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Free RAMS Template: What to Include Section by Section

Last reviewed: 24 February 2026

You can find dozens of free RAMS templates online. Most of them share the same problem: they give you a blank structure without telling you what should actually go in each section. You end up with a Word document full of empty tables and headers like "Control Measures" with no guidance on what a principal contractor is actually looking for.

This guide breaks down every section of a RAMS package — what to include, what level of detail is expected, and where free templates commonly fall short. Whether you're writing from scratch or trying to improve a template you've already got, this is the reference.

For the legal requirements behind risk assessments specifically, see our construction risk assessment template guide.

The two parts of a RAMS package

RAMS is two documents submitted together:

  1. Risk assessment — identifies hazards, evaluates risks, specifies control measures
  2. Method statement — describes the work sequence step by step, with safety measures built in

Some templates combine these into a single document. Others keep them separate. Either format is acceptable — what matters is the content, not the layout. Principal contractors and HSE inspectors care about what's in the document, not how it's arranged on the page.

Part 1: Risk assessment sections

Section 1: Document control

What to include:

  • Document title and reference number
  • Revision number and date
  • Prepared by (name, role, qualifications)
  • Reviewed by (name, role, date)
  • Next review date or review trigger

Why it matters: A document with no revision history, no author, and no review date signals a one-time exercise that's never been updated. Principal contractors and HSE inspectors look at this section first — it tells them immediately whether the document is current and managed.

Common template failing: Pre-filled with "Rev 1" and a date field that never gets updated. If your RAMS are on Rev 1 and you've been trading for three years, that's a red flag.

Section 2: Project details

What to include:

  • Site address (full, specific — not "various sites in London")
  • Client name and contact
  • Principal contractor name and contact (if applicable)
  • Project description (one paragraph — what the project is, not your company brochure)
  • Expected start and completion dates
  • Working hours

Why it matters: This establishes that the RAMS are site-specific. An assessment with no site address could apply to any project — which means it applies to none.

Common template failing: Site address left as a blank field that the user forgets to fill in. Or filled with the company's registered office instead of the actual site.

Section 3: Scope of work

What to include:

  • Specific tasks covered by this risk assessment
  • What's explicitly excluded (e.g., "this assessment does not cover the structural alterations — covered under ABC Builder's RAMS")
  • Any dependencies or prerequisites (e.g., "scaffold to be erected by others before we commence")

Why it matters: Defines the boundary. On a multi-trade site, the PC needs to know exactly what your RAMS cover. If your scope doesn't match what you're actually doing on site, there's a gap — and gaps cause accidents.

Common template failing: Scope described as the company's entire service offering rather than the specific project tasks.

Section 4: Hazard identification and risk evaluation

This is the core of the risk assessment. For each hazard relevant to your work on this site:

What to include:

Column What goes in it
Hazard Specific description: "Fall from 4m scaffold platform during fascia installation" not just "working at height"
Who's at risk Your operatives, other trades, public, building occupants — be specific
Existing controls What's already in place before you add anything (e.g., scaffold already erected with edge protection by others)
Risk rating (uncontrolled) Likelihood × Severity before your additional controls
Additional control measures What you will implement — specific equipment, procedures, standards, competence
Residual risk rating Likelihood × Severity after controls. Must be realistic — falls from height don't become "Low" risk
Responsible person Name, not just "the operative"

Guidance on risk rating:

Use a consistent matrix — either 3×3 or 5×5. The specific matrix matters less than using it honestly. Key principle: controls reduce likelihood, not severity. A fall from scaffold is still high-severity whether or not you have guardrails. The guardrails make the fall unlikely, not harmless.

If every hazard in your assessment comes out "Low" after controls, either the job is genuinely low-risk or you're not rating honestly. Most construction work has at least some hazards that remain Medium even with controls.

For realistic examples showing honest risk ratings, see our construction risk assessment examples.

Section 5: COSHH assessments

If your work involves any hazardous substances — and almost all construction work does — your RAMS should include or reference COSHH assessments.

What to include:

  • Name of each substance
  • What it's used for on this project
  • Hazard classification (from the Safety Data Sheet)
  • Exposure route (inhalation, skin contact, ingestion)
  • Control measures (hierarchy: eliminate/substitute before PPE)
  • RPE/PPE specification if needed (type, standard, protection factor)
  • SDS availability (state that SDS are held and available on site)

Common template failing: A section that says "COSHH assessments are available upon request" without naming any substances. If you can't name the substances, you haven't assessed them.

If you're unsure which substances need COSHH assessment, our COSHH substance lookup tool covers common construction substances with their hazard classifications.

Section 6: Emergency procedures

What to include:

  • First aid arrangements (who, what kit, where)
  • Nearest A&E department (name and address, not just "local hospital")
  • Fire procedures specific to the site
  • Emergency contacts (your company, client, PC, emergency services)
  • Trade-specific emergencies:
    • Electrical: shock response procedure (isolate, do not touch, call 999)
    • Gas: leak procedure (ventilate, no switches, evacuate, Gas Emergency 0800 111 999)
    • Asbestos: discovery procedure (stop, do not disturb, seal area, contact specialist)
    • Falls: do not move the casualty, call 999, manage the scene

Common template failing: Generic emergency procedures copied from a template with no site-specific information. "Call 999" is necessary but not sufficient.

Section 7: Review and sign-off

What to include:

  • Review triggers (change in scope, change in site conditions, after incident/near miss, new information, new personnel)
  • Planned review dates (for longer projects)
  • Sign-off by assessor (name, signature, date)
  • Sign-off by workers (toolbox talk record — confirming they've read, understood, and had the opportunity to ask questions)

Common template failing: A signature box that nobody signs. Or toolbox talk records with the same date as the risk assessment — which means the brief happened at the desk, not on site.

Part 2: Method statement sections

Section 8: Sequence of operations

The core of the method statement. Numbered steps in chronological order, from arrival on site to final clean-up.

What to include at each step:

  • What activity is carried out
  • What safety measures are in place during that activity
  • What plant, equipment, or materials are needed
  • Who carries out the step (role or name)
  • Any permits required before this step can begin

Example of good detail:

Step 4: Chase walls for new cable routes in kitchen and hallway. SDS-max rotary hammer with 25mm chisel. Water suppression active during chasing. RPE (FFP3, face-fit tested) worn by operative. Hearing protection (SNR 30 earmuffs) worn by operative and anyone within 5m. Dust screen at kitchen doorway to protect occupied living room. Chasing in safe zones per BS 7671 Appendix A only. CAT scan of each chase line before starting.

Example of insufficient detail:

Step 4: Chase walls for cables.

The first version tells the PC exactly what's happening and how it's controlled. The second tells them nothing.

Section 9: Resources and competence

What to include:

  • Number of operatives for each phase
  • Relevant qualifications and training (with expiry dates if applicable)
  • CSCS/ECS/JIB card grades
  • Trade-specific certifications (PASMA, IPAF, Gas Safe, OFTEC, etc.)
  • Any specialist training for this project (asbestos awareness, confined space, etc.)

Common template failing: "All operatives are suitably qualified and experienced." This is meaningless. Name the qualifications.

Section 10: Plant and equipment

What to include:

  • List of all plant and equipment being brought to site
  • Inspection requirements (PAT testing for electrical tools, scaffold inspections, MEWP daily checks)
  • Who provides each item (your own or hired)

Why this matters: The PC needs this for logistics coordination — knowing what's coming onto site, where it will be stored, and whether it conflicts with other trades.

Section 11: Permits to work

What to include:

  • List of activities requiring permits (hot works, electrical isolation, confined space entry, roof access, ground penetration)
  • Who issues the permit (typically the PC on managed sites)
  • When the permit must be obtained (before the activity, not retrospectively)

Section 12: Welfare and site rules

What to include:

  • Confirmation that welfare facilities are adequate per CDM 2015 Schedule 2 (toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, changing area, rest area)
  • Reference to the PC's site rules (if applicable)
  • PPE requirements for site access (minimum PPE for the site, distinct from task-specific PPE)

Common problems with free templates

Having reviewed many free RAMS templates available online, the recurring issues are:

  1. Structure without guidance — empty tables with column headers but no explanation of what goes in them
  2. Generic hazards pre-populated — the same 20 hazards regardless of trade or project type, including irrelevant ones
  3. No COSHH section — or a single line saying "COSHH assessments available"
  4. Risk ratings pre-filled — every hazard rated Medium before controls and Low after, regardless of the actual risk
  5. No method statement — some templates labelled "RAMS" are actually just a risk assessment template
  6. Boilerplate control measures — "appropriate PPE will be worn" and "safe working practices will be followed" repeated throughout

A template gives you the structure. You still need to fill it with site-specific, trade-specific content that reflects your actual project.

Using templates effectively

A template is a starting point, not a finished product. The value is in the structure — making sure you don't forget a section. The content must come from you, based on:

  • Your site visit and observations
  • Your knowledge of the trade-specific hazards
  • The specific products and equipment you'll use
  • The actual conditions on this site, for this project

Review the template against each new project and actively remove sections that don't apply while adding trade-specific detail for sections that do.

Not sure what documentation your specific project requires? Our RAMS Requirements Checker helps you identify the requirements based on your trade and project type.

From template to site-specific document

The gap between a template and a site-specific RAMS is the thinking you put into it. The template handles structure. You handle content. If filling in a template takes you 30 minutes with copy-paste from the last job, you've saved time but missed the point.

If you want that thinking captured in a structured document without the manual formatting work, that's what TradeRAMS builds. You provide the project details, trade, and site conditions, and it produces a RAMS package with the right hazards, honest ratings, and specific controls. Join the waitlist to try it when access opens.