How to Write a Method Statement (UK): Step-by-Step Guide

A method statement is one of the most requested documents on any UK construction site. Principal contractors want one before you start work. The HSE expects it if an inspector calls. Clients on domestic and commercial projects increasingly ask for one as part of their own due diligence. Yet most contractors still struggle with the format, the level of detail, and how to keep it relevant on site rather than stuffing it in a lever-arch folder.

This guide shows you exactly how to write a method statement that is fit for UK construction, accepted by main contractors, and actually useful to the people doing the work. It covers the legal background, the structure section by section, a worked example for a realistic task, and the common errors that get a method statement rejected at the gate.

What a method statement actually is

A method statement is a written plan that describes how a specific piece of work will be done safely. It is a narrative document, written in plain English, broken into sequential steps. It is not a policy, not a procedure, and not a risk assessment. It works alongside a risk assessment to form what the UK industry calls a RAMS.

The method statement explains the order of operations. The risk assessment explains what could go wrong and how you will prevent it. Good ones read like a competent site manager walking a new operative through the task for the first time.

The legal position in the UK

The phrase "method statement" does not appear in UK health and safety law. What the law does require, however, effectively drives the need for one. The relevant regulations include:

• Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974: employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees and anyone affected by the work.
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: employers must carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments and implement appropriate preventive measures.
• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015: contractors must plan, manage and monitor the work, provide information and instruction to workers, and cooperate with the principal contractor.
• Work at Height Regulations 2005: any work at height must be properly planned, including selection of equipment and emergency arrangements.
• COSHH Regulations 2002: control of exposure to hazardous substances must be documented and communicated.

A written method statement is the most common way the UK construction industry shows it has complied with these duties. If you cannot produce one, the assumption is that you have not planned the work properly.

When you need a method statement

Not every job needs a separate method statement. A short, low-risk task (for example, replacing a single lightbulb in an office) can usually be covered by a generic risk assessment. You should write a specific method statement when:

• The work is on a CDM-notifiable project
• A principal contractor asks for one as a condition of access
• The work involves significant risk (work at height, confined spaces, hot works, excavation, lifting operations, demolition, asbestos, or work with high-voltage systems)
• The work is unusual, complex or non-routine
• The client is a local authority, NHS trust, public body or large commercial organisation
• Multiple trades need to coordinate on the same area

The structure of a UK method statement

There is no single legal template. Most UK main contractors expect the following sections, in roughly this order. If you deliver a document with all of these, clearly written, you will rarely have it bounced back.

Step-by-step: writing the method statement

Step 1. Define the scope

Open a fresh document and write one paragraph describing exactly what the work is. Include what, where, when, and for whom. Keep it specific. A scope that says "general groundworks" is useless. A scope that says "excavation of 1.2m deep foundation trench to Plot 7, eastern boundary, approximately 22m linear, over three working days" is useful.

Step 2. Note the site context

Record the address, the client, the principal contractor, the site contact, and the welfare arrangements. This section is where the main contractor looks first to check you are writing about their project and not copying someone else's.

Step 3. List the people doing the work

Identify the supervisor and the operatives. Record the qualifications and cards they hold (CSCS, CPCS, SSSTS, SMSTS, NPORS, PASMA, IPAF, asbestos awareness, first aid at work). Note who the nominated first aider is and who is authorised to stop work.

Step 4. List the plant, equipment and materials

Write down every piece of plant being used: excavators, dumpers, MEWPs, power tools, generators, scaffolds, trestles, abrasive wheels. Note PAT test dates for electrical equipment and LOLER certificates for lifting equipment. Note the materials and link to your COSHH assessments.

Step 5. Summarise the hazards and controls

Include a short table referencing the risk assessment. The full risk assessment is a separate document. The method statement should show, at a glance, what the top four or five risks are and how they are controlled.

Step 6. Write the sequence of work

This is the heart of the method statement. Break the work into numbered steps. Keep each step short, specific and focused on one action. Include the controls in the step rather than as a separate bullet list. For example:

1. Set up exclusion zone. Barriers and signage erected to a minimum 1.5m from the excavation edge. Pedestrian route marked with cones.
2. Locate buried services. CAT and genny scan completed by the operative named above. Results recorded and positive excavation only under hand-dig conditions within 500mm of identified services.
3. Begin machine excavation. 5-tonne excavator operating within banksman's clear view. No operatives within the slewing arc. Spoil placed minimum 1m from trench edge.

Do not write the method statement in the future tense only (for example, "the operative will...") for the entire document. Use a clear, direct voice and keep it readable.

Step 7. Specify PPE

List the PPE required. Include standards where relevant (for example, hard hats to BS EN 397, safety footwear to BS EN ISO 20345). If PPE varies by task, note when each item is required.

Step 8. Set out emergency arrangements

Include first aid kit location, first aider name and contact, fire assembly point, nearest A&E hospital, site manager's mobile, and the number of the 24-hour site emergency line if applicable.

Step 9. Brief the team and collect signatures

A method statement that has not been briefed is just paper. Hold a pre-start briefing, walk the team through the document, answer questions, and get every person who is going to carry out the work to sign a briefing record. Keep that record with the method statement.

Step 10. Review and update

Review the method statement whenever the scope changes, a new person joins the team, a piece of equipment is substituted, or an incident occurs. On longer jobs, set a diarised review every two to four weeks.

Worked example: excavation of foundation trench

Below is an abbreviated example of how the sequence of work might read for an excavation task. Use it as a model rather than a template to copy.

1. Pre-start. Supervisor reviews drawings and pre-construction information. All operatives briefed on method statement and risk assessment. Briefing record signed.
2. Services check. CAT and genny scan carried out across the full length of the trench. Results marked on the ground. Any positive readings recorded and verified by hand-dig trial holes.
3. Exclusion zone. 1.5m barrier erected on both sides of the trench. Pedestrian route diverted around the work area. Signage in place.
4. Machine set-up. 5-tonne tracked excavator positioned on firm level ground. Daily inspection completed. Banksman in high-visibility clothing in the operator's line of sight. No operatives in the slewing arc at any time.
5. Excavation. Trench excavated in 5m sections. Spoil placed minimum 1m from the trench edge and never on the active pedestrian side.
6. Shoring. Trench sides battered or shored as required by the soils report. No operative enters an unshored trench deeper than 1.2m.
7. Inspection. Trench inspected by the supervisor before any operative enters. Inspection recorded in the site diary.
8. Close of day. Trench covered or fenced at the end of each shift. Plant secured. Area cleared of tools and debris.

Worked example: working at height from a MEWP

1. Pre-start. IPAF-trained operator reviews MEWP inspection record (last Thorough Examination within six months). Ground conditions checked and confirmed level and firm.
2. Harness check. Full-body harness and short restraint lanyard inspected and signed off. Harness worn at all times in the basket.
3. Exclusion zone. Barriers set up below the working area. Warning signage in place.
4. Operation. MEWP deployed with outriggers. Operator in basket with ground-level attendant briefed on rescue procedure.
5. Work execution. Task completed within the basket at all times. No leaning over handrails. No climbing out at height.
6. Lowering. MEWP lowered fully before any exit. Outriggers retracted. Area cleared.

Common mistakes that get a method statement rejected

1. Generic content. The document makes no mention of the actual site, the actual plot, or the actual task. Reviewers spot this instantly.
2. Wrong scope. The scope is too broad ("general construction works") or too narrow (leaves out obvious activities like cutting or lifting).
3. No sequence. The document is a list of hazards with no description of how the work will actually be done.
4. Missing references. No mention of CDM 2015, no tie-in to the principal contractor's construction phase plan, no link to the relevant COSHH assessments.
5. No emergency information. No first aider, no nearest hospital, no site emergency number.
6. No signatures. The document has not been briefed, or the briefing record is blank.
7. Out-of-date. The document is over 12 months old, or references expired CSCS cards or superseded legislation.
8. Copy-paste from another site. The address, client or plot details from a previous job have been left in.

How long should a method statement be?

A focused task such as a bricklaying gang on a single plot needs about four to six pages. A more complex task such as demolition or a lifting operation needs ten to fifteen pages, supported by a separate lift plan or demolition plan. If your method statement is over twenty pages it probably needs splitting or focusing.

Keeping the document useful on site

Print a copy and keep it in the site cabin. Use it as the basis for the daily briefing. When things change on site, write them into the method statement rather than ignoring them. A method statement that matches what is actually happening is one of the strongest defences in an HSE investigation.

FAQ: writing a method statement in the UK

Is a method statement a legal requirement in the UK?

The exact phrase is not in UK legislation, but the underlying duty to plan and manage work safely is. In practice, a written method statement is expected on almost every UK construction project beyond the smallest domestic jobs.

What is the difference between a method statement and a risk assessment?

A risk assessment identifies hazards and controls. A method statement is the sequential plan for the work. They are often combined into a RAMS. Our RAMS template for bricklayers guide shows how both fit together in a single document.

Who should write the method statement?

The contractor doing the work is responsible for writing the method statement. It should be written by someone competent in the task, usually the supervisor or site manager, not by an office administrator who has never been on site.

Can I use a generic template?

You can use a template as a starting point, but you must tailor it to the actual site and actual task. A method statement that could apply to any job will be rejected.

How often should a method statement be reviewed?

Review whenever scope, method, personnel or equipment changes, or whenever an incident or near miss occurs. On long-running jobs, set a formal review every two to four weeks.

Does a sole trader need a method statement?

A sole trader is still subject to health and safety law. On a notifiable CDM project or when working for a main contractor, a written method statement will almost always be required. For smaller domestic work, a shorter risk assessment may be sufficient. See our CDM 2015 for sole traders guide.

Do I need a separate method statement per task or one for the whole project?

Separate method statements for each distinct high-risk task (for example, one for excavation, one for bricklaying, one for roofing) are preferred. A single project-wide document tends to be too generic to be useful.

Can I see an example method statement?

Yes. Download our sample RAMS PDF for a fully worked example that includes both the method statement and risk assessment halves.