What does RAMS stand for? (Explanation & examples)

As specialist Health and Safety e-learning providers, we understand just how impactful good Risk Assessment Training, processes and documents can be. If you're responsible for managing high-risk work activities, one of the key ways you can protect your workforce is with Health & Safety RAMS documents.

Find out RAMS meaning and purpose to see how it can help you in this guide.

What does RAMS stand for?

RAMS stands for Risk Assessment Method Statement. It's a health and safety document formed by two specific components:

Risk Assessment: In a risk assessment, you identify any potential hazards, who could be harmed, and what steps are in place to control the risk.

Method Statement: This explains how a specific task will be carried out safely, including the exact sequence, the tools and equipment that will be used and who has what responsibilities in simple steps.

Together, they create a watertight safety document that goes beyond a general risk assessment and is ideal for use in high-risk or complex work projects, like those in the construction industry.

Why are RAMS documents important?

RAMS documents are a key way that workplaces keep their people safe. They offer a structured way to identify potential risks and then work out what needs to happen in order to achieve the safest possible way forward.

It’s different from general risk assessments because it’s more specific to particular tasks.

When everyone knows exactly what needs to be done to minimise the risks of a task, the risk is more easily controlled, especially when it’s broken down into easy-to-understand steps.

When do you need RAMS?

RAMS are only needed in certain cases, not for everyday activities. They’re designed for work that is high risk, complex or specialist. But what do those terms mean in this context? We’ll explain:

High-risk: This means a task that could result in serious injury or death if something went wrong. That’s why it needs to be carefully managed.

*Example: *Working at height to make a repair on a roof.

Complex: This means tasks that require multiple teams or stages to be completed. The complexity of the task adds more possibility of risk. Therefore, careful coordination is needed to keep the task progressing safely.

Example: A building demolition that requires structural engineers, crane operators and ground crews to all work together.

Specialist: These are tasks that need specialised skills or equipment in order to take place. This also means they need more specialised safety measures.

*Example: *Hot work like welding metal.

In all of these cases, RAMS is used to mitigate the hazards involved in the task.

It’s also worth noting that in some cases, RAMS may not be strictly needed but may be a client’s preferred way of working.

What's the difference between risk assessments and RAMS?

This is a really pertinent question, because both appear similar at first. However, while both documents focus on safety, they serve very different purposes.

Here’s how:

Hopefully, that helps to differentiate the two. While risk assessments give broad safety frameworks, RAMS documents are sometimes necessary for specific tasks that are more complex, high risk or specialised.

What sectors is it typically used for?

As you might expect, RAMS are particularly common in certain industries and sectors. Let’s take a look at what these are:

Construction: This is one of the industries where RAMS is most commonly used to handle the high-risk activities that are a routine part of the construction work, like operating heavy machinery and working at height on scaffolding.

Manufacturing: While not every aspect of manufacturing work would need RAMS, there are tasks that it’s suited to, especially in relation to the industrial machinery used on-site. For instance, a repair to a press machine would require a RAMS to detail the process of locking down the machine and systematically isolating and fixing the issue without risk to the repair worker or others.

Engineering: In engineering, the risks associated often exceed the everyday, especially in scenarios when machinery needs to be installed or maintained, or specialist and electrical equipment needs to be used.

Utilities: When engineers work on electrical, gas or water systems, RAMS is a crucial part of mitigating the potential hazards, as so many people could be hurt if everyone involved doesn’t understand the correct process.

However, any business carrying out high-risk or complex activities can use RAMS if they feel it could help.

What should be included in RAMS?

A RAMS document is highly comprehensive in nature, because it not only assesses the potential risks of a task or project, but also creates a bespoke plan for how those risks will be managed and the task will be completed, step-by-step.

Here are all the different parts it should contain:

1. Details of the project

The first step is to give any contextual information needed about the project. This includes:

A clear and definitive description of the work to be carried out - This needs to include specific information about exactly what tasks will take place throughout the project, not just vague catch-alls

Location and duration - This is crucial to let everyone involved know exactly where the work is taking place and how long for so there is no confusion.

Key staff and their duties - At this point, everyone involved in the project needs to be named and their specific responsibilities defined.

Remember to name and date the document - This means that there’s one point of contact to update the document or ask questions.

1. The risk assessment section

Essentially, at this point, you’re risk assessing all of the specific things that could go wrong (aka. hazards) at any point along the project. Once you’ve mapped them out, you can put plans in place for how to control them. Here’s what this includes in more detail:

Identifying the hazards involved - When listing all of the possible dangers, remember to be exhaustive as you mentally walk through the entire process from start to finish. Anything that could cause harm, like falls, toxic fumes, electrical shocks or moving machinery, is classed as a hazard.

Next, assess the risks and who they could harm - This means weighing up how likely each hazard is to cause injury and to who. This might be staff involved in the task, but it could also be the general public.

Put in control measures to manage them - Next, each risk you’ve identified must have plans put in place to stop it from happening.

1. The method statement section

Then comes the part where you break down the process safely into clear steps to follow. Here’s how to do it:

Make step-by-step instructions for the task - Break down the job into logical stages with clear instructions for each step. You can do this by first dividing into phases and then into individual tasks. Be as specific as possible here, so that workers know just what to do and when.

List all necessary tools and equipment - Make a comprehensive list of every piece of equipment you need in order to complete the job. Speccing out what you’ll need prevents delays on the day - crucial for jobs where there’s a crew of people being held up.

Plus, ensure you add in any PPE that’s needed throughout the job, from boots to goggles.

Details all safety precautions for each step - Don’t just describe what needs to happen to get the job done - ensure you’re listing all of the things that need to happen as safety precautions, too. E.g. “Check gas detector readings before entering” or “Maintain three points of contact on the ladder”.

Communication procedures - Explain how workers will communicate with each other and supervisors, especially important for complex jobs with multiple teams

1. Supporting information

This section provides additional details that help workers understand the bigger picture and stay safe.

• Site plans or diagrams - Share any visual assets and plans you have to help workers quickly understand the layout, hazards, and know where safety equipment is located.
• Emergency contact details - Include phone numbers for emergency services and the site management in case of an emergency.
• Training requirements - Make it clear what qualifications or training workers need before they can safely perform the task.
• Review and approval signatures - Document who has checked and approved the RAMS so that you know it’s been peer reviewed and that accountability for its accuracy has been shared.

Are RAMS a legal requirement?

RAMS themselves aren't specifically mentioned in health and safety legislation. However, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to provide safe systems of work.

For high-risk or complex activities, a detailed RAMS document is often the best way to demonstrate you've provided a suitable and sufficient safe system of work.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations also require employers to plan, control, monitor, and review their safety arrangements - something that RAMS helps achieve.

Why use RAMS? The benefits

After reading our explanation of what RAMS documents contain and how to prepare them, it’s understandable if you’re debating whether to use them. It’s true, they represent more work to complete. However, they can also provide more peace of mind that every reasonable step has been taken to prevent any accidents occurring.

Here are the key benefits:

Improved safety

With all potential risks identified and every step of the process broken down into the safest course of action, it follows that these documents can help make high-risk activities safer.

Better communication

Every person involved in the project is named in the documents, and their role is detailed. That acts as a central reference point that everyone can use to reduce misunderstandings and miscommunications.

Legal compliance

If you’re the responsible person in a project, RAMS can help you meet your legal requirements for safe working conditions. As mentioned above, while RAMS isn’t compulsory, it is one of the most respected and recognised ways to meet regulatory compliance requirements.

Reduced costs

It’s possible that with a carefully controlled process, you’ll find there are fewer accidents caused by miscommunication and fewer trial and error. This can lead to less material wastage, less crew time wasted from disruption and lower insurance premiums.

Reputation

Using the gold-standard method in the Health & Safety industry demonstrates you’re committed to keeping workers safe and promoting the best possible outcomes for your projects. This often has its own reputational rewards.

Tips for first-time users

If you're new to creating RAMS, here are the key things to get right:

Start with the risk assessment first - You need to identify all potential hazards before you can write safe working procedures. Consider the work environment, equipment, materials, and the people involved.

Make it task-specific - Don't use generic templates without customisation. Each RAMS should be written for the specific task, location, and conditions. Generic documents often miss important site-specific hazards.

Use simple, clear language - Write in plain English that all workers can understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms unless absolutely necessary. If workers can't understand it, they can't follow it safely.

Get experienced workers involved - Include people who actually do the job when creating RAMS. They often spot practical safety issues that might not be obvious to managers or safety professionals.

Break tasks into logical steps - Don't just write "install the equipment" - be specific with numbered steps like: "1. Switch off power at main isolator, 2. Test with voltage detector, 3. Remove the old unit using correct lifting technique."

Include visual aids - Diagrams, photos, and site plans help clarify complex procedures and make the document much easier to follow.

Focus on essential information - Overly detailed documents become difficult to follow in practice. Include what workers need to know, not everything you could possibly think of.

Plan for communication - Don't just create the RAMS and assume people will follow it. You need proper briefings, training, and ongoing checks to make sure workers understand and use the procedures.

Keep them updated - RAMS should be living documents that change when conditions change. Set regular review dates and update them based on experience and feedback.

How Virtual College can help

RAMS is just one way you can keep your teams safe. We provide a huge range of top-quality online Health and Safety training that helps you keep your people safe in a range of specific scenarios, from Working at Height training to COSHH training.

Or to focus on enhancing your risk assessment processes, take our Risk Assessment training to understand what goes into identifying and preventing workplace hazards.