Guide

How to write a method statement

A main contractor wants a method statement before you start, and a generic one will be sent back. Here is how to write one that describes your actual job.

The short answer

You write a method statement by setting out the task as a safe, step-by-step sequence, building in the control measures your risk assessment identified. Start from the risk assessment, describe the work in the order it actually happens, and at each step say how the hazards are controlled. There is no single legal format, but a method statement that a principal contractor will accept covers the task, the sequence, the controls, the equipment, the personal protective equipment and the emergency arrangements.

Step by step

1. Start from the risk assessment. Write the method statement to implement the controls it identified, so the two documents agree.
2. Describe the task and scope. What work is being done, where, by whom, and any limits on it.
3. Set out the sequence. The steps in the order they happen, from setting up to cleaning down, so anyone can follow the safe method.
4. Add the controls at each step. For each stage, state the precautions: isolation, access equipment, exclusion zones, and so on.
5. List plant, equipment and PPE. What is used, any safety requirements attached to it, and what must be worn.
6. Cover emergencies. First aid, what to do if something goes wrong, and who is responsible.

What makes it acceptable on site

The test a site manager applies is whether the method statement describes this job rather than a generic activity, and whether it matches the risk assessment beside it. The most common reason one is rejected is that it is clearly a template: it names hazards that are not present, or misses the ones that are. Write it in plain language the people doing the work can follow, keep it consistent with the risk assessment, and review it for the specific site before you send it.

Related guides

Read what a method statement is, how to write a risk assessment, and what RAMS means.

Common questions

How do I write a method statement?

Set the task out as a safe, step-by-step sequence that builds in the controls from your risk assessment. Describe the task and scope, the sequence of work, the controls at each step, the plant and PPE, and the emergency arrangements.

What should a method statement include?

The task and its scope, the sequence of work in order, the control measures at each stage, the plant and equipment used, the PPE required, and the first-aid and emergency arrangements.

What order do I write a method statement in?

Start from the risk assessment so the two agree, then describe the work in the order it actually happens, from setting up to cleaning down, adding the controls at each step.

Why do main contractors reject method statements?

Usually because they are generic. A method statement that names hazards which are not present, or misses the ones that are, reads as a template. It needs to describe this specific job and match the risk assessment beside it.