What Is a Method Statement?
A method statement is a document that describes, step by step, how a specific construction task will be carried out safely on a specific site. It sets out the scope of the work, the plant and equipment involved, the safe sequence of operations, and the precautions applied at each stage. In UK construction it is usually paired with a risk assessment to form a RAMS document, and principal contractors normally require one before work starts.
What a Method Statement Contains
- Task description and scope – exactly what work is covered, where on site, and what is excluded
- Site and access details – the areas affected, how operatives reach them, and site constraints such as occupied premises or live services
- Plant, equipment and materials – everything used, with LOLER and PUWER inspection requirements where relevant
- The safe sequence of work – the chronological steps, with control measures from the risk assessment built in as concrete actions
- Supervision and competence – who supervises, and the qualifications the task requires (CSCS, IPAF, PASMA, trade certification)
- PPE requirements – the task-specific protective equipment beyond standard site PPE
- Emergency arrangements – first aider, first aid kit location, assembly point, and what to do when something goes wrong
- Sign-off record – names, signatures and dates proving every operative was briefed before starting
Method Statement vs Risk Assessment
The risk assessment identifies the hazards of a task, rates the risk, and specifies control measures. The method statement describes how the work is actually performed — the sequence of operations with those controls applied at each step. They are written and read together, which is why UK construction combines them into a single RAMS document.
When Is a Method Statement Required?
No law names a “method statement” as a required document, but CDM 2015 Regulation 15 requires contractors to plan, manage and monitor construction work so it is carried out safely — and a method statement is the industry-standard way of demonstrating that planning. Principal contractors almost always require one before granting site access, and SSIP prequalification schemes (CHAS, Constructionline) expect them as evidence of safety management. High-risk activities — working at height, excavations, demolition, hot works, confined spaces, work near live services — should always have one.
Next Steps
Follow the nine-step writing guide, work from the annotated method statement example, or generate a complete site-specific document with the RAMS AI method statement generator.