SafetyPaperwork
Tiling · United Kingdom

Method statement for floor tiling

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

You must assess the risks of floor tiling 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, loud noise, lifting and carrying heavy loads and saw cuts and kickback.

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RAMS example: floor tiling

This is a complete RAMS for floor tiling, 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)
Floor tiling · Tiling · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Prepare and level the floor, grinding with extraction
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Loud noise
Workers, People nearbyVery 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
  • 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)
  • Wear earplugs or earmuffs rated for the noise. PPE
Medium (6)
2Move tile boxes with a trolley
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
WorkersHigh (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)
  • 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)
3Cut tiles wet
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • Saw cuts and kickback
  • Electric shock from leads and power tools
Workers, People nearbyVery high (20)
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Keep blade guards fitted and working, and use the riving knife on table saws. Control (engineering)
  • Use push sticks and clamps, and support long pieces so they do not pinch the blade. Control (engineering)
  • Use a sharp, undamaged blade made for the material. Control (procedures)
  • Stand to one side of the blade line, out of the kickback path. Control (procedures)
  • Let the blade stop fully before reaching in or putting the saw down. 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)
Medium (8)
4Lay tiles, taking breaks from kneeling
  • Repetitive work and awkward postures
  • Cuts from sharp edges
WorkersMedium (9)
  • 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)
  • Wear knee pads for kneeling work and gloves for grip. PPE
  • 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)
  • Wear cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE
Medium (6)
5Grout, seal and keep traffic off
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Slips and trips
Workers, Occupants, Visitors, PublicMedium (9)
  • 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
  • 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)
  • Wear safety boots with good grip, laced up. PPE
Medium (6)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Prepare and level the floor, grinding with extraction
  2. Move tile boxes with a trolley
  3. Cut tiles wet
  4. Lay tiles, taking breaks from kneeling
  5. Grout, seal and keep traffic off

PPE

Knee padsSafety glassesFFP3 dust maskChemical-resistant glovesSafety bootsHalf-mask respirator (P3 filters)Ear defendersRigger glovesCut-resistant glovesSafety gogglesCoveralls

Plant and equipment

Wet tile cutterAngle grinder (disc cutter)Hand tools

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 tiling

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 tiling

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Prepare and level the floor, grinding with extraction
  2. Move tile boxes with a trolley
  3. Cut tiles wet
  4. Lay tiles, taking breaks from kneeling
  5. Grout, seal and keep traffic off

Hazards to watch on floor tiling

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

Step 3Electric shock from leads and power toolsDamaged leads, plugs or tools, or water near power, give the user an electric shock.
Step 3Saw cuts and kickbackCircular saws, drop saws and table saws cut fingers and hands or throw material back at the user.
Step 4Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.
Step 5Hazardous chemicalsGlues, sealants, solvents, acids, cleaners and cement burn skin and eyes or cause breathing problems and poisoning.
Step 5Slips and tripsWorkers slip on wet or muddy ground or trip on leads, offcuts and uneven ground, causing sprains, broken bones or head injuries.
Step 1, 3Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tilesCutting, grinding or drilling concrete, brick, stone, tiles or fibre cement makes fine silica dust that causes silicosis and lung cancer.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on floor tiling: 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 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 tiling?

You must assess the risks of floor tiling 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 tiling?

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

More tiling RAMS

RAMSBathroom Tiling5 stepsRAMSTanking9 stepsRAMSWall Tiling4 stepsRAMSTile Removal9 stepsRAMSBalcony Tiling5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

BricklayingBrickworkAlso involves silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tilesDemolitionSoft StripAlso involves hazardous chemicalsElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves cuts from sharp edgesRoofingRe-RoofingAlso involves cuts from sharp edges

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkSilica DustToolbox talkHearing Protection and Noise

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

Sources