RAMS Explained: What They Are & When You Need One

If you've been asked for "your RAMS" before being allowed on site and weren't quite sure what that meant — you're not alone. It's one of the most common documents contractors get tripped up by. Here's what it is, in plain terms.

RAMS = Risk Assessment + Method Statement

RAMS is simply two documents that usually travel together:

• The Risk Assessment identifies the hazards of a task, who might be harmed and how, and the controls that reduce the risk.
• The Method Statement is a step-by-step description of how the work will be carried out safely, from start to finish.

Together they show, on paper, that you've thought through the job and how to do it without hurting anyone.

Why principal contractors ask for them

On most construction projects, a principal contractor is legally responsible for managing health and safety across the whole site under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). To meet that duty, they need to see that every subcontractor coming on site is working safely.

Your RAMS is the evidence. No RAMS — or a weak, generic one — and you may simply not be allowed to start. In practice, good RAMS are now a condition of winning and keeping work.

When do you need one?

Any time you're carrying out work with significant risk — particularly on someone else's site, or where a client or principal contractor requires it. Common triggers include work at height, hot works, excavation, demolition, working with hazardous substances, or any task a main contractor wants documented before approving.