Construction RAMS
Before any construction work begins, you need to be able to show that you have thought through the risks and put a safe system of work in place.
Good RAMS are not just a box to tick before you start on site. They are the foundation of how your work gets done safely, and they need to actually reflect what your operatives are doing on the ground.
Construction RAMS Form
Why Generic RAMS Create More Problems Than They Solve
A lot of construction businesses download a template, change the company name and submit it to the principal contractor. Most experienced site managers and HSE inspectors can spot a generic document immediately, and it creates a worse impression than having nothing at all.
Generic RAMS that do not reflect the actual task, the actual site conditions or the actual sequence of work are not just useless from a safety perspective. They can also work against you legally. If something goes wrong and your RAMS do not match what was actually happening on site, you have a document that demonstrates you did not think the job through properly rather than one that shows you did.
Professionally produced RAMS that are specific to your activity give you genuine protection and documents that stand up to scrutiny.
Check out more of our General Risk Assessments here
What Construction RAMS Actually Cover
A risk assessment and method statement are two separate but connected documents that together set out how a task will be carried out safely.
The risk assessment identifies the hazards associated with the activity, assesses the likelihood and severity of harm, and sets out the control measures that will be put in place to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. This needs to cover every significant hazard relevant to the task including those that affect not just the workers carrying out the activity but also other trades on site, members of the public and anyone else who could be affected.
The method statement sets out the step-by-step sequence of work, the plant and equipment to be used, the PPE required, the competencies needed, the supervision arrangements and the emergency procedures in place. It is the practical document that tells your operatives how the job is going to be done.
Together they form the RAMS package that principal contractors, clients and the HSE expect to see before high-risk construction activities begin.
Contact The Construction RAMS Team
EThe Types of Construction Activity We Produce RAMS For
We produce RAMS across a wide range of construction activities and trades. This includes groundworks and excavations, working at height including scaffolding, fragile roofs and roof edge protection, demolition and strip-out works, confined space entry, electrical installation and isolation, hot works including welding and cutting, lifting operations and crane activities, installation of structural elements, fit-out and finishing trades, highway and public realm works, and specialist activities including asbestos removal support documentation and temporary works.
If your activity is not listed here, contact our team. If it happens on a construction site, we can produce the documentation for it.
Why Work With HSQE Consultancy for Construction RAMS
Our advisors have hands-on experience of the construction industry and understand what principal contractors, clients and the HSE actually expect to see in a RAMS submission. We do not produce generic documents. Every risk assessment and method statement we produce is specific to your activity, your site and your way of working.
We are also straightforward to work with. Tell us what you need, when you need it and what the job involves, and we will get it done without unnecessary back and forth.
Further Reading on Risk Assessment Services
To understand how comprehensive risk assessment services can benefit your business, explore the key areas where professional expertise makes a significant impact. From ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations to implementing effective hazard control measures, gaining deeper insights enables you to create a safer and legally compliant workplace.
Enterprise Centre, 14-40 Victoria Rd, Aldershot GU11 1TQ
Email: info@hsqeconsultancy.co.uk
Phone: 01252 214075
Construction RAMS Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you have a framework arrangement where you carry out similar activities across multiple sites or for multiple clients, we can produce a suite of RAMS that covers your standard activities and can be adapted for specific sites or conditions as needed. This is a cost-effective approach for contractors who carry out the same type of work regularly.
Yes. Your operatives need to read, understand and sign the method statement before work begins. This is part of demonstrating that the safe system of work has been communicated to the people carrying out the task. We can advise you on how to manage this process effectively as part of your pre-start arrangements.
RAMS should be reviewed whenever there is a significant change to the activity, the site conditions or the equipment being used. They should also be reviewed if an incident or near miss occurs that is relevant to the activity covered. For longer duration projects, a periodic review even in the absence of changes is good practice.
Contact our team by phone or through the enquiry form on this page. Tell us about the activity you need RAMS for, the site conditions and your timescale, and we will take it from there.
RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement. The risk assessment identifies the hazards associated with a task and evaluates the likelihood and severity of harm, whilst the method statement sets out the safe system of work — the step-by-step process for carrying out the activity safely. Together they form the primary safety document for most construction and maintenance activities and are routinely required by principal contractors, clients and CDM regulations.
Whilst the specific term RAMS does not appear in legislation, the underlying requirements do. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments, and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 require contractors to plan, manage and monitor construction work to ensure it is carried out safely. In practice, producing RAMS is the standard way of meeting these obligations on site.
Turnaround time depends on the complexity of the activity and the information available to us, but for straightforward tasks we can often produce RAMS within 24 to 48 hours. For more complex or specialist activities we will agree a realistic timescale with you at the outset. If you have an urgent requirement, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your deadline.
To produce accurate and site-specific RAMS we will typically need details of the activity to be carried out, the location and site conditions, the equipment and materials involved, the number of operatives, any client or principal contractor requirements, and details of any particular hazards already identified. The more detail you can provide, the more relevant and useful the finished document will be.
Yes. We have experience producing RAMS for a wide range of high-risk activities including working at height, confined space entry, excavation and groundworks, demolition, hot works, and work with hazardous substances. Where specialist knowledge is required we will ensure the risk assessment and method statement reflect the specific controls and competencies needed for the activity.
Our RAMS are produced to a professional standard and are structured to meet the expectations of principal contractors, clients and CDM coordinators. We are familiar with the requirements of major frameworks and can tailor the format and content to match specific client templates or submission portals if required. If a document is queried or returned for amendment, we will work with you to resolve any issues promptly.
Yes. RAMS sit alongside a wider range of health and safety services we provide, including construction phase plans, health and safety policies, COSHH assessments, toolbox talks and ongoing compliance support. If you need a more comprehensive health and safety offering for your business, we can discuss a package that suits your size, sector and workload.
If site conditions change materially after RAMS have been issued, the documents should be reviewed and updated before work continues. New or changed hazards must be assessed and the revised controls communicated to operatives. We can carry out amendments quickly to ensure your documentation remains accurate and your operatives are working to the correct safe system of work.
Generic RAMS can provide a useful starting point but should always be reviewed and adapted to reflect the specific conditions of each site. Using a generic document without site-specific amendments is a common compliance failure and can leave you exposed if something goes wrong. We can help you develop a master document that is structured for easy adaptation, ensuring consistency whilst remaining site-relevant.
Pricing depends on the scope and complexity of the activity and the number of documents required. We offer competitive rates for individual RAMS as well as discounted packages for contractors who need documents produced on a regular basis. Contact us for a straightforward quote based on your specific requirements and we will provide clear, transparent pricing with no hidden costs.