Access a quick summary of what hazard tracking means with AI
What is hazard tracking?
Hazard tracking is the process of identifying, assessing, recording, and managing hazards in the workplace. Its purpose is to proactively prevent harm by ensuring risks are controlled, reduced, or eliminated so far as is reasonably practicable.
Rather than treating hazards as one-off issues, hazard tracking provides a structured, auditable way to follow risks from identification through to verified close out.
How to track hazards
Effective hazard tracking typically follows a clear cycle:
- Identification: Spotting hazards through various methods, including inspections, audits, employee reports, near-miss data, and trend analysis.
- Assessment: Evaluating the likelihood of harm and the potential severity to determine risk level and priority.
- Logging: Recording the hazard in a formal system, including details on location, risk rating, responsible owners, and required actions. This step is critical for compliance and traceability.
- Mitigation: Implementing control measures to remove the hazard or reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
- Monitoring: Regularly reviewing hazards to ensure controls remain effective. Hazard tracking is a continuous process, not a one-time activity.
What is a hazard tracking system?
A hazard tracking system (HTS), sometimes referred to as a hazard log, is a structured way to manage hazards from identification to close-out.
Dedicated health and safety software is one of the most effective ways to support hazard tracking. It provides a centralised system to record hazards, assign actions, monitor progress, and retain evidence – facilitating proactive risk management and regulatory compliance.
What is an example of a hazard tracking system?
A typical hazard tracking workflow might look like this:
- An employee submits a hazard via their smartphone using an app such as Notify’s Incident Reporting Software. The report takes less than 60 seconds and includes photo and location data.
- The software automatically notifies the relevant supervisor based on site or area.
- The supervisor, or the employee submitting the report, assigns corrective actions (one hazard may generate multiple actions).
- Each action has an owner, due date, reminders, and escalation if overdue.
- Close-out requires evidence (for example, a photo or attachment) and verification by a second person.
- Dashboards provide visibility of open hazards, overdue actions, repeat issues, and high-risk items.
Example hazard record
Location: Warehouse bay 3
Hazard: Damaged floor surface causing a trip risk
Risk rating: Medium (L3 × S2)
Immediate control: Area marked and temporarily cordoned off with barriers
Actions:
1) Repair flooring (Owner: Facilities Manager, Due: 7 days)
2) Review inspection frequency (Owner: Safety Manager, Due: 30 days)
Close out: Photo of repair and verification walk-through
Why is hazard tracking important?
Hazard tracking plays a vital role in preventing accidents, injuries, and ill health by addressing risks before harm occurs. It:
- Ensures accountability by assigning clear ownership for hazards and actions
- Provides visibility of recurring hazards and underlying causes
- Supports continuous improvement through data-driven insights
- Creates a documented audit trail to demonstrate effective risk management
Formal hazard tracking is a core component of a robust health and safety management system.
How can hazard tracking improve compliance with UK HSE regulations?
A structured hazard tracking process helps organisations meet UK HSE requirements by providing evidence that hazards are identified, assessed, and controlled in line with:
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
By logging hazards, assigning actions, and verifying close-out, organisations can demonstrate that risks are managed so far as is reasonably practicable. This approach reduces reliance on informal fixes and paperwork, supports employee consultation, and helps lower the likelihood of RIDDOR-reportable incidents occurring.
A well-maintained hazard tracking system also provides a defensible audit trail for HSE inspections, showing that risks are actively monitored and continuously improved.
How to implement hazard tracking in workplace safety management
Successful hazard tracking starts by making it easy for employees to report hazards consistently. Reports should capture key information such as location, hazard type, risk level, and supporting evidence.
Each hazard should follow a defined workflow:
- Review and prioritisation based on risk
- Assignment to a responsible owner
- Tracking through to close out
Regularly reviewing hazard data helps organisations identify trends, recurring risks, and overdue actions. This insight strengthens risk assessments, informs preventative controls, and embeds hazard tracking as a proactive part of everyday safety management rather than a reactive compliance task.
The key steps are as follows:
1.) Identify hazards
2.) Assess risk
3.) Implement control measures
4.) Monitor progress
5.) Continually review and improve
Explore five ways to engage employees in hazard reporting.
How does Notify supports hazard tracking?
Notify supports effective hazard tracking through a cloud-based platform that makes it easy to report hazards in real time and track corrective actions through to close-out.
With centralised dashboards, automated notifications, and a clear audit trail, Notify provides live visibility of risk across sites and evidence that hazards are being actively managed and mitigated in line with HSE expectations.
Key features of Notify include:
Easy hazard reporting
Employees can use the Incident Reporting mobile app to report hazards, near misses, and accidents in seconds (even offline), removing reliance on paper-based systems and slower manual processes.
Rich data capture
Reports can include photos, GPS location data, and additional notes, improving the quality of information available for assessment.
Instant notifications and faster response
High-priority hazards can trigger automated alerts to relevant teams, enabling quicker intervention.
Action tracking and management
Corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs) are assigned digitally with owners, deadlines, reminders, and escalation to ensure accountability and quick risk mitigation.
Centralised safety intelligence
All hazard data is stored securely in one place. Dashboards highlight trends, repeat hazards, and high-risk areas, helping you prioritise improvement initiatives whilst supporting informed decision-making.
Closed feedback loop
Employees can see progress and outcomes of their reports, giving them confidence that something has been done with their submission. This drives further engagement and strengthens your safety culture.
Compliance and audit trail
All actions, evidence, and decisions are recorded and traceable, supporting compliance with standards such as ISO 45001.
FAQs
Cloud-based systems provide:
- Real-time visibility of hazards
- Improved collaboration across sites and teams
- Streamlined reporting and clearer safety insights
- Improved operational efficiency
- Enhanced data security
- Scalability and flexibility as organisations grow
Together, these benefits support a more proactive approach to risk management.
A digital, cloud-based solution also removes many of the limitations associated with paper-based or manual safety systems:
- Handwritten forms can be unclear, incomplete, or inaccurate → Digital forms ensure consistent, clear, and complete data capture.
- Manual handling of documents slows responses to hazards and incidents → Digital reports are submitted and routed instantly for faster action.
- Paper records are difficult to access, particularly across multiple sites → Digital information is available in real time from any location.
- Physical documents can be lost, damaged, or accessed without authorisation → Software data is securely stored, backed up, and protected with access controls.
- Audit trails are hard to maintain and verify in paper form, with poor version control → Every action is automatically time-stamped and fully traceable on a software platform.
- Printing and storage create ongoing administrative costs → Digital workflows reduce overheads and manual effort.
- Poor recordkeeping with physical documents increases compliance risk → Centralised records provide clear, auditable evidence of compliance.
- Heavy paper use increases environmental impact → Digital reporting supports more sustainable operations.
There is no fixed review period, but good practice is to review hazards and risk assessments at least annually, or following significant change such as new equipment, processes, staff, or incidents.
In higher-risk environments (such as construction or manufacturing sites), more frequent reviews (for example, quarterly) are recommended due to the frequently changing nature of work.
The best solution depends on your organisation’s size, risk profile, and regulatory requirements.
Notify’s incident reporting software helps construction businesses improve safety performance by standardising processes, enhancing communication, and demonstrating compliance with CDM regulations. Features include mobile incident and hazard reporting, RAMS management, and real-time performance dashboards.
The easy-to-use platform is well suited to hazard tracking, allowing hazards, incidents, and near misses to be reported in seconds. Corrective actions can be assigned quickly and tracked clearly through to close-out.
For guidance on selecting the right hazard tracking system, Notify’s digital course walks safety leaders through the process of selecting, purchasing, and implementing health and safety software.
Notify’s health and safety software is designed to support ISO 45001 requirements by:
- Enabling structured hazard tracking and risk assessments, aligning with the standard’s focus on proactive risk management and incident investigation.
- Promoting employee engagement, with easy-to-use functionality that encourages workers to report hazards and incidents quickly, supporting a positive safety culture and the consultation and participation of workers clause of ISO 45001.
- Supporting proactive risk management through real-time dashboards that visualise performance data, helping organisations measure and reduce risk and demonstrate performance to regulators.
- Recording all activities – from hazard reports to investigations, providing full traceability and the evidence required for a robust digital audit trail.
Yes. Many organisations choose modular systems that allow them to start small and scale over time.
Notify offers a flexible, modular approach where businesses only pay for the functionality they need. A free incident reporting app is also available, enabling quick reporting of hazards, near misses, accidents, and injuries.
Notify has been praised for value for money by customers such as Menzies Distribution Solutions, who noted: “In a sector where margins are always tight, Notify ticked every box: functionality, cultural fit, responsiveness, and price.”
Try Notify for free.