RAMS, Method Statements & Risk Assessments

RAMS is one of those site acronyms everyone uses and few people fully explain. It stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement, two related but different documents that together show a job can be done safely. This guide explains RAMS, method statements and risk assessments in plain terms, when you need them, and what belongs in each.

What does RAMS stand for?

RAMS means Risk Assessment and Method Statement. It is not a single document but a pairing: the risk assessment identifies what could go wrong and how you will control it, and the method statement sets out the step-by-step way the work will actually be carried out safely. Most contractors ask for them together, which is why they get bundled into one word.

Risk assessment vs method statement

The two are easy to mix up, so here is the difference.

The risk assessment

A risk assessment looks at a task and asks: what are the hazards, who could be harmed, and what will we do to reduce the risk? It lists each significant hazard (working at height, dust, manual handling, electricity, and so on), rates the risk, and records the control measures that bring it down to an acceptable level. The Health and Safety Executive sets out the basic approach in its guidance on risk assessment.

The method statement

A method statement is the how. It describes, in order, the safe way to carry out the work: the sequence of tasks, the equipment and PPE used, who is responsible for what, and the controls from the risk assessment put into practice. If a risk assessment says "risk of falls when working at height," the method statement says exactly how the scaffold or MEWP will be used to prevent them.

Risk assessment: what could go wrong and how we control it. Method statement: the safe steps we will actually follow.

Scaffolding on a UK construction site — Working at height, hot works and excavations are exactly the tasks a UK site will expect RAMS for before you start.

When do you need RAMS?

You will be asked for RAMS on most commercial and larger domestic sites, and for any task with meaningful risk: working at height, excavations, hot works, demolition, confined spaces, heavy lifting, and work involving hazardous substances. Principal contractors routinely require RAMS from every subcontractor before they set foot on site, partly for safety and partly because it is expected under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM).

Even on smaller jobs, a written risk assessment is good practice and can be the thing that protects you if something goes wrong. "We talked about it" is a much weaker position than a signed document.

The Sitewise app showing a method statement built against a job — **In Sitewise:** method statements are built and signed against the job, and daily inspections log to the same place, so the record is always current and on site.

The Sitewise app showing a site safety inspection checklist — **In Sitewise:** method statements are built and signed against the job, and daily inspections log to the same place, so the record is always current and on site.

What goes into good RAMS

Strong RAMS are specific to the actual job, not a generic template with the site name swapped in. A useful set covers:

the site, the client and the specific task;
the people doing the work and who is supervising;
the hazards identified and the risk rating for each;
the control measures and the PPE required;
the step-by-step method for carrying out the work;
emergency arrangements and first aid;
sign-off from the people who will actually do the work.

That last point matters more than it looks. RAMS only work if the crew has read them and signed to say so. A document sitting in the site office that nobody has looked at protects nobody.

The Sitewise app showing a signed-off inspection record — **In Sitewise:** sign-offs are captured from the crew who did the work, so 'we talked about it' becomes a signed, timestamped record that protects you.

Keeping RAMS on site and up to date

RAMS are not a one-and-done. If the job changes, the weather turns, or a new hazard appears, they should be reviewed and updated. And they need to be available on site, not on a laptop back at the office. This is exactly where paper falls down: the current version is in the van, the signed copies are somewhere, and nobody is quite sure which revision is live.

Keeping RAMS, sign-offs and daily inspections attached to the job, on the phone in the pocket of the person doing the work, is what turns safety paperwork from a filing problem into a genuine record. This is one of the things Sitewise handles for you: method statements and RAMS are built and signed against the job, so the current version is always to hand and the safety record keeps itself. It is the same principle behind keeping all your site admin in one place: the value is in it being current, signed and findable when someone asks.

How Sitewise helps

Take the admin off your hands.

Build and sign RAMS, method statements and site inspections against the job, so the current version is always on the phone in your pocket and the record signs itself.

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Frequently asked questions

What does RAMS stand for?

Risk Assessment and Method Statement. The risk assessment identifies hazards and the controls to reduce them; the method statement describes the safe step-by-step way the work will be carried out. They are usually produced and supplied together.

What is the difference between a risk assessment and a method statement?

A risk assessment identifies what could go wrong and how you will control it. A method statement sets out the actual safe sequence of work, the equipment and PPE, and who does what. One is the analysis, the other is the plan of action.

Do I legally need RAMS for every job?

There is no single law that says 'every job needs RAMS,' but employers must assess risks by law, and under CDM 2015 principal contractors must plan and manage work safely. In practice most commercial sites require RAMS from every subcontractor, and a written risk assessment is sensible for any task with real risk.

Who should sign a method statement?

The people who will actually carry out the work, along with whoever is supervising. Sign-off records that the crew has read and understood the safe method. RAMS that nobody has signed or read offer very little protection if something goes wrong.

How often should RAMS be reviewed?

Whenever the work, the site conditions or the risks change, and at sensible intervals for longer jobs. RAMS should reflect what is actually happening on site, so a document written weeks ago for different conditions needs updating before the work continues.

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