CDM space RAMS scaffolding guide for small sites

CDM space RAMS scaffolding guide for small sites

If you searched for a CDM space RAMS scaffolding guide, you're probably trying to sort the paperwork for scaffold access, scaffold ramps, working space or a scaffolding job where the Principal Contractor wants RAMS before anyone starts.

The key point is simple. CDM 2015 doesn't ask for a magic document called a “space RAMS”. It asks you to plan the work properly, control the risks, brief the people doing the job and keep evidence that the job is being managed. On a small UK construction site, that usually means a site-specific RAMS, a Construction Phase Plan where needed, scaffold inspection records and clear induction/toolbox talk notes.

What a CDM space RAMS scaffolding guide should cover

For scaffolding, your RAMS need to explain the actual work being done on the actual site. A generic scaffold method statement is not enough if the access, loading, pavement edge, conservatory roof, public footpath or client entrance changes the risk.

A good scaffolding RAMS should cover:

• what scaffold is being erected, altered, used or dismantled
• who is doing the work and who is supervising it
• how the scaffold will be designed or checked as suitable
• how falls will be prevented during erection and use
• what edge protection, toe boards and access arrangements are needed
• how materials will be lifted, moved and stored
• whether scaffold ramps, loading bays or temporary access routes are part of the job
• what inspections are required before use and during the job
• what workers should do if they spot a defect

If the job involves restricted space, shared access or a ramped scaffold route, spell that out. Don't hide it under “standard scaffold access”. The person reading the RAMS needs to understand how people will move safely around the site.

CDM 2015: who is responsible?

On a small domestic job, the same business can end up wearing more than one hat. You might be the only contractor. You might be a contractor working under a Principal Contractor. Or, if you're running the job and bringing in subbies, you may be acting as the Principal Contractor.

The labels matter because they decide who plans, coordinates and checks the work.

The Principal Contractor must plan, manage and monitor the construction phase. For scaffolding, that means appointing competent people, coordinating the scaffold with the rest of the job, making sure the Construction Phase Plan reflects the scaffold risks, and checking that workers get the right information before they use it.

The scaffolding contractor must plan and carry out their own work safely. That includes a suitable method statement, competent scaffolders, safe erection and dismantling methods, handover information and any limits on use.

Workers must follow the site rules, use the scaffold as intended and report defects. That sounds obvious, but it's often where small sites go wrong. Someone moves a board, stores materials on an access route or uses a ramp for a load it was never meant to take.

What to put in the scaffolding RAMS

Start with the site, not the template. Write down the details that change the risk.

For a scaffold ramp or tight access route, include:

• the route people will use to get on and off the scaffold
• the slope, width and surface of any ramped access
• how slips and trips will be controlled in wet or muddy conditions
• where materials will be carried or lifted
• what edge protection is fitted on open sides
• what load limits apply
• how the bottom and top of the access route will be kept clear
• what lighting is needed if the route is used in poor light

Then add the controls. For example, “keep access clear” is weak. “Site manager checks the ramp and landing areas at the start of each shift, with defects reported and the scaffold taken out of use if edge protection is missing” is much better.

You don't need to write like a barrister. You need a practical method that your lads and subbies can follow.

Scaffold inspection and handover evidence

A scaffold should not just appear on site and get used. Before it is used, the right person needs to confirm it is safe and suitable. On many jobs that means a scaffold handover certificate, scaffold tag and inspection record.

Scaffolds must also be inspected at required intervals and after events that could affect safety, such as alteration, damage or bad weather. Keep the inspection evidence with the job paperwork. If a Principal Contractor, client or inspector asks what checks were done, you need more than “the scaffold looked fine”.

Your RAMS should say who checks what, how often, and what happens when a problem is found.

Where the Construction Phase Plan fits

The RAMS explain how the scaffolding work will be done safely. The Construction Phase Plan gives the wider site arrangements.

For a small scaffold-heavy job, the CPP should cover things like:

• site access and welfare
• traffic and delivery arrangements
• public protection
• emergency arrangements
• site rules
• who is in charge day to day
• how contractors and subbies are coordinated
• how high-risk work, including work at height, is controlled

If you're the only contractor on a small domestic job, your CPP can be lightweight. It still needs to be clear. If you're the Principal Contractor with several trades on site, it needs to explain how those trades are coordinated around the scaffold.

The Site Book can help you build the RAMS, CPP, induction and related site paperwork from the same job details. You still review it before using it, because you know the site.

Common scaffolding RAMS mistakes

The same mistakes come up again and again:

• using an old template without changing the site details
• leaving out access routes, ramps, loading bays or pavement risks
• not stating who is responsible for scaffold checks
• missing the scaffold handover or inspection evidence
• saying “PPE to be worn” but not controlling the actual fall, slip or loading risk
• letting workers use a scaffold before they have been inducted on the site rules
• storing materials on scaffold access routes

Most of these are not clever legal points. They are ordinary planning gaps. The paperwork should help you spot them before the job starts.

Quick scaffolding RAMS checklist

Before the scaffold is used, check this list:

• Is the scaffold type and location described clearly?
• Are the access routes, ramps and working areas covered?
• Are fall-prevention controls clear?
• Are load limits and material movements covered?
• Is there a handover or inspection record?
• Does the CPP explain the wider site arrangements?
• Have workers and subbies had the induction or toolbox talk they need?
• Is there a simple defect-reporting route?

If the answer is no, fix the gap before work carries on.

Build the paperwork without starting from a blank page

Scaffold RAMS don't need to take all Sunday night. But they do need to be specific to the job.

With The Site Book, you describe the job in plain English and the app helps build the RAMS, CPP, site induction and related paperwork. You can start with a free RAMS generator, see how the RAMS workflow fits around your job, or check pricing when you're ready to use it on more sites.

It won't replace your judgement. It gives you a better starting point, in minutes, so you can review the site details and get back on site.