SafetyPaperwork
Tiling · United Kingdom

Method statement for tanking

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

You must assess the risks of tanking 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: tanking

This is a complete RAMS for tanking, 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)
Wet area waterproofing · Tiling · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check the substrate is sheeted, clean, dry and cured, and keep occupants out of the room
  • Working in an occupied home or building
  • Slips and trips
Residents, Children, Staff, Workers, Visitors, PublicMedium (9)
  • 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)
  • 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
Low (4)
2Read the safety data sheets and set up fans or open windows, as solvent membranes give off fumes
  • Hazardous chemicals
Workers, OccupantsMedium (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)
  • Hazardous chemicals: see step 7 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Medium (6)
3Have a qualified electrician isolate or make safe sockets and lights in the room if they will get wet, and run tools through RCD protection
  • Electric shock from leads and power tools
WorkersHigh (12)
  • 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
Low (4)
4Prepare the surface, grinding with extraction
  • Silica dust from concrete, brick, stone and tiles
  • General dust
  • Loud noise
Workers, People nearby, OccupantsVery 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 low-dust products, such as dust-reduced or pre-mixed compounds. Reduce / substitute
  • Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting in occupied buildings. Isolate
  • Use tools with dust extraction and a vacuum for clean up. Control (engineering)
  • Lightly mist the area with water to keep dust down, away from anything electrical. Control (engineering)
  • Never dry sweep or blow dust off with compressed air. Control (procedures)
  • 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)
Medium (6)
5Fit bond breakers, puddle flanges and angles
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Cuts from sharp edges
Workers, OccupantsMedium (9)
  • 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)
  • Hazardous chemicals: see step 7 for the full controls 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)
  • Wear cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE
Medium (6)
6Prime the surface, keeping all ignition sources away until it is dry
  • Flammable liquids and gases
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Fire and emergencies
Workers, Occupants, Public, VisitorsHigh (10)
  • 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 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)
  • Hazardous chemicals: see step 7 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • 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)
Medium (6)
7Apply the membrane in coats with nitrile gloves and the respirator the SDS lists (an organic vapour cartridge for solvent or polyurethane products), kneeling on pads
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Repetitive work and awkward postures
Workers, OccupantsMedium (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
  • 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
Medium (6)
8Let it cure, then flood test
  • Slips and trips
Workers, Visitors, PublicMedium (8)
  • Slips and trips: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
Low (4)
9Clean tools and dispose of waste membrane and tins properly
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Workers, Occupants, VisitorsMedium (9)
  • Hazardous chemicals: see step 7 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)
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
Medium (6)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Check the substrate is sheeted, clean, dry and cured, and keep occupants out of the room
  2. Read the safety data sheets and set up fans or open windows, as solvent membranes give off fumes
  3. Have a qualified electrician isolate or make safe sockets and lights in the room if they will get wet, and run tools through RCD protection
  4. Prepare the surface, grinding with extraction
  5. Fit bond breakers, puddle flanges and angles
  6. Prime the surface, keeping all ignition sources away until it is dry
  7. Apply the membrane in coats with nitrile gloves and the respirator the SDS lists (an organic vapour cartridge for solvent or polyurethane products), kneeling on pads
  8. Let it cure, then flood test
  9. Clean tools and dispose of waste membrane and tins properly

PPE

Chemical-resistant glovesSafety glassesHalf-mask respirator (P3 filters)Knee padsFFP3 dust maskSafety bootsSafety gogglesCoverallsRigger glovesEar defendersCut-resistant gloves

Plant and equipment

Hand toolsAngle grinder (disc cutter)H-class dust extractor

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 tanking

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 tanking

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 substrate is sheeted, clean, dry and cured, and keep occupants out of the room
  2. Read the safety data sheets and set up fans or open windows, as solvent membranes give off fumes
  3. Have a qualified electrician isolate or make safe sockets and lights in the room if they will get wet, and run tools through RCD protection
  4. Prepare the surface, grinding with extraction
  5. Fit bond breakers, puddle flanges and angles
  6. Prime the surface, keeping all ignition sources away until it is dry
  7. Apply the membrane in coats with nitrile gloves and the respirator the SDS lists (an organic vapour cartridge for solvent or polyurethane products), kneeling on pads
  8. Let it cure, then flood test
  9. Clean tools and dispose of waste membrane and tins properly

Hazards to watch on tanking

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

Step 6Flammable liquids and gasesPetrol, solvents, thinners and LPG catch fire or explode when vapour reaches a spark, flame or hot surface.
Step 6Fire and emergenciesA fire, injury or other emergency happens and workers cannot get out, raise the alarm or get first aid in time.
Step 3Electric 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 4General dustDust from plasterboard, filler, cement and clean up irritates eyes and lungs and makes it hard to see.
Step 7Repetitive work and awkward posturesDoing the same movement for hours, kneeling or working overhead causes long-term damage to joints, muscles and tendons.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on tanking: 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 tanking?

You must assess the risks of tanking 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 tanking?

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

More tiling RAMS

RAMSBathroom Tiling5 stepsRAMSFloor Tiling5 stepsRAMSWall Tiling4 stepsRAMSTile Removal9 stepsRAMSBalcony Tiling5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

DemolitionSoft StripAlso involves hazardous chemicalsElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves working in an occupied home or buildingBricklayingBrickworkAlso involves general dustRoofingRe-RoofingAlso involves cuts from sharp edges

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