This guide will show you how to create professional Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) packs that meet industry expectations and help you win contracts. Risk assessments are a legal requirement under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and RAMS packs have become the standard way UK contractors demonstrate compliance.

Every professional RAMS pack must include these five core sections:

1. Project Overview

• Project name and location
• Client/principal contractor details
• Description of work to be carried out
• Start and end dates
• Your company details and contact information

2. Risk Assessment

• List of all hazards identified for the task
• Who might be harmed and how
• Likelihood rating (1-5)
• Severity rating (1-5)
• Risk score (likelihood x severity)

3. Control Measures

• Specific actions to eliminate or reduce each risk
• PPE requirements (be specific, e.g., "Class 1 hard hat")
• Safe systems of work
• Residual risk after controls applied

4. Method Statement

• Step-by-step sequence of operations
• Tools, equipment, and materials required
• Personnel needed and their competencies
• Permits or approvals required

5. Emergency Procedures

• First aid arrangements
• Fire evacuation procedures
• Accident reporting process
• Emergency contact numbers

1. Generic templates -- Using the same RAMS for every job without customising for the specific site and task
2. Missing hazards -- Not identifying all relevant risks (think: working at height, electricity, manual handling, vehicles, weather)
3. Vague control measures -- Writing "use appropriate PPE" instead of specifying exact requirements
4. No emergency procedures -- Forgetting to include what happens if something goes wrong
5. Unsigned documents -- Documents without signatures and dates aren't valid
6. Poor formatting -- Hard-to-read documents create a poor impression
7. Copy-paste errors -- Wrong project names or dates from previous jobs

Use this simple matrix to rate your risks consistently:

Low risk (1-4): Acceptable with basic controls
Medium risk (5-9): Additional controls needed
High risk (10-15): Significant controls required, management sign-off
Very high risk (16-25): Work should not proceed without substantial risk reduction

Use this checklist before submitting any RAMS pack:

• Project details are correct (name, location, dates, client)
• All hazards for this specific task are identified
• Each hazard has a likelihood and severity rating
• Control measures are specific, not generic
• PPE requirements list exact items needed
• Method statement has step-by-step instructions
• Equipment and materials are listed
• Personnel requirements and competencies stated
• Emergency procedures included
• Document is dated and signed
• Company details and insurance refs included
• Formatted clearly and professionally

• Tailor every RAMS -- Always customise for the specific job, site, and client requirements
• Include site-specific details -- Reference the actual location, access routes, and local hazards
• Add your branding -- Professional headers and footers make a great impression
• Review before sending -- Check for copy-paste errors from previous jobs
• Keep records -- Store all RAMS for future reference and audits
• Update when needed -- If conditions change, update your RAMS