RAMS template for UK contractors: what to include
A RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) is the document most principal contractors ask for before you set foot on site. This guide explains where the requirement comes from, the sections a good RAMS contains, and the mistakes that get RAMS rejected.
What is a RAMS?
A RAMS combines two documents:
- Risk assessment: identifies the hazards of a task, who could be harmed and how, and the control measures that reduce the risk.
- Method statement: describes, step by step, how the work will be carried out safely, in what sequence, with which equipment and by whom.
Together they show a principal contractor or client that you have thought the job through and that your team knows how to do it safely.
Is RAMS a legal requirement?
The word “RAMS” does not appear in UK legislation, but the duties behind it do:
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3 requires every employer and self-employed person to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks of their work. If you employ five or more people, the significant findings must be recorded.
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) require contractors to plan, manage and monitor their work so it is carried out without risks to health and safety, and to cooperate with the principal contractor and follow the construction phase plan.
In practice, a written RAMS is how contractors evidence those duties, which is why most principal contractors will not let you start without one.
Free example: see what a complete RAMS looks like in our sample RAMS (PDF), or create your own free RAMS in about ten minutes.
The 10 sections a good RAMS contains
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| 1. Project and site details | Site address, client, principal contractor, your company, document reference, revision and date. |
| 2. Scope of work | Exactly what you will do, where on site and what is excluded. |
| 3. Responsibilities | Who prepared the RAMS, who supervises the work, competent persons and emergency contacts. |
| 4. Sequence of work | Numbered steps from arrival and set-up to completion and clean-up. |
| 5. Hazards and risk assessment | Each hazard, who is at risk, the risk rating before and after controls. |
| 6. Control measures | Specific controls for each hazard, following the hierarchy: eliminate, substitute, engineer, administrative controls, PPE. |
| 7. Plant, tools and equipment | What will be used, inspection and certification requirements, and who is trained to operate it. |
| 8. Hazardous substances | Substances used or produced (dust, solvents, cement) with reference to COSHH assessments. |
| 9. PPE, welfare and emergency arrangements | Task-specific PPE, first aid, fire, rescue plans (e.g. work at height, confined spaces), nearest A&E. |
| 10. Briefing and sign-off | Record that every operative has been briefed, with names, signatures and dates. |
How to write the risk assessment part
HSE's well-known five steps are still the best structure:
- Identify the hazards: walk through each step of the method statement and ask what could cause harm.
- Decide who might be harmed and how: your operatives, other trades, visitors, members of the public.
- Evaluate the risks and decide on controls: apply the hierarchy of control and record what you will actually do on this job.
- Record your findings: in the RAMS, in plain language the team will understand.
- Review: when the site, method, team or equipment changes, or after an incident or near miss.
Common reasons RAMS get rejected
- Generic content: the same document for every job, with the wrong site address or tasks that are not part of this package.
- No real sequence: a list of hazards without a step-by-step method.
- PPE as the only control: PPE is the last resort, not the first.
- Missing interfaces: no mention of other trades working nearby, access routes or exclusion zones.
- Missing supporting documents: no COSHH assessments, permits to work, lifting plans or plant certificates where the work needs them.
- Not briefed or signed: the operatives on site have never seen it.
RAMS, construction phase plan and permits: how they fit together
Under CDM 2015 the principal contractor prepares the construction phase plan for the whole project. Each contractor provides RAMS for their own work, which must fit within that plan. High-risk activities such as hot works, work at height, excavations or confined spaces usually also need a permit to work issued on the day. Keeping all of these consistent is where most of the paperwork time goes.
Write your RAMS faster
CDM Creator builds a site-specific RAMS from your answers: you enter the project details, tick the tasks and equipment, and the risk assessment, method statement and COSHH references are assembled for you, ready to review, adapt and sign on screen. The free plan includes one RAMS and one COSHH assessment, no card needed.
Create a free RAMS See a sample RAMS (PDF)
FAQ
Is RAMS a legal requirement in the UK?
The term RAMS is not in legislation. The legal duty is to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3) and, on construction projects, to plan, manage and monitor work so it is carried out safely (CDM 2015). A method statement is the usual way contractors show how that is done, and most principal contractors require RAMS before work starts.
Do I need to write my risk assessment down?
If you employ five or more people you must record the significant findings of your risk assessment. On construction sites principal contractors almost always ask for written RAMS regardless of company size.
Can I reuse the same RAMS on every job?
You can reuse a template, but each RAMS must reflect the specific site, task, people, equipment and sequence of work. Generic RAMS that do not match the job are one of the most common reasons principal contractors reject them.
Who should sign a RAMS?
The person who prepared it, the person responsible for the work, and every worker carrying out the task, to confirm they have been briefed and understood it. Keep the signed copy available on site.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Every RAMS must be reviewed by a competent person and reflect the actual site and work. Sources: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and HSE guidance L153; HSE, “Risk assessment: a brief guide to controlling risks in the workplace” (INDG163).