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General building · United Kingdom

Method statement for site set up

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

You must assess the risks of site set up 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 hitting underground services, electric shock from live wiring, road traffic and being hit by mobile plant.

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RAMS example: site set up

This is a complete RAMS for site set up, with 6 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)
Site set up and establishment · General building · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Get utility plans and check for overhead power lines
  • Hitting underground services
  • Contact with overhead power lines
Workers, Public, Plant operatorsVery high (15)
  • Keep machine buckets well clear of marked services and use a spotter. Isolate
  • Do a CAT and Genny scan before digging and mark services on the ground. Control (engineering)
  • Hand dig trial holes to find services before machine digging (safe digging practice). Control (engineering)
  • Get utility plans before digging and check them against what you see on site. Control (procedures)
  • Keep plans or locate tickets on site and check them again if the work area grows. Control (procedures)
  • If you hit a service, stop, get everyone clear, and call the owner and emergency services. Control (procedures)
  • Wear safety boots, gloves and hi-vis when digging. PPE
  • Ask the distribution network operator (DNO) to turn off, move or insulate the lines before work starts. Eliminate
  • Use non-conductive (fibreglass) ladders near any power lines. Reduce / substitute
  • Mark the safe distance with flags, tape or goal posts and keep all plant and people outside it. Isolate
  • Follow HSE GS6: barriers, goal posts under the lines and a permit for work near them. Control (procedures)
  • Use a dedicated spotter whenever plant moves or raises anything near lines. Control (procedures)
  • Treat all lines as live. If plant touches a line, stay in the cab and keep everyone well away. Control (procedures)
Medium (5)
2Install site fencing and signs to keep the public out
  • Public entering the work area
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
Public, Children, WorkersHigh (12)
  • Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Isolate
  • Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for prams and wheelchairs. Isolate
  • Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Control (engineering)
  • Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorised entry". Control (procedures)
  • Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Control (procedures)
  • Use a spotter when moving plant or materials across public paths. Control (procedures)
  • Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Eliminate
  • Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Reduce / substitute
  • Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or plant instead of carrying by hand. Control (engineering)
  • Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Control (procedures)
  • Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Control (procedures)
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
Medium (6)
3Set up toilets, first aid, fire extinguishers and the sign in area
  • Fire and emergencies
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Workers, Occupants, VisitorsHigh (10)
  • Provide fire extinguishers suited to the site, checked and easy to reach. Control (engineering)
  • Keep exits and escape routes clear and signed. Control (engineering)
  • Have a site emergency plan: alarm, exits, assembly point and emergency contacts. Control (procedures)
  • Keep a stocked first aid kit and at least one trained first aider on site. Control (procedures)
  • Know the site address and how emergency services get in. Call 999. Control (procedures)
  • Go through the emergency plan with every worker and visitor at induction. Control (procedures)
  • Keep flammable materials and rubbish away from exits and escape routes. Control (procedures)
  • 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)
4Arrange temporary power with RCD protection
  • Electric shock from leads and power tools
  • Electric shock from live wiring
Workers, OccupantsVery high (15)
  • 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
  • Isolate the power before any work. Do not work live. Eliminate
  • Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Isolate
  • Prove dead at the point of work with an approved voltage indicator (GS38), and prove the tester before and after. Control (engineering)
  • Only competent, qualified electricians do electrical work, following a safe isolation procedure. Control (procedures)
  • Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Control (procedures)
  • If live work cannot be avoided, use a permit, a safety observer and insulated tools. Control (procedures)
  • Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE
Medium (5)
5Mark delivery routes and parking, away from walkways
  • Road traffic
  • Being hit by mobile plant
Workers, Road users, Public, VisitorsVery high (15)
  • Do the work at low-traffic times, or close the road or lane with approval. Eliminate
  • Put solid barriers between the work and traffic where speeds are high, not just cones. Isolate
  • Use a truck-mounted attenuator or buffer vehicle on high speed roads. Control (engineering)
  • Set up signs and cones to Chapter 8 (Traffic Signs Manual) by trained operatives. Control (procedures)
  • Get a street works permit or licence from the highway authority before you start. Control (procedures)
  • Park work vehicles to shield the work zone, with beacons on. Control (procedures)
  • Wear Class 2 or 3 hi-vis clothing (EN ISO 20471). PPE
  • Separate people and plant with barriers, exclusion zones and marked walkways. Isolate
  • Use plant with working reversing alarms, cameras and lights. Control (engineering)
  • Have a traffic management plan showing plant routes, loading areas and pedestrian paths. Control (procedures)
  • Use a spotter when reversing or working near people. Control (procedures)
  • Make eye contact with the operator before going near. Stay out of the swing radius. Control (procedures)
  • Operators hold a CPCS, NPORS or equal card for the plant they use. Control (procedures)
  • Do a pre-start check on each machine every day and record it. Control (procedures)
  • Wear hi-vis clothing and a hard hat. PPE
Medium (5)
6Run the site induction for every worker
  • Working alone
  • Fatigue
Workers, Road usersHigh (12)
  • Do not do high risk work alone: work at height, confined spaces, live electrical or trenches. Eliminate
  • Set a check-in system: call or text at set times, and someone follows up if there is no reply. Control (procedures)
  • Tell someone where you are working and when you expect to finish. Control (procedures)
  • Carry a charged phone. Use a personal alarm or GPS device where there is no signal. Control (procedures)
  • Keep a first aid kit on hand and know the site address for emergency services. Control (procedures)
  • Plan hours so workers get a proper break between shifts and do not work long stretches without a day off. Eliminate
  • Avoid high risk tasks at the end of long shifts. Control (procedures)
  • Take regular breaks and rotate tiring tasks. Control (procedures)
  • Speak up if you or a workmate are too tired to work safely. Control (procedures)
  • Plan travel so nobody drives a long way home after a long shift. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Get utility plans and check for overhead power lines
  2. Install site fencing and signs to keep the public out
  3. Set up toilets, first aid, fire extinguishers and the sign in area
  4. Arrange temporary power with RCD protection
  5. Mark delivery routes and parking, away from walkways
  6. Run the site induction for every worker

PPE

Safety bootsHi-vis vestSafety helmetRigger gloves

Plant and equipment

TrailerHand toolsGenerator (110V site transformer)Skid steer loader: CPCS or NPORS skid steer card

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 site set up

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 site set up

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Get utility plans and check for overhead power lines
  2. Install site fencing and signs to keep the public out
  3. Set up toilets, first aid, fire extinguishers and the sign in area
  4. Arrange temporary power with RCD protection
  5. Mark delivery routes and parking, away from walkways
  6. Run the site induction for every worker

Hazards to watch on site set up

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

Step 6FatigueLong hours, early starts and long drives leave workers tired and slow to react, so mistakes and crashes happen.
Step 6Working aloneA worker on their own is hurt or falls ill and nobody knows to help them.
Step 5Road trafficPassing cars and trucks hit workers or plant working on or next to a road.
Step 3Fire and emergenciesA fire, injury or other emergency happens and workers cannot get out, raise the alarm or get first aid in time.
Step 1Contact with overhead power linesA ladder, MEWP, crane, tipper or long length of material touches or gets close to an overhead line and electrocutes people.
Step 4Electric shock from leads and power toolsDamaged leads, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on site set up: Very high before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United Kingdom 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible and fatal becomes unlikely and major 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?

Licences and legal requirements in United Kingdom

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

  • Skid steer loader: CPCS or NPORS skid steer card

Employers must assess the risks of their work and record the significant findings (required where you employ 5 or more people). On CDM projects, contractors give their RAMS to the principal contractor before starting, and brief the workers on it.

Rules that apply: HSE HSG47 Avoiding danger from underground services; HSE GS6 Avoiding danger from overhead power lines; CDM Regulations 2015; Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992; CDM 2015 regs 29 to 31 (fire on construction sites). Occupied premises: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England and Wales), Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, Fire Safety Regulations (NI) 2010; Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice (Red Book); CDM Regulations 2015 and PUWER 1998.

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 site set up?

You must assess the risks of site set up 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 site set up?

Usually Safety boots, Hi-vis vest, Safety helmet, Rigger gloves. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More general building RAMS

RAMSA House Extension7 stepsRAMSBathroom Refurbishment10 stepsRAMSKitchen Refit5 stepsRAMSNew Build House6 stepsRAMSShed Construction5 stepsRAMSGarden Annexe Construction5 stepsRAMSGeneral Maintenance6 steps

Related jobs in other trades

ScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves contact with overhead power linesElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves electric shock from live wiringRoofingRe-RoofingAlso involves contact with overhead power linesDemolitionSoft StripAlso involves electric shock from live wiringBricklayingBrickworkAlso involves being hit by mobile plant

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkWorking at HeightToolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkFatigue Management

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

Sources