Risks -vs- Issues

'Risks' are long term, for things that might happen. Risks are managed on an ongoing basis.

'Issues' are temporary or something that has already happened. Issues get fixed and go away.

Once an Issue is fixed, it gets closed in QSToolbox, and there's no expectation that it will be reviewed year after year. In contrast, Risks often stay open indefinitely with a due date for periodic review. A Risk might be made 'inactive', but only if it's no longer relevant to the organisation.

A newly identified hazard might start in the Issues module, but if it's going to stick around and the associated risks are ongoing then you should enter it into the Risks module.

e.g., We identify a hole in the ground. It's a new hazard, so open an Issue.

Can we fix it and prevent future holes?

• Yes - fill in the hole, address the cause, and close the Issue.
• No - use the Issue to decide what you're going to do about the hole you have, and track the implementation of the initial controls. Then, since it's an ongoing hazard, enter it into the Risks module for ongoing control and monitoring.

Note that you don't need to create every Risk as an Issue first. If you identify a risk before it happens and there's nothing to fix, put it straight in the Risks module. You can use 'Tasks' under the Risk to track the implementation of new controls.