What is RI&E?
RI&E stands for Risico-Inventarisatie & Evaluatie (Risk Inventory and Evaluation) and is a mandatory instrument for employers to map all health and safety risks within the company. It forms the basis for a structured safety policy and concrete improvement measures.
Under the Dutch Working Conditions Act, the RI&E is mandatory for all companies with staff (permanent and temporary), regardless of organisational size.
🧠 What does an RI&E cover?
- Identification of risks
- Physical (noise, heat, dangerous machinery)
- Electrical (work on or near a control cabinet or MCC)
- Chemical (substances, vapours, ATEX risks)
- Organisational (workload, unclear tasks, ambiguous procedures)
- Evaluation
- Assessing likelihood × impact
- Setting priorities for action (risk matrix)
- Action plan (PvA)
- Measures to control the risks
- Deadlines, responsible parties, resources
- Documentation and follow-up
- Written reporting, updated when changes occur
- Effectiveness reviews and status updates
An up-to-date RI&E that has actually been carried out must be available for inspection by the Dutch Labour Inspectorate.
🏭 Use in industrial automation
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Identifying risks in:
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Working on electrical installations under NEN 3140
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Commissioning machines (under the Machinery Directive)
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Use of Lock-out Tag-out or work permits
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Explosion risk (ATEX) or confined spaces
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Maintenance on PLCs, Drives, Soft Starters or installations
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Used as input for:
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Safety instructions, toolbox meetings, training
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PPE selection
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Drawing up emergency plans and procedures
🔍 RI&E vs. H&S plan
| Document | Use | Content |
|---|---|---|
| RI&E | Organisation-wide, ongoing | Risks, measures, action plan |
| H&S plan | Project-specific (e.g. construction, installation) | Safety information for a specific project/site |
The RI&E is structural; an H&S plan is temporary and focused on execution.
🔐 Compliance considerations
- Foundation for all technical and organisational safety policy
- Basis for setting up procedures: work permits, Lock-out Tag-out
- Clear assignment of responsibilities
- Mandatory review at:
- Organisational change
- New machines or processes
- A serious incident or Audit
Companies with fewer than 25 employees can use the recognised industry RI&E template.
📌 In summary
RI&E is a mandatory and fundamental document for risk management within any organisation. Without an up-to-date RI&E, there is no legal framework for safe working, and liability is increased.