Guide
What is RAMS?
RAMS is the piece of paperwork a main contractor asks for more than any other. Here is what the term actually means.
The short answer
RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement. It is the two documents supplied together as one pack: the risk assessment that identifies the hazards and controls for a task, and the method statement that sets out the safe step-by-step way to carry it out. When a main contractor asks for your RAMS, they want both, specific to the job you are about to do.
Why the two go together
They answer different questions that only make sense as a pair. The risk assessment establishes what could cause harm, who is at risk and what controls are needed. The method statement then shows how the work is actually done with those controls built in. A method statement without a risk assessment has no basis for its precautions; a risk assessment without a method statement never shows how the controls are applied on the day. Together they demonstrate a complete safe system of work.
What good RAMS look like
- Task specific. They describe the actual job, location and hazards, not a generic activity.
- Consistent. The controls named in the risk assessment appear in the method statement steps.
- Current. Reviewed for the site and dated recently, not carried over unchanged for years.
- Readable on site. Clear enough that the people doing the work can follow them.
For electrical contractors
Electrician CHAS pack · £95
Five sets of electrical RAMS, risk assessments and method statements written to match, ready to adapt to each job you quote.
RAMS and accreditation
RAMS are central to accreditation as well as to site access. A CHAS assessment expects to see site or project specific risk assessments and method statements as evidence that you identify hazards and develop safe systems of work. The same documents you produce to get onto a site are the ones that support your application, which is why it pays to have a consistent, trade-specific set rather than assembling them from scratch each time.
Related guides
Read what a risk assessment is, what a method statement is, and the RAMS guide for electricians.
Common questions
What does RAMS stand for?
Risk Assessment and Method Statement. It refers to the two documents supplied together: the risk assessment that identifies hazards and controls, and the method statement that sets out the safe step-by-step way to do the work.
Why are risk assessments and method statements combined?
They answer different questions that only work as a pair. The risk assessment establishes the hazards and controls; the method statement shows how the work is done with those controls in place. Together they demonstrate a complete safe system of work.
What do main contractors expect in RAMS?
Task-specific documents that describe the actual job and its hazards, where the controls named in the risk assessment appear in the method statement steps, reviewed and dated for the current site and readable by the people doing the work.
Do I need RAMS for CHAS?
A CHAS assessment expects to see site or project specific risk assessments and method statements as evidence that you identify hazards and develop safe systems of work, so having a consistent trade-specific set helps both site access and accreditation.