDOR and possible civil claims. |
| Risk assessments | Keep the current version; retain superseded versions | Management of H&S at Work Regs 1999. No fixed period, but keep as evidence and review when things change. |
| COSHH assessments | Keep current and up to date | COSHH 2002, reg. 6. Review regularly and when circumstances change. |
| COSHH exposure monitoring records | 5 years — or 40 years where linked to identifiable employees | COSHH 2002, reg. 10. |
| Health surveillance records | 40 years from the date of the last entry | COSHH 2002, reg. 11. |
| Asbestos — medical records | 40 years | Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. |
| Lead — medical / biological monitoring | 40 years | Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002. |
| Training & competence records | No statutory minimum — keep for employment + several years | Best practice; evidence of competence for HSWA 1974 s.2 and for defending claims. |
| Fire risk assessment | Keep current; record required where 5+ employees / licensed premises | Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. |
| Fire logbook — alarm/extinguisher tests, drills, emergency lighting | No fixed period — keep several years | Best practice evidence under the Fire Safety Order. |
| LOLER thorough examination reports (lifting equipment) | Until the next examination, or 2 years, whichever is longer | LOLER 1998, reg. 11. |
| Pressure systems written scheme reports (PSSR) | Keep current + the previous report | Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000. |
| Employers' Liability (EL) insurance certificates | Recommended to retain long-term | No longer a strict 40-year legal requirement, but retain for long-latency disease claims. |
A note on claims: personal-injury claims can be brought years after an event (and much later for long-latency disease), so where storage is cheap it’s often sensible to keep records longer than the bare minimum. Balance this against UK GDPR — keep personal data no longer than necessary and redact where you can.
Retention FAQs
Common questions
How long do I have to keep RIDDOR records?
At least 3 years from the date the record was made, under RIDDOR 2013. Many employers keep them longer alongside other incident records.
How long should health surveillance records be kept?
40 years from the date of the last entry under COSHH. Asbestos and lead records also carry a 40-year retention because related diseases can appear decades later.
Is there a legal retention period for training records?
There is no single statutory minimum for general H&S training records. Best practice is to keep them for the duration of employment plus several years, as evidence of competence and to help defend any future claim.
How long do I keep risk assessments?
Keep the current assessment in force and review it when things change. There is no fixed retention period, but keeping superseded versions is sensible as evidence of what controls were in place at a given time.
Why keep some records for 40 years?
Some occupational diseases (e.g. from asbestos, lead or hazardous substances) can take decades to develop, so the law requires long retention of health surveillance and exposure records so that historic exposure can be traced.
Official sources
- HSE — RIDDOR (record-keeping)
- HSE — COSHH (monitoring & health surveillance)
- HSE — LOLER Approved Code of Practice (L122)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
This is a plain-English summary for UK SMEs, not legal advice. Retention rules can change and some sectors have extra requirements — always check the current guidance on hse.gov.uk and legislation.gov.uk, and take advice where you are unsure.
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