RAMS and method statement for roofing

Roofing is working at height, and falls from height remain the single biggest cause of death in UK construction. A risk assessment and method statement for roofing is read carefully because two things go wrong again and again: people fall from the edge, and people fall through a fragile surface that looked solid. A roofing RAMS is built around the work at height hierarchy, avoid the work at height where you can, prevent falls with collective protection, and only then minimise the distance and consequences. This guide sets out what a roofing RAMS should cover on a UK site, whether it is a pitched re-roof, a flat roof, or work on an industrial sheeted roof.

What a RAMS for roofing needs to cover

Be specific about the roof and the task. State the roof type, pitched or flat, its construction and whether any part is fragile, the access to be used, the edge protection, and the task itself, from a full strip and re-cover to a repair or a torch on felt job. An industrial roof with fibre cement sheets and rooflights is a very different risk from a domestic pitched re-roof with a full scaffold, and the document should read like the actual roof in front of you.

The main hazards of roofing

• Falls from the edge at eaves, verges, gable ends and openings.
• Falls through fragile surfaces such as rooflights, fibre cement sheets, liner panels and old or corroded roofs.
• Falling materials and tools striking people below.
• Weather, particularly wind acting on the roof and on materials, plus ice and wet surfaces.
• Manual handling of tiles, sheets and materials at height.
• Access hazards from using ladders as a work position rather than for access only.
• Fire from hot works such as torch on felting.
• Unknown roof condition, where timbers, decks or old coverings turn out weaker than expected.

The control measures a reviewer expects

A roofing reviewer looks first for collective protection at the edge and for how fragile surfaces are controlled.

• Collective edge protection, a scaffold with guardrails or proprietary edge protection to the perimeter, before anyone goes onto the roof.
• Fragile surface controls: never walk on a fragile surface, use staging or crawl boards that span the supports, cover or barrier off rooflights, and provide safety nets under the work.
• Safe access appropriate to the work, a scaffold, tower or MEWP rather than ladders for anything but brief access.
• Exclusion zones and debris control below the work, with materials raised and lowered in a controlled way.
• Weather limits, stopping work in high winds, ice or when surfaces are unsafe.
• Harness and anchor as a last resort, only where collective protection is not reasonably practicable, with a rescue plan.
• Competent operatives for the roof type and the access being used.
• A hot works permit and fire watch for any torch on or other hot roofing work.

The method statement sequence for roofing

1. Survey the roof for type, pitch, fragile areas and the condition of the deck and timbers.
2. Erect the access and the collective edge protection, and install safety nets under the work where needed, before anyone accesses the roof.
3. Set up the exclusion zone below and brief the team with a toolbox talk.
4. Work without ever stepping on a fragile surface, using staging and crawl boards and keeping clear of unprotected edges.
5. Raise and lower materials in a controlled way and keep the roof tidy to avoid trips and dropped objects.
6. Manage the weather, stopping in high wind, ice or heavy rain.
7. For torch on or other hot works, operate a hot works permit with a fire watch during and after.
8. Clear the roof, inspect the finished work, then dismantle the access and edge protection last.

Where roofing RAMS usually get rejected

• No collective edge protection, with a harness offered as the only fall control.
• Fragile surfaces not identified, or rooflights left uncovered and unmarked.
• Ladders used as the work platform for anything more than brief access.
• No exclusion zone or debris control for people below.
• No weather limits for a job that is entirely exposed.
• Torch on or other hot works not covered by a permit and fire watch.

Frequently asked questions

What is a fragile roof?

A fragile surface is one that will not reliably bear the weight of a person and any load they carry. Rooflights, fibre cement and older asbestos cement sheets, liner panels and corroded or rotten roofs are all fragile. Treat any roof or rooflight as fragile unless there is clear evidence it is not.

Can I use a harness for roof work?

A harness is a last resort, used only where collective protection such as edge protection or safety nets is not reasonably practicable. It needs a suitable anchor point, the right lanyard and a rescue plan, because hanging in a harness is itself dangerous if no one can recover the person.

Do I need edge protection on a flat roof?

Yes, in most cases. Provide guardrails or a barrier to the perimeter, or for short duration work a clearly demarcated safe zone set well back from the edge, so no one can reach the edge unprotected.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is a plain-English working summary to support site teams. For the detail see the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and HSE guidance HSG33, health and safety in roof work.

Related guides: RAMS for working at height, RAMS for scaffolding, RAMS for hot works, and the how to write a risk assessment guide.