# RAMS Template for Bricklayers: A Complete UK Guide Published 16 April 2026 | Site Manager AI If you lay bricks or blocks on UK sites, a Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) is not optional paperwork. Main contractors will ask for one before you lift a trowel. The HSE expects it under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and CDM 2015. A decent RAMS protects your team, keeps you out of trouble with the principal contractor, and stops you losing a day's pay because your documents were bounced back at the gate. This guide walks through exactly what a bricklayer's RAMS should contain, gives you a ready-to-adapt template for a typical bricklaying task, lists the hazards inspectors actually check for, and ends with a downloadable sample RAMS PDF you can take to site tomorrow. **Download the sample RAMS PDF:** ## What RAMS actually means for bricklayers RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement. They are two separate documents that almost always travel together. The risk assessment identifies hazards and how you will control them. The method statement sets out, step by step, how you will carry out the work safely. Together they give the principal contractor proof that you have thought about the job before arriving. For bricklaying specifically, the risks are well known: manual handling of heavy blocks, working at height on scaffolds and trestles, silica dust from cutting bricks, cement burns, slips and trips in messy work areas, and being struck by vehicles or site plant. A RAMS that does not address these clearly will be sent back. ## Legal basis for a bricklayer's RAMS in the UK - **Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 3**: every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for work activities. - **Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Regulation 15**: contractors must plan, manage and monitor the work they undertake and ensure workers have suitable information and instruction. - **Work at Height Regulations 2005**: any work at height, including laying bricks off a scaffold or trestle, must be properly planned. - **Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)**: cement, mortar additives and silica dust all require COSHH assessments. - **Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992**: repeated lifting of blocks and bricks is one of the most reported causes of injury in bricklaying. ## The structure of a good bricklayer's RAMS A RAMS for bricklaying should fit on between four and eight pages. The structure below is the one most UK principal contractors expect. 1. **Document control.** Title, reference, version, date, prepared/reviewed/approved by, project details. 2. **Scope of works.** A short paragraph stating exactly what you will be doing on this project. 3. **Personnel and competence.** Gang members, CSCS cards, first aiders, supervisor. 4. **Sequence of work (the method statement).** Numbered steps for the actual task. 5. **Risk assessment table.** Hazard, who is at risk, likelihood, severity, rating, controls, residual risk. 6. **PPE schedule.** Items, standards, when they are required. 7. **Emergency arrangements.** First aid, fire assembly, nearest A&E, emergency numbers. 8. **Briefing and sign-off.** Signed briefing record for every operative. ## Bricklaying RAMS template: hazards and controls | Hazard | Who is at risk | Control measures | Residual risk | |---|---|---|---| | Manual handling of blocks and bricks | Bricklayers, labourers | Block grabs, split-pack deliveries, two-person lifts above 20kg, trained operatives, task rotation | Low | | Silica dust from cutting bricks | Bricklayers, adjacent trades | On-tool water suppression, P3 FFP3 masks, cutting outdoors or in ventilated areas, face-fit testing | Low | | Cement burns and dermatitis | Bricklayers, labourers | Nitrile gloves, long sleeves, wash facilities, immediate rinsing of skin contact, barrier cream | Low | | Falls from height (scaffold, trestle) | Bricklayers, labourers | Competent scaffolder, tag system, edge protection, toe boards, brick guards | Low | | Falling materials from scaffold | Workers below, public | Brick guards, netting, exclusion zones, tidy lifts, no stacking above toe board | Low | | Slips, trips and falls at ground level | All site operatives | Housekeeping, clear walkways, designated material storage, prompt removal of mortar droppings | Low | | Being struck by site plant | Bricklayers, labourers | Segregated routes, banksman for reversing, high-vis, pre-start briefings | Low | | Noise from cutting and mixing | Bricklayers, labourers, nearby trades | Hearing protection SNR 25+, low-noise cutting methods, limited exposure | Low | | Hand-arm vibration | Operators | Task rotation, HAVS trigger-time monitoring, low-vibration tools | Low | | Electrical hazards from 110V tools | Operators | 110V site transformer, PAT-tested equipment, RCD protection | Low | ## Method statement: a typical bricklaying sequence 1. **Pre-start briefing.** Supervisor briefs gang on RAMS, scope, welfare, emergency procedures. Briefing record signed. 2. **Material delivery and handling.** Bricks and blocks in banded packs placed close to the work face by forklift or telehandler. No manual handling of full packs. 3. **Setting out.** Confirm lines, levels, DPC level and cavity width with the site engineer. 4. **Mortar preparation.** Mortar mixed off-site or in the designated mortar station. Cement handled with gloves and mask. 5. **Laying up to scaffold lift one.** First three to four lifts from ground level. Tidy work area. 6. **Scaffold inspection.** Check scaffold tag. Do not use without a current green tag. 7. **Laying at height.** Bricks and blocks raised in banded loads. No throwing. Full PPE. 8. **Cutting.** Designated cutting station, water-suppressed cut-off saw, eye protection, P3 FFP3 mask, hearing protection, gloves. No dry cutting. 9. **Wall ties and insulation.** Cavity kept clean. Ties to specification. Insulation close-butted. 10. **Housekeeping and close down.** End of shift: wash mortar off scaffold and tools, remove offcuts, sweep walkways, clean mixer, final check of edge protection. ## PPE for a bricklaying gang - Hard hat to BS EN 397 - Safety boots with steel toe and mid-sole to BS EN ISO 20345 - Hi-vis vest or jacket to BS EN ISO 20471 - Safety glasses to BS EN 166 when cutting or chasing - Nitrile or rigger gloves - FFP3 face-fitted dust mask for cutting or dusty tasks - Hearing protection SNR 25+ for cutters or mixers ## Common reasons a bricklayer's RAMS gets rejected 1. Generic, off-the-shelf wording with no site-specific content. 2. No silica dust assessment. 3. No manual handling plan for dense blocks. 4. Out-of-date version or expired staff cards. 5. Unsigned briefing sheet. 6. No emergency information. ## How long should a bricklayer's RAMS be? Between four and eight pages for a typical job. Match depth to complexity and duration. ## Keeping the RAMS alive on site Review whenever: - A new operative joins the gang - Scope changes - A near miss or incident occurs - Method or equipment changes - Weather conditions introduce new risks For longer jobs, review weekly and before any new phase. ## Using Site Manager AI to produce a bricklayer's RAMS Site Manager AI is built for UK construction compliance. It takes job details (plot, scope, gang size, work at height, silica exposure) and returns a RAMS matching the structure above in minutes. The document is yours to edit, sign and upload. See pricing at . ## FAQ **Is a RAMS legally required for bricklaying?** A formal RAMS is not named in law, but the underlying risk assessment requirement is. In practice every UK principal contractor will require one. **Who should write the RAMS?** The bricklaying contractor is responsible. The principal contractor reviews and accepts it. **Do I need a separate RAMS for every site?** You need one that reflects the actual site, but much core content is reusable. Tailor the site address, scope, plot, welfare and emergency contacts. **How often should a RAMS be reviewed?** On any change of scope, method or personnel, after an incident or near miss, and at least monthly on long jobs. **Does a one-man bricklayer on domestic work need a RAMS?** On a notifiable CDM project or when working for a main contractor, yes. For small householder jobs a shorter risk assessment may be enough, but writing a RAMS is good practice. See the CDM 2015 for sole traders guide. **What is the difference between a RAMS and a method statement?** A method statement is the step-by-step plan. A risk assessment is the hazard and controls analysis. A RAMS is both combined. ## Related - How to Write a Method Statement (UK): - CDM 2015 for Sole Traders: - Sample RAMS PDF: - Pricing: