How to use the checklist
Go through the RAMS one item at a time. Any item you cannot tick is a gap to fix before the document goes to site. The last check is the quickest test: if the RAMS could go to a different job unchanged, it is not ready yet.
Why principal contractors check these
Under CDM 2015, the principal contractor plans, manages and monitors the construction phase. Each contractor must plan, manage and monitor its own work and give its workers the information they need. Checking each contractor's RAMS is one of the ways a principal contractor does that. The risk assessment itself is a legal duty under regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Sources: CDM 2015, regulation 13; CDM 2015, regulation 15; Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3
Turn the checklist into a RAMS
If the checklist shows gaps, describe the job and get a method statement and risk assessment written for that site. Every item on this list is covered in the document.
FAQ
- Is the checklist free?
- Yes. You can tick it on screen, print it or save it as a PDF from the print dialog. You do not need to sign up.
- Is a RAMS a legal requirement?
- The risk assessment is a legal duty under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The method statement is not named in law, but it is standard practice and principal contractors require it to get on site.
- What does a principal contractor look for in a RAMS?
- They look for a named site, dates and supervisor, the team's training, hazards from this job, controls in the right order, a method that matches the risk assessment and emergency arrangements.