How to Write a RAMS (Risk Assessment & Method Statement): A Practical Guide

Pro Site Docs · Guide

If you've been asked for a RAMS before starting work and you're staring at a blank page wondering where to begin — you're not alone. Risk Assessments and Method Statements trip up thousands of tradespeople and contractors every year, not because the work is complicated, but because the paperwork feels like a foreign language.

Here's a straightforward, plain-English guide to what a RAMS actually is, what goes in one, and how to produce one that'll pass without the headache.

What is a RAMS?

RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement — two documents that usually travel together:

• The Risk Assessment identifies the hazards of a job, who might be harmed, and what you'll do to control the risk.
• The Method Statement explains, step by step, how the work will actually be carried out safely.

Together they show that you've thought about the dangers of a job before you start, and have a clear plan to do it safely. Main contractors, clients and principal contractors will often refuse to let you on site without one.

What goes in a Risk Assessment?

A solid risk assessment covers:

• The task — what work is being done
• The hazards — what could cause harm (working at height, manual handling, electricity, dust, moving plant, and so on)
• Who's at risk — workers, other trades, the public
• The likelihood and severity — how likely harm is and how bad it could be
• Control measures — what you'll do to reduce each risk (PPE, exclusion zones, training, safe systems of work)

The key is to be specific to your job. A generic assessment that could apply to any site is exactly what gets rejected.

What goes in a Method Statement?

The method statement is the "how." It should walk through the job in a logical order:

• Sequence of work — step by step, start to finish
• Equipment and materials — what you're using
• Access and safety — how people and plant move safely
• PPE and controls — what protection is in place at each stage
• Emergency procedures — what happens if something goes wrong
• Responsible people — who's in charge of what

The aim is that someone reading it could understand exactly how the work will be done and why it's safe.

The mistakes that get a RAMS rejected

A few common ones worth avoiding:

• Too generic — copied from the internet with nothing specific to the actual job or site.
• Missing hazards — obvious risks left out (a reviewer will spot this instantly).
• No control measures — listing hazards but not saying how you'll manage them.
• Vague method — "carry out works safely" isn't a method statement; it needs real steps.
• Out of date — using an old template that doesn't reflect current regulations.

The honest truth about writing them from scratch

Writing a proper RAMS from a blank page takes time, knowledge of current regulations, and a fair bit of admin patience — three things most tradespeople would rather spend on actual work. That's why most experienced contractors start from a professionally written template built for their type of job, then tailor it to the specific site. It's faster, it's more likely to pass, and it means nothing important gets missed.

The bottom line

A good RAMS isn't about box-ticking — it's about genuinely thinking through a job before you do it, and showing others you've done so. Cover the hazards, control them, lay out a clear method, and keep it specific to the actual work. Do that and you'll get on site without the back-and-forth.

Save hours with a professional RAMS template built for your trade, or download 5 free templates to see the standard.