What a RAMS is
RAMS stands for risk assessment and method statement. The risk assessment identifies each hazard, who could be harmed and how, and the controls that reduce the risk. The method statement is the safe, numbered sequence for doing the work. The two are read together: the method statement carries out the controls the risk assessment sets.
When you need one
You need a RAMS when the work carries significant risk, and on most construction sites a principal contractor will require one before you start. It is how you show, under CDM 2015 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, that you have assessed the job and planned it safely. A subcontractor produces their own RAMS for their part of the work.
The HSE five steps
Write the risk assessment on the HSE five steps of risk assessment:
- 1.Identify the hazards.
- 2.Decide who might be harmed and how.
- 3.Evaluate the risk and decide on controls.
- 4.Record your findings and act on them.
- 5.Review the assessment and update it when the work or the site changes.
Score each hazard for likelihood and severity, apply your controls, then record the residual risk that remains once those controls are in place.
Use the hierarchy of control
When you choose controls, work down the hierarchy of control in order, not straight to PPE. Eliminate the hazard if you can. If you cannot, substitute it for something safer, then use engineering controls, then administrative controls such as a safe system of work, and only then personal protective equipment. PPE is the last line, not the first.
Writing the method statement
The method statement describes the job from start to finish in a clear, numbered sequence. Include how the site is set up and made safe, the order of the work, the plant and equipment used, and how the area is left safe at the end. Each step should carry out the controls from the risk assessment, so a reader can see that the two match.
What a principal contractor checks
Before they let you start, a principal contractor checks that the RAMS is specific to the actual job and site, that the risk assessment and method statement match, that the controls follow the hierarchy, that the competence required is named, and that a competent person has signed it off. A generic template that does not match the job is the most common reason a RAMS is rejected.
You can read a full sample RAMS for your trade to see how the two documents fit together.
Get started
Write your RAMS from the job description.
Describe the job and get the risk assessment and method statement back, built on the HSE five steps and CDM 2015.
First document free. Then £15 each, or three for £35. No subscription.
FAQ
- What does RAMS stand for?
- Risk assessment and method statement. The two documents are usually written and read together as one pack.
- Is a RAMS a legal requirement?
- The risk assessment is. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risk, and CDM 2015 requires construction work to be planned and managed safely. A method statement is not named in law for every job, but principal contractors require the two together for significant-risk work.
- Who can write a RAMS?
- A competent person, meaning someone with the training, knowledge and experience of the work and its hazards. You can draft it and have a competent person review and sign it off before use.
- How long should a RAMS be?
- As long as the job needs and no longer. It should cover every significant hazard and every step of the work, but a padded document is harder to follow on site. Keep it specific to the actual job.
Sources
- HSE, Risk assessment: the five steps (hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk)
- HSE, Hierarchy of control (hse.gov.uk)
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm)
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999