Method statement meaning
The HSE describes a method statement as a logical sequence for carrying out a job in a way that secures health and safety. It is also called a safe system of work or a work method statement. In construction it is usually paired with the risk assessment, and the pair is called a RAMS.
Method statement vs risk assessment
A risk assessment asks what could go wrong, who could be harmed and how each risk is controlled. A method statement takes those controls and turns them into the steps of the job. The law requires the risk assessment. A principal contractor will usually ask for the method statement as well.
What a method statement includes
A method statement names the job, the site and the people responsible. It sets out the scope of works and the numbered sequence of work. It lists plant, equipment, materials, PPE and any permits. It covers access, welfare, first aid and emergency procedures, and it ends with a sign-off sheet.
How to write a method statement
Start from the risk assessment, so every control has a step that carries it out. Break the job into the order it happens on site. Write each step as an instruction a competent operative could follow, and name who does it. Then brief the team and collect their signatures before work starts.
Method statement example
Take a consumer unit replacement in an occupied flat. The sequence starts with safe isolation: the electrician identifies the supply, isolates it, locks it off and proves dead with an approved voltage indicator. The old unit comes out and the new unit goes in. The installation is tested before it is energised and certified. The full sample shows every step, with the risk assessment beside it.
FAQ
- Is a method statement a legal requirement?
- Not for every job. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require a risk assessment, and CDM 2015 requires construction work to be planned and managed. Principal contractors ask for a method statement before significant-risk work, so in practice you need one to get on site.
- What is another name for a method statement?
- A safe system of work, a safe work method statement or a work method statement. When it is paired with a risk assessment, the pair is called a RAMS.
- Who writes a method statement?
- Someone competent in the work, usually the contractor or subcontractor doing the job. A supervisor or manager reviews it, and the team is briefed on it before work starts.
- How long should a method statement be?
- As long as the job needs and no longer. It should cover every step and every significant hazard. A padded document is harder to follow on site.
- Can I get a method statement written for my job?
- Yes. Describe the job and you get a method statement and risk assessment back, in Word and PDF. Your first one is free, then £15 each.