How To Guide

How to Write a RAMS for a UK Construction Project (Step by Step)

A practical, repeatable method for UK site managers, foremen and contractors.

A RAMS is a risk assessment and method statement combined into one document. It tells anyone reading it what could go wrong on a task, and exactly how the work will be carried out to keep people safe. Below is a clear, step by step process for writing one that is specific, proportionate and unlikely to be handed back to you by the principal contractor.

What a RAMS actually is

RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement. It is not a single legal form. It is the practical combination of two things that UK construction has always needed:

The risk assessment identifies the significant hazards of a task, who might be harmed, and the control measures that reduce the risk to an acceptable level. The duty to assess risk comes from the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and it applies to every employer.
The method statement (sometimes called a safe system of work) describes how the task will actually be done, in sequence, using those controls.

On a construction project the RAMS also sits inside the wider duties of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, known as CDM 2015. The principal contractor plans, manages and monitors the construction phase, and every contractor has to plan and carry out their own work without risk to health and safety. Your RAMS is how you show that planning for a specific task.

When you need a RAMS

There is no single legal trigger that says "a RAMS is required at exactly this point". In practice you need one whenever a task carries significant risk or whenever the principal contractor or client asks for one before you start work. That covers most construction activity. Common examples where a RAMS is expected include:

Working at height, including scaffold, tower and MEWP work
Excavations and groundworks
Lifting operations and use of plant
Demolition and structural alterations
Hot works, confined space entry, and work near live services
Any activity involving substances hazardous to health, which also needs a COSHH assessment alongside

What a RAMS must contain

There is no legally fixed template, but a complete and credible RAMS almost always covers the sections below. Gather this information first and the writing becomes quick.

The risk assessment part

The task and location. The specific activity, the site, and where on site it happens.
The hazards. The significant hazards for this task, not a generic list. Think falls, moving plant, manual handling, dust, noise, electricity, collapse.
Who might be harmed and how. Operatives, other trades, visitors, the public.
Existing and additional controls. What is already in place and what you will add to bring the risk down.
A risk rating. A simple likelihood times severity score, before and after controls, so the reduction is visible.

The method statement part

Scope of works. A short, precise description of the task this RAMS covers.
People and responsibilities. Who is doing the work, who is supervising, and the competencies or tickets required.
Plant, tools and materials. What is used, with any inspection or certification requirements.
Sequence of work. The step by step method in order, from setup to completion and clear up.
Control measures. The precautions for each stage, tied back to the hazards in the risk assessment.
Personal protective equipment. The PPE required for the task.
Emergency arrangements. First aid, emergency contacts, rescue plans where relevant, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Sign off and briefing record. Space to record that operatives have read and understood the RAMS before starting.

How to write a RAMS, step by step

Define the exact task first. Write the scope in one or two plain sentences before anything else. "Erect a mobile tower scaffold to install soffit boards to the rear elevation" anchors the whole document to a real job, not a template.
List the significant hazards for that task. Walk the activity through in your head and note what could realistically cause harm. Keep it specific to this task and this site.
Assign controls to each hazard. For every hazard, state the control that reduces it. Apply the hierarchy of control: remove the hazard if you can, then reduce it, then isolate, then control, and only rely on PPE and instruction last.
Score the risk before and after controls. A simple likelihood by severity rating shows the residual risk is acceptable. If it is still high after your controls, the method needs rethinking.
Write the sequence of work in order. From arriving on site to clearing up, one clear action per step. This is the method statement, and it should read so a competent operative could follow it safely.
Attach the controls to the steps. Where a step carries a hazard, put the precaution right there. This is where generic wording gets exposed, so be specific about equipment, inspection intervals and exclusion zones.
Add the supporting detail. People, plant, PPE and emergency arrangements. Much of this repeats across similar jobs, so a solid base saves time.
Brief the team and record it. Walk operatives through the RAMS, answer questions, and have them sign before work starts. An unsigned RAMS shows it was never communicated.

The speed trick: the slow part is never the typing, it is the thinking through of hazards and sequence. Build a reliable base structure once, then for each job change only what is genuinely different about that task and site.

A worked RAMS example (short extract)

To make this concrete, here is a shortened extract for a common task, erecting a mobile tower to work at height. A real RAMS would expand each row, but this shows how the hazard, control and method line up.

Hazard	Who is at risk	Control measure
Fall from the tower platform	Operatives	Tower built by PASMA trained operative, guardrails and toe boards fitted, working platform fully boarded, tower inspected and tagged before use and every 7 days
Tower overturning	Operatives, others nearby	Outriggers or stabilisers fitted per manufacturer instructions, tower on firm level ground, not moved with people or materials on it
Falling tools or materials	Operatives, other trades, public	Toe boards fitted, exclusion zone below with barriers and signage, tools tethered or in bags

Method sequence (extract):

Check the ground is firm and level, and cordon off the work area below.
Assemble the tower to manufacturer instructions using the through the trap or advance guardrail method.
Fit stabilisers or outriggers, fully board the platform and fit guardrails and toe boards.
Carry out a pre use inspection, complete the tower tag, and only then allow access.
Carry out the soffit work, keeping tools secured and materials within the guardrails.
On completion, remove materials, dismantle in reverse order, and clear the area.

Who can write a RAMS

A RAMS should be prepared by a competent person, meaning someone with the training, knowledge and experience to understand the task and its risks. On most jobs that is the site manager, supervisor or a health and safety adviser working with the people who will do the work. The contractor carrying out the task is normally responsible for producing it, and on a multi contractor project the principal contractor will review it before work starts. Competence is not a certificate on its own, it is genuinely understanding the activity you are describing.

Mistakes that get a RAMS rejected

Obvious template reuse. The wrong site name, or hazards that do not match the task. Reviewers reject these on sight.
Generic hazards with no specific controls. "Work safely at height" is not a control. "Tower inspected and tagged within the last 7 days" is.
The risk assessment and method statement not matching. A control named in one but missing from the other.
Missing or out of order steps. Jumping from setup to completion with the risky middle left out.
No emergency arrangements. Especially for work at height, confined spaces, lifting or hot works.
No briefing record. A RAMS nobody signed shows it was never communicated to the team.
Too long to be usable. A wall of generic text operatives will never read is as bad as one that is too thin.

Keep it specific and proportionate

The single biggest quality signal in a RAMS is specificity. Reference the actual equipment, the actual site features and the actual sequence, not stock phrases. Match the level of detail to the risk: a routine, low risk task needs a short RAMS, a complex high risk operation needs more. Avoid vague terms like "take care" or "as necessary" and state the precaution instead.

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Frequently asked questions

Is a RAMS a legal requirement in the UK?

There is no single law that names a "RAMS". The underlying duties are legal: employers must assess significant risks under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and contractors must plan and carry out construction work safely under CDM 2015. A RAMS is the standard, expected way to demonstrate that planning for a task, and most principal contractors require one before you start.

What is the difference between a RAMS and a method statement?

A method statement is only one half. It describes how the work will be carried out, step by step. A RAMS combines that method statement with the risk assessment that identifies the hazards and controls. The two belong together, which is why they are usually issued as one document.

How long should a RAMS be?

As long as the task needs and no longer. It should be proportionate to the risk. A routine low risk job may be one or two pages, a complex high risk operation will need more. Clarity and specificity matter far more than length.

Do operatives need to sign the RAMS?

It is standard and good practice for the workers carrying out the task to sign a briefing record confirming they have read and understood the RAMS before starting. Check your principal contractor's requirements, as most make this a condition of starting work.

Can you reuse a RAMS on a different job?

You can reuse a strong base structure, but never copy one across unchanged. The hazards, site conditions, plant and sequence must reflect the actual task in front of you. Reused RAMS with the wrong details are the most common reason they get rejected.

Conclusion

Writing a good RAMS comes down to a repeatable process: define the exact task, list the real hazards, assign specific controls using the hierarchy of control, sequence the work step by step, then brief and record. Keep a solid base structure so each new job only needs the genuinely different details filled in. Where the requirements for a particular activity are unclear, check current HSE guidance and your principal contractor's requirements.

This article is general guidance for UK construction and is not legal advice. For requirements specific to your work, check current HSE guidance and your principal contractor's requirements.