Three mandatory fields
| Field | Why it is mandatory |
|---|---|
| Owner | Work that is everybody's is nobody's |
| Due date | A control with no date stays open and becomes ordinary |
| Closure evidence | A declaration of “done” and being done are not the same thing |
How closure is evidenced
- for protective equipment bought, the issue and training record,
- for an engineering control, a measurement — did the noise fall, did the concentration drop,
- for a change of procedure, the communication and training record,
- for maintenance, the work order and its completion record.
Reassess the line on closure
When a control is complete, that line's residual risk is scored again. Without this the table assumes the control's effect; yet some controls do not deliver what was expected, and only a reassessment reveals it.
Overdue controls are information
The proportion of controls past their due date is one of the most honest indicators of a system's real condition. Where the accident count is low and the overdue rate is high, the good news may be luck. Overdue rate therefore belongs on the management agenda as a performance indicator.
When the owner leaves
Controls whose owner leaves or changes role go quietly ownerless. On handover the list of open controls should be produced and transferred to the new owner in writing.