SafetyPaperwork
Concreting · United Kingdom

Method statement for floor grinding

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from HSE guidance and CDM 2015 · How we write and check theseUpdated

You must assess the risks of floor grinding and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

RAMS cover the hazards, who could be harmed and how, the controls and the safe sequence of work, and the crew is briefed and signs. The main hazards are silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles, electric shock from leads and power tools, loud noise and flammable liquids and gases.

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RAMS example: floor grinding

This is a complete RAMS for floor grinding, with 5 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS)
Concrete grinding and polishing · Concreting · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Close off the area and seal doors to stop dust spreading
  • Working in an occupied home or building
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
Residents, Children, Staff, Workers, People nearbyVery high (20)
  • Plan noisy, dusty or risky work for when the building is empty. Eliminate
  • Close off the work area with barriers, plastic sheeting or locked doors, and put up signs. Isolate
  • Keep fire exits and paths clear at all times. Control (procedures)
  • Tell occupants before you turn off power, water or gas, and before noisy or dusty work. Control (procedures)
  • Lock away tools, chemicals and materials each day, out of reach of children. Control (procedures)
  • Clean up dust and debris at the end of each day. Control (procedures)
  • Order materials cut to size, or use low-dust methods such as score and snap or a block splitter. Reduce / substitute
  • Cut outdoors or in a separate area, with other people well away and upwind. Isolate
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles: see step 5 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (5)
2Connect the grinder to an H-class extractor before starting
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Electric shock from leads and power tools
Workers, People nearbyVery high (20)
  • Use water on the blade or on-tool dust extraction connected to an H-class vacuum. Control (engineering)
  • Clean up with a vacuum or wet methods. Never dry sweep or use compressed air. Control (procedures)
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles: see step 5 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Use battery-powered tools where you can. Reduce / substitute
  • Use 110V tools through a centre-tapped transformer, or battery tools. Use an RCD on any 230V supply. Control (engineering)
  • Keep leads off the ground and out of water, using lead stands or hooks. Control (engineering)
  • Check leads, plugs and tools before every use. Tag out and remove anything damaged. Control (procedures)
  • Keep tools and leads inspected and PAT tested on a regular schedule. Control (procedures)
  • Do not use tools in rain or wet areas unless they are rated for it. Control (procedures)
  • Wear safety boots and dry gloves. PPE
Medium (5)
3Grind with hearing and breathing protection, rotating operators
  • Loud noise
  • Hand-arm and whole-body vibration
  • Repetitive work and awkward postures
Workers, People nearbyHigh (12)
  • Use quieter tools and methods, such as cut-to-size materials, low-noise machines and battery tools. Reduce / substitute
  • Keep noisy plant away from work areas, and use screens or distance between the noise and people. Isolate
  • Keep tools maintained and use mufflers on compressors and generators. Control (engineering)
  • Limit time on noisy tools and rotate workers. Control (procedures)
  • If you have to shout to be heard by someone 2 metres away, the noise is probably 85 dB(A) or more: wear hearing protection. Control (procedures)
  • Assess noise. At 85 dB(A) or more, hearing protection is required and the zone must be marked. Control (procedures)
  • Use low-vibration tools and methods, such as a breaker on an excavator instead of a hand jackhammer. Reduce / substitute
  • Keep tools sharp and well maintained, and use anti-vibration handles and seats. Control (engineering)
  • Limit trigger time using the HSE vibration calculator to stay below the exposure action value, and rotate workers. Control (procedures)
  • Keep hands warm and dry, and take regular breaks. Control (procedures)
  • Report tingling, numbness or white fingers early. Control (procedures)
  • Use tools that cut the effort: powered screwdrivers, long-handled tools and extension poles for overhead work. Reduce / substitute
  • Set work up at waist height on benches or trestles where you can. Control (engineering)
  • Use light tools with good grips, and keep blades and bits sharp. Control (engineering)
  • Rotate tasks and take short breaks every hour on repetitive work. Control (procedures)
  • Warm up before heavy physical work and report aches and pains early. Control (procedures)
Medium (6)
4Apply densifiers or sealers with ventilation
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Flammable liquids and gases
Workers, Occupants, PublicHigh (10)
  • Choose the least harmful product that does the job, for example water-based instead of solvent-based. Reduce / substitute
  • Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, or use fans and extraction in closed rooms. Control (engineering)
  • Do a COSHH assessment and read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before use. Control (procedures)
  • Keep chemicals in labelled containers. Never decant into drink bottles. Control (procedures)
  • Store chemicals away from heat, food and drink, and keep products that react with each other apart. Control (procedures)
  • Have eye wash and a spill kit nearby, and wash hands before eating. Control (procedures)
  • Wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggles as listed on the SDS. PPE
  • Use a respirator with the right cartridge if the SDS calls for one. PPE
  • Use non-flammable or water-based products where you can. Reduce / substitute
  • Keep ignition sources away: no smoking, no hot work and no running engines near flammables. Isolate
  • Store fuels and solvents in approved, closed containers in a ventilated area away from the work. Control (engineering)
  • Refuel equipment outdoors with the engine off and cool. Control (procedures)
  • Keep only what you need for the day on site. Control (procedures)
  • Store gas cylinders upright, secured and outdoors. Control (procedures)
  • Keep a suitable fire extinguisher where flammables are used or stored. Control (procedures)
  • Wear chemical gloves and safety glasses when pouring or mixing. PPE
Medium (6)
5Vacuum all dust, never sweep dry, then reopen the area
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Workers, People nearby, VisitorsVery high (20)
  • Order materials cut to size, or use low-dust methods such as score and snap or a block splitter. Reduce / substitute
  • Cut outdoors or in a separate area, with other people well away and upwind. Isolate
  • Use water on the blade or on-tool dust extraction connected to an H-class vacuum. Control (engineering)
  • Clean up with a vacuum or wet methods. Never dry sweep or use compressed air. Control (procedures)
  • Do a COSHH assessment and keep exposure below the workplace exposure limit (0.1 mg/m3 respirable crystalline silica, 8 hours). Control (procedures)
  • Workers regularly exposed to silica dust get health surveillance (COSHH reg 11, HSE G404). Control (procedures)
  • Wear a fit-tested FFP3 mask. PPE
  • Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Eliminate
  • Put skips and waste chutes close to the work. Control (engineering)
  • Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Control (procedures)
  • Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Control (procedures)
  • Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Control (procedures)
  • Use a registered waste carrier and keep waste transfer notes for at least 2 years. Keep hazardous waste such as asbestos separate, with consignment notes (special waste in Scotland). Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
Medium (5)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Close off the area and seal doors to stop dust spreading
  2. Connect the grinder to an H-class extractor before starting
  3. Grind with hearing and breathing protection, rotating operators
  4. Apply densifiers or sealers with ventilation
  5. Vacuum all dust, never sweep dry, then reopen the area

PPE

Safety bootsSafety glassesEar defendersHalf-mask respirator (P3 filters)Knee padsFFP3 dust maskRigger glovesChemical-resistant glovesSafety gogglesCoveralls

Plant and equipment

Angle grinder (disc cutter)H-class dust extractorGenerator (110V site transformer)

Emergency

Call 999. Add the nearest A&E, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this RAMS.

Free RAMS template for floor grinding

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this RAMS

Pre-start checklist for floor grinding

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

The safe sequence of work

  1. Close off the area and seal doors to stop dust spreading
  2. Connect the grinder to an H-class extractor before starting
  3. Grind with hearing and breathing protection, rotating operators
  4. Apply densifiers or sealers with ventilation
  5. Vacuum all dust, never sweep dry, then reopen the area

Hazards to watch on floor grinding

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 4Flammable liquids and gasesPetrol, solvents, thinners and LPG catch fire or explode when vapour reaches a spark, flame or hot surface.
Step 2Electric shock from leads and power toolsDamaged leads, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.
Step 1Working in an occupied home or buildingResidents, staff or children wander into the work area and get hurt, or the work blocks exits or cuts off power or water while people are inside.
Step 3Hand-arm and whole-body vibrationLong periods on jackhammers, grinders, compactors or riding plant cause white finger, numbness and back damage.
Step 3Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.
Step 4Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on floor grinding: Very high before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United Kingdom 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and fatal becomes unlikely and lost time injury).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

  • Will anyone work at height, anywhere a fall could hurt them?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Is there a fragile roof, skylight or clear roof sheet?
  • Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?

Why RAMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • The method statement is only a list of headings that repeats the risk table and never says how the work is done.
  • The method sequence does not match the risk assessment, for example the method strips the roof before the scaffold is handed over.
  • Residual risk is still High after controls with no extra measures or explanation.
  • It reads as copied: another firm, another address, or wording that does not fit UK sites. HSE warns that copying an example and adding your name does not satisfy the law.
  • Work on an older building with no reference to an asbestos survey.
  • Plant and access equipment listed with no inspection, thorough examination or competence evidence.
  • No briefing record, no revision history, or no named supervisor.

Questions

Do I need RAMS for floor grinding?

You must assess the risks of floor grinding and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

Who signs the RAMS?

The person who wrote it and the person who approved it sign and date it. Every worker signs the briefing register after it is explained to them, and the principal contractor reviews and accepts it before you start.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this RAMS, every revision and the signed briefing register with the site file for the length of the job, and keep a copy in your records afterwards.

What PPE is needed for floor grinding?

Usually Safety boots, Safety glasses, Ear defenders, Half-mask respirator (P3 filters), Knee pads, FFP3 dust mask, Rigger gloves, Chemical-resistant gloves, Safety goggles, Coveralls. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More concreting RAMS

RAMSConcrete Slab Pour9 stepsRAMSConcrete Driveway6 stepsRAMSConcrete Footings6 stepsRAMSFormwork9 stepsRAMSConcrete Cutting8 stepsRAMSPrecast Concrete Installation6 steps

Related jobs in other trades

DemolitionSoft StripAlso involves hazardous chemicalsBricklayingBrickworkAlso involves silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tilesElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves working in an occupied home or building

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkWorking at HeightToolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkSilica Dust

Blank RAMS template: free RAMS templates. Also for other countries: Australia (SWMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)

Sources