Most UK tradespeople and site managers still write their RAMS and method statements in Word, usually from a template they have carried between jobs for years. It works, and it costs nothing extra if you already own Word. This page sets out fairly where the Word approach holds up and where Site Manager AI saves you the most time, so you can pick what suits how often you produce documents.
A Word template is familiar, fully under your control, and needs no extra subscription if you already have Office. For a sole trader who produces the occasional simple risk assessment, a good template can be perfectly compliant and perfectly adequate. You own the file, you can edit every line, and there is nothing new to learn.
The trade-offs are time and consistency. You write every hazard, control measure and method step yourself for each job. It is easy to leave wording in from the last document, to miss a hazard that applies to this particular task, or to fall behind current UK guidance. The more often you produce RAMS, the more those small costs add up.
Site Manager AI starts you from a tailored draft instead of a blank template. You describe the task and it generates a full RAMS pack, a standalone method statement, or a risk assessment in minutes, scoped to current UK health and safety guidance including CDM 2015 duties. You then review and edit the output before you export it, so a person always signs off the wording, exactly as you would with a Word file.
Because each document is generated for the specific task you describe, you are less likely to miss a relevant hazard or leave generic text in by accident. It also runs on an iOS app for producing or checking paperwork on site, and it uses simple pricing: GBP 9.99 a month, or a one-off GBP 150 for lifetime access, with no per-user charges.
| Category | Writing RAMS in Word | Site Manager AI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A blank template you fill in yourself | A tailored draft generated from your task description |
| Time per document | Longer; you write every hazard, control and step | Minutes to a first draft, then you edit |
| Consistency | Depends on you; easy to leave old wording in | Generated fresh for each task, then reviewed |
| UK regulations | Only as current as your template | Scoped to current UK guidance including CDM 2015 |
| On site use | Word on a laptop or phone | Web plus a dedicated iOS app |
| Editable and yours | Yes | Yes, fully editable before export |
| Cost | No extra subscription if you already own Word | GBP 9.99 a month or GBP 150 lifetime |
| Best for | The occasional simple document | Producing RAMS regularly, quickly and consistently |
Sticking with Word may be the sensible choice if you only produce the odd straightforward RAMS, you have a solid template you keep current, and you are happy to write each document by hand. There is nothing wrong with a well maintained Word process.
Site Manager AI is likely the better fit if you produce RAMS, method statements or risk assessments regularly, you want to start from a tailored draft rather than a blank page, and you want the wording scoped to current UK guidance without keeping a template up to date yourself. If the paperwork is eating into time you would rather spend on site, the AI-first approach is where it pays back.
Describe the task, get a UK-scoped RAMS, method statement or risk assessment in minutes, then edit and export. GBP 9.99 a month or GBP 150 lifetime.
See pricing and get startedIs it fine to write RAMS in Word?
Yes. A well built Word or template document can be perfectly compliant, and if you only produce the odd simple RAMS it may be all you need. The trade-offs are time and consistency: you write every hazard, control and method step yourself for each job, and it is easy to miss something or leave generic wording in from the last document. Site Manager AI removes most of that effort by generating a first draft you then edit.
How is Site Manager AI different from a Word template?
A Word template is a blank structure you fill in yourself. Site Manager AI generates the content for you: you describe the task and it writes a full RAMS pack, method statement or risk assessment scoped to current UK guidance including CDM 2015, which you review and edit before exporting. You start from a tailored draft rather than a blank page.
How much does Site Manager AI cost?
Site Manager AI is GBP 9.99 a month, or a one-off GBP 150 for lifetime access, with no per-user fees. You can see the full breakdown on the pricing page.
Will the documents still be mine to edit?
Yes. Site Manager AI produces an editable document that you review, adjust and sign off before it goes out, exactly as you would with a Word file. A person always has the final say on the wording.