RAMS: A Practical Guide to Risk Assessment Method Statements

RAMS (Risk Assessment Method Statements) are widely used in construction, maintenance, facilities, utilities, and other site-based work. When done properly, RAMS make work safer, clearer, and easier to manage. When done badly, they become paperwork that nobody trusts.

What RAMS means

• RAMS = Risk Assessment + Method Statement

• Risk Assessment (RA): identifies hazards, who might be harmed, and what controls reduce the risk

• Method Statement (MS): explains how the work will be carried out safely, step by step

• Together, RAMS answer:

  • What could go wrong?

  • How will we prevent it?

Why RAMS matter

• Reduce injuries, near misses, and damage

• Make sure everyone understands the safe system of work

• Help coordinate contractors and site teams

• Meet client and legal expectations (especially on higher-risk sites)

• Prevent delays caused by unclear planning or rejected paperwork

When RAMS are usually needed

• When the job has meaningful hazards (working at height, electricity, lifting, confined spaces, hot works, etc.)

• When you are working on a client site with permits or strict site rules

• When you are using machinery, plant, or specialist equipment

• When multiple people or teams are involved

• When the task could affect the public or the client’s operations

What a good RAMS document includes

1. Job overview

• Site name and address

• Clear description of the task (specific, not vague)

• Dates/times or expected duration

• Responsible person / supervisor

• Team roles and competence (training, tickets, experience)

2. Scope and limits

• What’s included in the job

• What’s excluded (so nobody assumes it’s covered)

• Access details, welfare arrangements, storage, deliveries

• Interfaces with other contractors or site operations

3. Hazards and risks (Risk Assessment)

   Common hazard areas to consider

• Working at height (ladders, scaffolds, MEWPs)

• Electricity (live systems, isolation, testing)

• Manual handling

• Slips, trips, and falls

• Moving vehicles / site traffic

• Tools and machinery (cuts, entanglement)

• Dust, fumes, noise, vibration

• Hot works / fire risk

• Hazardous substances (COSHH)

• Confined spaces

• Weather and lighting

• Public protection

Risk assessment should include

• Who could be harmed (workers, client staff, visitors, public)

• Existing controls already in place

• Additional controls needed

• Residual risk after controls

4. Control measures (how risk is reduced)

   Typical controls include

• Permit to work (hot works, confined spaces, electrical, etc.)

• Isolation and lock-off procedures

• Barriers, signage, and exclusion zones

• Spotters / banksmen for vehicle movements

• Dust suppression and ventilation

• PPE requirements (as a support control, not the only control)

• Tool inspections and checks (PAT, LOLER, PUWER as relevant)

• Safe storage of materials and good housekeeping

5. Method Statement (step-by-step safe system of work)

   Write this as clear instructions

• Arrival, sign-in, and site induction

• Pre-start briefing / toolbox talk

• Set-up: barriers, signage, protection of public/others

• Access arrangements (what equipment is used and how it’s secured)

• Work steps in the correct order

• Testing/commissioning/verification (if relevant)

• Housekeeping during the job

• Waste removal and clean-down

• Demobilisation and sign-off with the client/site contact

6. PPE (be specific)

• Basics: safety boots, hi-vis, gloves, eye protection

• Task-specific PPE: hearing protection, respiratory protection, harness, arc-rated PPE, cut-resistant gloves

7. Plant, equipment, and materials

• List the main tools and equipment

• Confirm inspection requirements and pre-use checks

• Identify any hazardous substances and controls (COSHH)

• Note required lifting equipment and any lifting plan if needed

8. Competence and supervision

• Required qualifications (examples: IPAF, PASMA, CSCS/ECS, electrical authorisations)

• Named supervisor and who is responsible for checks

• Any limits (e.g., only authorised persons to isolate, only competent operators to use plant)

9. Emergency and rescue arrangements

• First aid arrangements and who the first aider is (or where to find help)

• Fire procedures and assembly point

• Rescue plan for higher-risk work (especially height and confined spaces)

• Key contact numbers and escalation route

10. Briefing and sign-off

• Evidence the team have read and understood RAMS

• Names, signatures, dates

• A section for changes if the plan must be amended on site

How to write RAMS that people actually use

• Keep it realistic: it must match the job and site conditions

• Use plain language: short sentences, no unnecessary jargon

• Make it easy to scan: clean sections, short bullet points, numbered steps

• Focus on critical controls: highlight the small number of controls that really prevent serious harm (e.g., isolation, exclusion zones, permits, rescue plan)

• Add “stop and escalate” triggers, such as:

  • You cannot isolate safely

  • Scope changes or new hazards appear

  • Weather makes access unsafe

  • Permits are missing or conditions are not met

  • Suspected asbestos or unknown services are found

  • Equipment faults or missing inspections

Common RAMS mistakes to avoid

• Copy/paste templates that don’t match the actual job

• No clear sequence of work steps

• Controls listed but not explained or implemented (e.g., “use barriers” without saying where/how)

• Over-reliance on PPE instead of proper planning and engineering/management controls

• No rescue plan for work at height or confined spaces

• Not updating RAMS when the job changes

A simple RAMS structure you can copy

• Job details

• Team and competence

• Tools/plant/materials

• Risk assessment (hazards, who is at risk, controls, residual risk)

• Method statement (step-by-step)

• PPE

• Permits and isolations

• Emergency and rescue arrangements

• Briefing and sign-off