# How to Write a Method Statement (UK): Step-by-Step Guide
Published 16 April 2026 | Site Manager AI
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 due diligence.
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, and the common errors that get a method statement rejected.
## What a method statement actually is
A method statement is a written plan describing 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, a procedure or a risk assessment. It works alongside a risk assessment to form what the UK industry calls a RAMS.
## The legal position in the UK
"Method statement" does not appear in UK legislation, but the underlying duties do.
- **Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974**
- **Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999**
- **Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015**
- **Work at Height Regulations 2005**
- **COSHH Regulations 2002**
A written method statement is the main way the UK construction industry shows it has met these duties.
## When you need a method statement
Write a specific method statement when:
- The project is CDM-notifiable
- 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, demolition, asbestos, high voltage)
- The task is unusual, complex or non-routine
- The client is a local authority, NHS trust, public body or large commercial organisation
- Multiple trades coordinate in the same area
## The structure of a UK method statement
| Section | What it contains | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Document control | Title, reference, version, date, prepared/reviewed/approved by | Half a page |
| 2. Scope of works | Clear description of task, location, duration, limits | One paragraph |
| 3. Site information | Address, client, principal contractor, welfare, access | Half a page |
| 4. Personnel and competence | Roles, qualifications, cards, supervisor, first aiders | Half a page |
| 5. Plant and equipment | Tools, machinery, PAT/LOLER certificates, access equipment | Half a page |
| 6. Materials and substances | Materials used, COSHH references | Short list |
| 7. Hazards and controls (summary) | Key hazards cross-referenced to risk assessment | One page |
| 8. Sequence of work | Numbered steps, plain English | Two to four pages |
| 9. PPE | Required PPE for each stage | Half a page |
| 10. Emergency arrangements | First aid, fire, nearest A&E, escalation | Half a page |
| 11. Briefing and sign-off | Signatures from all operatives | One page |
## Step-by-step: writing the method statement
1. **Define the scope.** One paragraph. What, where, when, for whom. Be specific.
2. **Note the site context.** Address, client, principal contractor, site contact, welfare.
3. **List the people.** Supervisor and operatives. Cards held: CSCS, CPCS, SSSTS, SMSTS, NPORS, PASMA, IPAF, asbestos awareness, first aid at work.
4. **List plant, equipment and materials.** Include PAT and LOLER certificates.
5. **Summarise the hazards and controls.** Short table referencing the risk assessment.
6. **Write the sequence of work.** Numbered steps, each short and specific.
7. **Specify PPE.** Include BS EN standards where relevant.
8. **Set out emergency arrangements.** First aid, fire assembly, nearest A&E, site manager number.
9. **Brief the team and collect signatures.** Pre-start briefing. Signed record.
10. **Review and update.** On change of scope, personnel, equipment or after an incident.
## Worked example: excavation of a foundation trench
**Scope:** Excavate 22m of strip foundation trench, 900mm wide, 1.2m deep, to Plot 7. Three working days, two operatives, one banksman, one excavator operator.
1. **Pre-start.** Supervisor reviews drawings and pre-construction information. Operatives briefed on method statement and risk assessment. Briefing record signed.
2. **Services check.** CAT and genny scan carried out. Positive readings verified by hand-dig trial holes.
3. **Exclusion zone.** 1.5m barrier both sides. Pedestrian route diverted. Signage in place.
4. **Machine set-up.** 5-tonne tracked excavator on firm level ground. Daily inspection done. Banksman in operator's line of sight. No operatives in the slew arc.
5. **Excavation.** 5m sections. Spoil 1m minimum from trench edge, never on pedestrian side.
6. **Shoring.** Battered or shored per soils report. No entry to unshored trench over 1.2m.
7. **Inspection.** Supervisor inspects before any operative enters. Recorded in site diary.
8. **Close of day.** Trench covered or fenced. Plant secured. Area cleared.
## 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 confirmed.
2. **Harness check.** Harness and short restraint lanyard inspected and signed off.
3. **Exclusion zone.** Barriers below the working area. Warning signage in place.
4. **Operation.** Outriggers deployed. Operator in basket with briefed ground attendant.
5. **Work execution.** Task completed within the basket. No leaning over handrails. No climbing out at height.
6. **Lowering.** MEWP fully lowered before exit. Outriggers retracted. Area cleared.
## Common mistakes that get a method statement rejected
1. Generic content with no mention of the actual site or plot.
2. Wrong scope (too broad or too narrow).
3. No actual sequence of work.
4. Missing references to CDM 2015, the construction phase plan, or COSHH.
5. No emergency information.
6. No signatures on the briefing record.
7. Out-of-date document or superseded legislation.
8. Copy-paste from another site with old details left in.
## How long should a method statement be?
A focused task (for example a bricklaying gang on a single plot) needs four to six pages. A complex task (demolition, lifting operation) needs ten to fifteen, supported by a separate lift plan or demolition plan. Over twenty pages usually means it needs splitting.
## Keeping the document useful on site
Print a copy for the site cabin. Use it as the basis for the daily briefing. When conditions change, write it into the method statement rather than ignoring it.
## FAQ
**Is a method statement a legal requirement in the UK?**
The phrase is not in law, but the duty to plan and manage work safely is. In practice it is expected on almost every project above the smallest domestic job.
**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.
**Who should write the method statement?**
The contractor doing the work, written by someone competent in the task, usually the supervisor or site manager.
**Can I use a generic template?**
As a starting point only. Tailor it to the actual site and task.
**How often should it be reviewed?**
On any change of scope, method, personnel or equipment, after any incident. Every two to four weeks on longer jobs.
**Does a sole trader need one?**
On a notifiable CDM project or when working for a main contractor, yes. For smaller domestic work a shorter risk assessment may be sufficient. See the CDM 2015 for sole traders guide.
**One method statement per task or one for the whole project?**
Separate per distinct high-risk task. Project-wide documents tend to be too generic.
## Related
- RAMS Template for Bricklayers:
- CDM 2015 for Sole Traders:
- Sample RAMS PDF:
- Pricing: