Risk Assessment And Method Statement Template for England and Wales

A method statement is a document that describes, step by step, the work method for carrying out a specific activity safely. In practice it is written alongside a risk assessment, and the combined document is known as a Risk Assessment And Method Statement (RAMS). You'll need it to comply with England and Wales health and safety legislation and to show clients, principal contractors and insurers that you've thought through how a job will be carried out safely. The document serves two purposes: it systematically evaluates workplace risks, and it sets out a safe working procedure for each stage of the task. This free method statement template is ready to download and gives you a structured starting point you can adapt to your own activity, company and industry.

What is a method statement template?

A method statement template is a reusable document that sets out the standard headings and prompts for describing how work will be done safely, so a company can produce a consistent RAMS for each new job without starting from a blank page. You download the free template, fill in the project or site reference, the activity, the people responsible, the resources and plant required, and the control measures, and you have a working document. Because each job differs, the template is a framework to adapt rather than a finished form. Firms use the same base template across trades, from electrical installation and mechanical work to painting, groundworks and building maintenance, adjusting the detail to the task.

Is this method statement template free to download?

Yes. This method statement and risk assessment template is free to download and adapt, with no price attached and no account required to view it. There are no terms and conditions that lock you into a format, so you can tailor the headings, control measures and sequence to the specific job. If you carry out repeat work of a similar type, keep an adapted version as your standard starting point and refresh it for each new site.

What does a RAMS document include?

A complete RAMS is built from two linked parts. The risk assessment identifies the hazards, records who might be harmed and how, evaluates the likelihood and severity of each risk, and sets the control measures that reduce it. The method statement then describes how the work will actually be carried out, and typically includes:

• the sequence of tasks and the time or duration allowed for each construction phase or stage of work
• equipment, tools and resources to be used (for example scaffolding, mobile access towers, excavation plant or electrical testing kit)
• access and welfare arrangements on site
• personal protective equipment
• competence and training requirements, including any toolbox talk to brief the team before work starts
• emergency arrangements

Most templates also capture a project or site reference, the responsible people and their contact details, and a review date, so the document stays a live record rather than a one-off form.

When do you need this document?

Prepare a RAMS before starting any work activity that poses risks to workers or the public. Construction projects specifically require this documentation under the CDM Regulations 2015, regardless of project size or duration. Work at height involving scaffolding or access equipment, excavation, electrical work, and any task involving hazardous substances or products all call for a written method statement and risk assessment. Many clients and insurance providers now ask for RAMS documentation before authorising work to begin, which makes it part of contract compliance. Contractors delivering services on client sites, whether on a commercial development or a domestic home, are often asked to submit a RAMS as a condition of the contract, so a well-drafted document supports both safety and the commercial relationship.

How do you carry out a risk assessment for a RAMS?

The Health and Safety Executive sets out a recognised approach you can follow step by step:

1. identify the hazards
2. decide who might be harmed and how
3. evaluate the risks and decide on control measures following the hierarchy of controls
4. record your findings
5. review the assessment regularly

Working through these steps in order keeps the assessment suitable and sufficient, and gives the method statement a clear basis. For specific high-risk activities you can start from a ready-made method statement and risk assessment for excavation, or use the fire risk assessment template where fire hazards need their own separate document. Where the work is part of a wider contract, a service agreement can set out the terms the RAMS sits under. If your work also involves handling personal data on site, set out how you protect it in a privacy policy.

How do you write and plan a method statement?

Start with the activity and the sequence of tasks, in the order they will happen on site. For each stage, record the equipment and tools, the access method, the people responsible and the control measures that keep the step safe. Cross-reference each control measure back to the hazards in the risk assessment so the two parts read as one plan. Set out the emergency arrangements and who to contact, then add a review date. Planning the method statement before work starts, rather than writing it up afterwards, is what makes it a genuine working document rather than a paperwork exercise. A short toolbox talk at the start of each construction phase helps the crew understand the method and the controls before they pick up a tool.

Key legal considerations

Your RAMS must demonstrate a suitable and sufficient risk assessment as required by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This means identifying all reasonably foreseeable hazards, evaluating severity and likelihood, and applying control measures following the hierarchy of controls. The document should assign responsibilities to competent personnel, including principal contractors, site managers and safety officers. Method statements must give workers enough detail to understand the safe working procedure, emergency arrangements and PPE requirements. Regular reviews matter, particularly when conditions change or an incident occurs.

Legal requirements in England and Wales

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, you have duties to protect people so far as is reasonably practicable. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require written risk assessments for employers with five or more employees. Construction activities fall under the CDM Regulations 2015, which mandate planning, coordination and documentation throughout a project's lifecycle. The COSHH Regulations 2002 add requirements when work involves hazardous substances, including specific control measures and health surveillance. Falling short on RAMS documentation can lead to prosecution, unlimited fines, and potential imprisonment for senior management. The HSE enforces these duties through inspections and investigations following workplace incidents.

Drafting a method statement with GenieAI

Rather than piecing a document together from a generic guide, a spreadsheet or standalone RAMS software, you can draft and review a method statement with GenieAI, a legal agent that adapts the wording to your activity, site, company and sector. It flags gaps against your obligations and returns a ready-to-use document, so your team can get on site with confidence. GenieAI drafts, reviews and keeps your RAMS current, saving the time your team would otherwise spend rebuilding documents by hand. For wider reading on health and safety obligations and contracting, browse the GenieAI blog and method statement template library.