SafetyPaperwork
Roofing · United Kingdom

Method statement for roof tile replacement

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

You must assess the risks of roof tile replacement 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 falling from a roof edge, falling from height, silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles and scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold.

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RAMS example: roof tile replacement

This is a complete RAMS for roof tile replacement, with 9 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)
Replace roof tiles · Roofing · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check the weather, look for overhead power lines and barricade the area below the work
  • Strong wind and storms
  • Contact with overhead power lines
  • Public entering the work area
  • Falling tools and materials
Workers, Public, Plant operators, Children, People belowHigh (12)
  • Check the forecast each morning and plan work at height and lifting around the weather. Eliminate
  • Tie down or weigh down loose sheets, panels, boards and rubbish at the end of each shift. Control (engineering)
  • Set wind limits for roof work, platforms and cranes, using the manufacturer's limits, and stop when they are reached. Control (procedures)
  • Stop work and get down in lightning. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back up. Control (procedures)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Isolate
  • Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Control (engineering)
  • Falling tools and materials: see step 5 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
2Set up scaffold or roof edge protection and a secured ladder for roof access
  • Falling from a roof edge
  • Falling from a ladder
  • Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold
Workers, People below, PublicVery high (20)
  • Do what you can from the ground or from a scaffold at the gutter line, for example pre-assemble parts on the ground. Eliminate
  • Install edge protection or guardrails on all open roof edges before work starts. Isolate
  • Use a perimeter scaffold with handrails and toe boards along the eaves where practical. Control (engineering)
  • Where guardrails cannot be fitted, use fall restraint on certified roof anchors so workers cannot reach the edge. Control (engineering)
  • Use one safe, controlled access point and keep others off the roof. Control (procedures)
  • Use a podium step, mobile tower or MEWP for longer jobs instead of a straight ladder. Reduce / substitute
  • Use EN 131 professional ladders in good condition. Remove any damaged ladder from site. Control (engineering)
  • Set extension ladders at a 4 to 1 angle on firm, level ground, tied or footed, and reaching 1 metre above the landing. Control (engineering)
  • Use ladders only for short, light work (about 30 minutes in one spot). Do not carry heavy or awkward loads up a ladder. Control (procedures)
  • Keep three points of contact and your belt buckle between the stiles. Do not overreach. Control (procedures)
  • Scaffold is built, altered and taken down only by CISRS-carded scaffolders, to TG20 or a specific design. Control (engineering)
  • Fit guardrails, mid rails and toe boards on every working platform. Control (engineering)
  • Use mobile scaffolds only on firm, level ground with castors locked and outriggers fitted. Never move one with anyone on it. Control (engineering)
  • Mobile towers are built by PASMA-trained workers. Control (procedures)
  • Inspect the scaffold before first use, after any change or bad weather, and at least every 7 days. Record it on the tag and register. Control (procedures)
  • Do not overload platforms. Know the duty rating and keep material stacks over the standards. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
3Check for brittle or cracked tiles, skylights and roof sheets from the access point, and plan a walking route
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight
Workers, People belowVery high (15)
  • Work from underneath or from a MEWP so nobody stands on the fragile roof. Eliminate
  • Cover or guard every skylight and fragile sheet with a fixed, marked cover or mesh before work starts. Isolate
  • Use safety nets or a boarded platform under the work, and staging or crawl boards to spread the load on fragile surfaces. Control (engineering)
  • Use fall arrest on rated anchors when working near fragile areas. Control (engineering)
  • Treat all roof sheets as fragile until a competent person confirms they are not. Old fibre cement and plastic sheets are fragile. Control (procedures)
  • Put "Fragile roof" signs at every roof access point. Control (procedures)
  • Never walk on sheets between purlins or along skylights. Stay on boards or staging. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a full body harness clipped to a rated anchor. PPE
Medium (5)
4Walk on the tile laps only, clipped to an anchor where there is no edge protection
  • Falling from height
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight
  • Slips and trips
Workers, People below, Visitors, PublicVery high (20)
  • Do the work from the ground where you can, for example pre-assemble on the ground or use extension poles. Eliminate
  • Install guardrails or edge protection on all open edges before work starts. Isolate
  • Use a scaffold, mobile tower or MEWP instead of working off a ladder. Control (engineering)
  • Where edge protection is not practical, use a fall restraint or fall arrest system on a rated anchor point. Control (engineering)
  • Have a rescue plan so a worker hanging in a harness can be brought down within minutes. Control (procedures)
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight: see step 3 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Eliminate
  • Run leads and hoses overhead on hooks or stands, or along walls, not across walkways. Control (engineering)
  • Fill or cover holes, and lay boards or mats on muddy access paths. Control (engineering)
  • Clean up offcuts, packaging and spills as you go, not at the end of the day. Control (procedures)
  • Keep work areas, stairs and access paths well lit. Control (procedures)
Medium (5)
5Lift out broken tiles and stack them or lower them down; never throw them off the roof
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Falling tools and materials
  • Cuts from sharp edges
Workers, Public, People belowHigh (12)
  • 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)
  • Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Isolate
  • Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Control (engineering)
  • Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Control (engineering)
  • Tether hand tools when working at height. Control (engineering)
  • Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Control (procedures)
  • Deburr or cover sharp edges, and fit edge protectors on exposed sheet metal. Control (engineering)
  • Use knives with retractable or self-retracting blades. Control (engineering)
  • Cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear. Control (procedures)
  • Put used blades in a blade bin or sharps container. Control (procedures)
  • Use two people to handle large sheets of metal or glass. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
6Cut tiles with a grinder fitted with water or dust extraction, wearing a dust mask and glasses
  • Angle grinder injuries
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Loud noise
  • Eye injuries
Workers, People nearbyVery high (20)
  • Use a guarded saw or a different tool where you can. Reduce / substitute
  • Keep the guard on and use the side handle. Never remove the guard. Control (engineering)
  • Use the right disc for the job, rated for the grinder's speed. Check it for cracks first. Control (procedures)
  • Only trained people change discs, with the grinder unplugged or the battery out. 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
  • 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
  • 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)
  • Assess noise. At 85 dB(A) or more, hearing protection is required and the zone must be marked. Control (procedures)
  • Use tool guards and screens to stop flying particles. Control (engineering)
  • Use dust extraction and water to keep dust out of the air. Control (engineering)
  • Keep others out of the area when cutting, grinding or chipping. Control (procedures)
  • Keep an eye wash station or eye wash bottles on site. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
7Fit new tiles, then re-bed and re-point ridge capping, taking breaks in heat and sun
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Wet concrete and cement burns
  • Heat stress
  • Sun exposure (UV)
WorkersHigh (12)
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads: see step 5 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Use long-handled tools and pumps to cut down contact. Control (engineering)
  • Wash concrete off skin straight away with clean water. Control (procedures)
  • Have clean water and eye wash where concrete or mortar is mixed and used. Control (procedures)
  • Do a COSHH assessment for cement, lime and mortar, and check hands regularly for early signs of dermatitis. Control (procedures)
  • Wear waterproof gloves, long sleeves and waterproof boots with trousers worn over the top. PPE
  • Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Eliminate
  • Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in roof spaces. Control (engineering)
  • Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Control (procedures)
  • Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Control (procedures)
  • Plan outdoor work for early morning or late afternoon when UV is lower. Eliminate
  • Put shade covers over fixed work areas. Control (engineering)
  • Check the UV index each day. Use sun protection when it is 3 or higher. Control (procedures)
  • Check your skin regularly and see a doctor about any new or changing spots. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
8Check the roof for tiles cracked during the work, then clear offcuts and loose tiles from the roof and gutters
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
  • Falling tools and materials
Workers, People below, Visitors, PublicVery high (15)
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight: see step 3 for the full controls 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)
  • Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. PPE
  • Falling tools and materials: see step 5 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
9Take down access equipment last and leave the area below clean for the client
  • Falling from a ladder
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Workers, VisitorsHigh (12)
  • Do not work off the top three rungs of a leaning ladder. On a stepladder, do not stand on the top two steps (top three on swing-back or double-sided steps) unless there is a suitable handhold. Control (procedures)
  • Check the ladder before each use: feet, rungs, stiles and locks. Control (procedures)
  • Wear non-slip safety boots with clean soles. PPE
  • Falling from a ladder: see step 2 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
  • Poor housekeeping and waste: see step 8 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (8)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Check the weather, look for overhead power lines and barricade the area below the work
  2. Set up scaffold or roof edge protection and a secured ladder for roof access
  3. Check for brittle or cracked tiles, skylights and roof sheets from the access point, and plan a walking route
  4. Walk on the tile laps only, clipped to an anchor where there is no edge protection
  5. Lift out broken tiles and stack them or lower them down; never throw them off the roof
  6. Cut tiles with a grinder fitted with water or dust extraction, wearing a dust mask and glasses
  7. Fit new tiles, then re-bed and re-point ridge capping, taking breaks in heat and sun
  8. Check the roof for tiles cracked during the work, then clear offcuts and loose tiles from the roof and gutters
  9. Take down access equipment last and leave the area below clean for the client

PPE

Safety bootsFull body harness and lanyardRigger glovesSafety glassesSun protection (sunscreen and neck cover)FFP3 dust maskSafety helmetHi-vis vestCut-resistant glovesFace shieldEar defendersHalf-mask respirator (P3 filters)Safety gogglesChemical-resistant glovesKnee pads

Plant and equipment

Extension ladderTube and fitting or system scaffold: CISRS scaffolder card to erect, alter or dismantleHand toolsAngle grinder (disc cutter)

Permits and plans

Roof access permitWork at height permit

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 roof tile replacement

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 roof tile replacement

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check the weather, look for overhead power lines and barricade the area below the work
  2. Set up scaffold or roof edge protection and a secured ladder for roof access
  3. Check for brittle or cracked tiles, skylights and roof sheets from the access point, and plan a walking route
  4. Walk on the tile laps only, clipped to an anchor where there is no edge protection
  5. Lift out broken tiles and stack them or lower them down; never throw them off the roof
  6. Cut tiles with a grinder fitted with water or dust extraction, wearing a dust mask and glasses
  7. Fit new tiles, then re-bed and re-point ridge capping, taking breaks in heat and sun
  8. Check the roof for tiles cracked during the work, then clear offcuts and loose tiles from the roof and gutters
  9. Take down access equipment last and leave the area below clean for the client

Hazards to watch on roof tile replacement

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

Step 3, 4, 8Falling through a fragile roof or skylightA worker steps on a skylight, clear sheet or old fibre cement roof and falls through to the floor below.
Step 6Angle grinder injuriesThe disc shatters, binds or kicks back, causing deep cuts to legs and hands or eye injuries.
Step 2Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffoldA scaffold that is badly built, overloaded or altered collapses or tips, or a worker falls from an unguarded platform.
Step 7Sun exposure (UV)Long hours in the sun cause sunburn, eye damage and skin cancer.
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 7Wet concrete and cement burnsWet concrete, mortar and cement burn skin and eyes. Burns can be deep and are often not felt until later.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on roof tile replacement: 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 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 you use a MEWP (scissor lift or cherry picker)?
  • Was the building built before 2000?
  • Will you sand, scrape, burn off or cut old paint in a building from before 1992?
  • Will you use chemicals, solvents, glues, paints or fuels?
  • Will people be living or working in the building while you work?

Licences and legal requirements in United Kingdom

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

  • Tube and fitting or system scaffold: CISRS scaffolder card to erect, alter or dismantle

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 GS6 Avoiding danger from overhead power lines; CDM Regulations 2015; Work at Height Regulations 2005, regulation 10 (falling objects); Work at Height Regulations 2005; Work at Height Regulations 2005, regulation 9 (fragile surfaces); Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992; COSHH Regulations 2002; Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.

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 roof tile replacement?

You must assess the risks of roof tile replacement 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 roof tile replacement?

Usually Safety boots, Full body harness and lanyard, Rigger gloves, Safety glasses, Sun protection (sunscreen and neck cover), FFP3 dust mask, Safety helmet, Hi-vis vest, Cut-resistant gloves, Face shield, Ear defenders, Half-mask respirator (P3 filters), Safety goggles, Chemical-resistant gloves, Knee pads. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More roofing RAMS

RAMSRe-Roofing11 stepsRAMSMetal Roof Sheeting7 stepsRAMSGutter Replacement9 stepsRAMSRoof Repairs6 stepsRAMSSkylight Installation6 stepsRAMSFlat Roofing6 stepsRAMSFascia and Soffit Replacement5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

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Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkLadder SafetyToolbox talkWorking at HeightToolbox talkScaffold SafetyToolbox talkOverhead Power Lines

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

Sources