Construction compliance guide

What RAMS Do You Need for Roof Work?

Roof work is the most dangerous activity in UK construction. Fragile surfaces, unprotected edges, and weather exposure make it a high-risk trade that demands thorough RAMS. Here is everything your documents need to cover.

Nicola Dobbie·Founder, The Site Book

TL;DR

• Falls through fragile surfaces kill more roofers than falls from edges — your RAMS must identify and control fragile surface risks on every job.
• Scaffolding to eaves level with full edge protection is the minimum for most pitched roof work. Specify TG20:21 compliance or bespoke design in your RAMS.
• Hot works for torch-on flat roofing needs a formal permit system, fire watch, and extinguisher — many insurers require this as a condition of cover.
• Asbestos cement sheets are common on pre-2000 buildings, are fragile, and require specific controls under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
• Weather thresholds must be defined in your RAMS — stop work at wind speeds above 23 mph or when surfaces are icy.

Why is roof work the most dangerous construction activity?

Falls from height are the biggest killer in UK construction, and roof work accounts for a disproportionate share of those deaths. The HSE’s statistics are stark: roughly one in four construction fatalities involves a fall from height, and roof work is the single largest category within that. Between 2019 and 2024, dozens of roofers and workers on roofs were killed — and hundreds more suffered life-changing injuries.

What makes roof work so dangerous is the combination of hazards. You are working at height by definition. The surfaces you are working on may be fragile, slippery, or steeply pitched. You are exposed to weather — wind, rain, ice — that dramatically increases the risk of falls. You are handling heavy, awkward materials (bundles of tiles, rolls of felt, lengths of timber) at height. And on older buildings, you may be working on or near asbestos-containing materials without knowing it.

The HSE considers roof work a priority enforcement area. If an inspector visits your site and finds inadequate edge protection, no RAMS, or workers on a fragile roof without proper precautions, you should expect a prohibition notice (work stops immediately) at minimum. Prosecution and significant fines are common for serious breaches. In fatal cases, company directors and site managers face personal criminal liability with potential prison sentences.

This is why thorough RAMS are not optional for roof work — they are your primary defence against both the physical risks and the legal consequences. For a broader overview of height regulations, see our working at height guide.

How do you manage fragile surface risks?

Fragile surfaces are the single biggest killer in roofing. More people die from falling through fragile roofs than from falling off the edge. The reason is simple: a fragile surface looks solid until you step on it. By the time you discover it is not, you are already falling.

Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, no one may pass across, work on, or near a fragile surface unless that is the only reasonably practicable way of carrying out the work, and suitable controls are in place to prevent falls. Your RAMS must identify every fragile surface on the roof and specify the controls.

Common fragile surfaces include:

Fibre cement sheets (often called “cement asbestos” on older buildings) — these are fragile from the moment they are installed and become more fragile with age and weathering.
Roof lights, skylights, and translucent panels — both plastic and glass types. Even roof lights that were strong when installed deteriorate over time and may not support a person’s weight.
Corroded metal decking — especially on industrial buildings where the metal roof sheets have thinned from corrosion over decades.
Deteriorated flat roof coverings — old felt or mastic asphalt that has become brittle and may conceal rotten decking underneath.
Any surface that has not been confirmed as non-fragile by a competent person.

The controls for fragile surfaces depend on the situation, but your RAMS should consider: using crawling boards or staging to spread the load across the roof structure rather than concentrating it on individual sheets; installing safety netting below the fragile surface to arrest a fall; providing edge protection and covers over individual fragile elements like roof lights; establishing exclusion zones with physical barriers and warning signs around areas of fragile roofing; and ensuring every worker on site has been briefed on the location and extent of fragile surfaces.

A critical point: if you are unsure whether a surface is fragile, treat it as fragile. The default assumption for any roof surface should be that it cannot support a person’s weight unless you have specific evidence to the contrary.

What edge protection do you need for roof work?

Edge protection is your primary collective protection measure for preventing falls from the edge of a roof. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require that where work at height cannot be avoided, you must use equipment that prevents falls before equipment that merely minimises them. Edge protection prevents falls — harnesses only minimise them.

For a typical pitched roof, edge protection means a full scaffold to eaves level with:

A top guard rail at least 950mm above the roof surface at the eaves.
An intermediate guard rail positioned so the gap between rails does not exceed 470mm.
Toe boards at least 150mm high at the working platform level to prevent materials falling onto people below.
Brick guards (debris netting) on any elevation where the public or other workers could be struck by falling materials.

At gable ends, valleys, and any other location where there is an unprotected edge, equivalent protection must be provided. This may be scaffold-mounted edge protection, proprietary roof edge protection systems, or temporary barriers — the key is that they must be strong enough to arrest a fall and high enough to prevent someone going over.

Your RAMS should specify the type of edge protection for each elevation and each phase of work, who is responsible for inspecting it, and the procedure for reporting damage or defects. Edge protection must be in place before anyone goes onto the roof and must remain in place until the last person has come down. Removing edge protection “to get the last few tiles on” is one of the most common and most dangerous shortcuts in roofing.

What scaffolding is required for roof work?

Scaffolding for roof work must comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the relevant industry guidance. For standard domestic scaffolding configurations, the TG20:21 guidance published by the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) provides compliant designs that scaffolding contractors can follow without a bespoke engineering design. Your RAMS should reference TG20:21 where applicable.

For non-standard configurations — complex building shapes, heavy loading requirements, tall structures, or scaffolding that needs to support hoists or loading bays — you will need a bespoke scaffold design from a competent engineer. Your RAMS should specify which approach applies and who is responsible for the design.

Key scaffolding requirements that your RAMS must cover:

Erection and dismantling

Scaffolding must be erected and dismantled by CISRS-trained scaffolders (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme). Your RAMS should confirm this competence requirement and specify the sequence of erection to ensure the scaffold is stable at every stage.

Inspection schedule

Scaffolding must be inspected before first use, after any event that could affect its stability (e.g. high winds, vehicle impact, alterations), and at intervals not exceeding seven days. Inspection records must be kept. Your RAMS should name the competent person responsible for inspections.

Loading and materials storage

Your RAMS should specify the maximum safe working load for the scaffold platform and how materials will be stored on it. Overloading scaffolding is a common cause of collapse. Tiles, slates, and ridge materials should be distributed evenly along the platform, not stacked in one place.

Access

How do workers get onto and off the scaffold? Internal ladder access or scaffold stairways are preferred over external ladders. Your RAMS should specify the access route, the type of ladder or stairway, and how it is secured.

For a complete guide to scaffolding obligations, see our scaffolding safety guide.

When is it too dangerous to work on a roof?

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require that weather conditions are taken into account when planning and carrying out work at height. For roof work, weather is not just an inconvenience — it is a direct hazard that can turn a manageable job into a fatal one.

Your RAMS should set clear weather thresholds that trigger a stop-work decision:

Wind: Stop work when sustained wind speeds exceed 23 mph (force 5 Beaufort) at roof level. Wind at roof height is significantly stronger than at ground level. A gust that barely ruffles your hair at ground level can knock you off balance on a ridge. Wind also catches sheet materials — a sheet of plywood or a roll of felt can act as a sail.
Rain: Wet roof surfaces are slippery, especially tiles, slates, and metal sheeting. Reduce the scope of work in light rain (no work on steeply pitched surfaces) and stop work entirely in heavy rain or if visibility is significantly reduced.
Ice and frost: Any ice or frost on the roof surface means work should not start until it has fully thawed. This includes frost on scaffolding platforms, ladder rungs, and access routes. Early morning frost is a particular hazard in autumn and winter.
Lightning: If thunder is audible, stop all roof work immediately and do not resume until at least 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard. A person on a roof is the highest point in the area and at extreme risk from lightning strike.
Low temperatures: Prolonged exposure to cold reduces dexterity and concentration, increasing the risk of slips, drops, and errors. Your RAMS should specify maximum exposure times and the provision of warm welfare facilities for regular breaks.

Critically, your RAMS should name who has the authority to stop work due to weather. This should be the site supervisor or foreman, not individual workers. Workers should be empowered to raise concerns, but the decision should be made by someone with the authority to stand it down — and the confidence to resist pressure from clients or programme deadlines.

What RAMS do you need for hot works on flat roofs?

Torch-on felt, hot-pour bitumen, and lead welding are all classified as hot works — operations involving open flames, high temperatures, or the generation of sparks. Hot works are one of the leading causes of fire in construction, and on a roof the consequences can be catastrophic because a fire in the roof void can spread rapidly through the building before it is detected.

Your RAMS for hot works on flat roofs should include:

Hot works permit system

A formal permit should be issued before each hot works session. The permit specifies the location, the type of work, the fire precautions in place, and the person responsible. It should be signed by both the person issuing the permit and the person carrying out the work.

Fire prevention measures

Clear all combustible materials from the work area. Ensure no flammable substances are stored on or near the roof. Check the area below the work zone for combustible materials in the ceiling void. Protect any adjacent surfaces that could be ignited by radiant heat or stray flame.

Fire watch

A fire watch must be maintained during the hot works and for at least 60 minutes after the work is completed. The fire watcher must have a suitable fire extinguisher (minimum 9kg dry powder or equivalent), know how to use it, and be able to raise the alarm. They must not leave the area during the fire watch period.

Emergency procedures

Your RAMS should specify the fire alarm arrangements, the evacuation route from the roof, the location of the nearest fire point, and the procedure for calling the fire service. All workers on the roof must be briefed on these procedures before hot works begin.

Gas bottles used for torch-on work must be stored upright, secured against falling, and positioned away from heat sources and the roof edge. Your RAMS should specify the storage arrangements and the maximum quantity of gas on the roof at any time. For detailed guidance on hot works procedures, see our hot works permit guide.

How do you manage manual handling of tiles and slates?

Manual handling injuries are endemic in roofing. A pallet of concrete tiles weighs over a tonne. Even individual packs of tiles weigh 30–40kg, and they need to be lifted from ground level to the scaffold platform, then from the platform onto the roof, and then distributed across the roof slope. That is a lot of repetitive heavy lifting, often in awkward positions and at height.

Your RAMS should apply the manual handling hierarchy: avoid manual handling where possible (use a mechanical hoist, conveyor, or crane to get materials to roof level), reduce the risk where manual handling cannot be avoided (use smaller pack sizes, team lifts, and proper technique), and provide training and PPE for the remaining manual handling tasks.

Specific controls your RAMS should cover include:

Mechanical lifting to scaffold level — specify the type of hoist (scaffold-mounted, roof-mounted, or crane), its safe working load, and the lifting procedure.
Distribution on the roof — tiles should be distributed evenly across the roof slope before fixing starts, to avoid repeated trips to one stack point. Your RAMS should specify the maximum number of tiles per stack and the spacing.
Slate handling — natural slates are heavy and have sharp edges. Specify gloves and safe grip techniques. Bundles of reclaimed slates are particularly awkward to handle.
Rolls of felt and membrane — heavy and unwieldy. Specify team lifts for getting rolls onto the roof and a safe method for unrolling on a pitched or flat surface.
Ridge tiles, hip irons, and lead — individual items may be light, but carrying them up a ladder while maintaining three points of contact is not possible. Use a materials hoist or rope and bucket system.

Musculoskeletal injuries account for a huge proportion of lost-time incidents in roofing. Good RAMS that address manual handling properly will reduce injuries, reduce absence, and improve productivity — because a roofer with a bad back is not a productive roofer.

What do you do about asbestos in older roofs?

Asbestos was used extensively in roofing materials until it was banned in 1999. If you are working on any building constructed or re-roofed before 2000, you must consider the possibility that asbestos-containing materials are present. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 apply.

Common asbestos-containing roofing materials include:

Asbestos cement roof sheets (profiled sheets on industrial buildings, garages, and agricultural buildings).
Asbestos cement slates (flat sheets cut to look like natural slates, common on domestic properties from the 1950s to 1980s).
Asbestos-containing roofing felt (bitumen-based felt with asbestos fibres for reinforcement).
Asbestos cement soffits, fascias, and bargeboards.
Asbestos flue pipes penetrating the roof.
Asbestos insulating board (AIB) used as fire stops in roof voids.

Before starting any roof work on a pre-2000 building, your RAMS should require an asbestos survey or, at minimum, a check of the existing asbestos register (for commercial buildings where a management survey should already exist). For domestic properties where no survey exists, assume that any material you are uncertain about could contain asbestos until proven otherwise.

Remember that asbestos cement sheets are also fragile. They will not support a person’s weight, and this fragility increases with age and weathering. So you have a double hazard: the physical risk of falling through the sheet, and the health risk of disturbing asbestos fibres. Your RAMS must address both. For detailed guidance, see our asbestos awareness guide for builders.

How do you work safely near overhead power cables?

Overhead power cables are a serious hazard for roof work, and they are more common than people realise. The electricity supply to most domestic properties enters via an overhead cable from a pole in the street. This cable typically crosses the pavement, passes over the front garden, and connects to the building at or near roof level. If your scaffolding, materials hoist, or long materials (lengths of guttering, fascia boards, or ladder sections) come into contact with or close to a live cable, the result can be fatal electrocution.

The HSE’s guidance on avoiding danger from overhead power lines (GS6) sets out the requirements. Your RAMS should cover:

Identifying all overhead cables in the vicinity of the work — survey the site before scaffolding is erected and mark the cable routes.
Maintaining safe clearance distances — the minimum approach distance for low-voltage lines (up to 1,000V) is 1 metre, and for high-voltage lines it is significantly greater. Scaffolding must never be erected within these distances.
Contacting the distribution network operator (DNO) — if the overhead cable passes close to the work area, contact the DNO (Western Power Distribution, UK Power Networks, etc.) to discuss options. They may be able to divert, insulate, or temporarily disconnect the cable.
Controlling long materials — lengths of aluminium guttering, fibreglass ladders, and metal poles can all conduct electricity. Your RAMS should specify how these materials will be handled near overhead cables.
Briefing all workers — every person on site must know the location of overhead cables and the exclusion zones around them. This should be covered in the site induction.

Never assume that an overhead cable is dead or low-voltage. Even cables that look like telephone wires may be carrying dangerous voltages. The only safe approach is to maintain clearance distances and contact the DNO if you are unsure.

What does a complete set of roofing RAMS look like?

A thorough set of roofing RAMS ties all of the above hazards together into a coherent, site-specific document that your team can actually use. Here is what the complete package should include:

Project information

Site address, client details, project description, key dates, and the names and roles of everyone involved. This section anchors the document to the specific job.

Risk assessments

A risk assessment for each significant hazard: working at height (including fragile surfaces and edge protection), manual handling, hot works, asbestos, overhead cables, weather, noise, and COSHH substances. Each assessment should identify the hazard, the people at risk, the existing controls, the risk rating, and any additional controls needed.

Method statements

Step-by-step safe methods of work for each phase: scaffolding erection and inspection, strip-off and disposal, underlay and batten installation, tile or slate hanging, ridge and hip work, flashings and leadwork, and scaffolding dismantling. Each method statement should reference the relevant risk assessments.

Emergency procedures

What to do in case of a fall, a fire, an electrical contact, an asbestos discovery, or a serious injury. Include the location of the nearest hospital A&E, the emergency services number, and the procedure for reporting incidents under RIDDOR.

Competence records

Evidence that everyone working on the job is competent: CSCS cards, CISRS cards for scaffolders, asbestos awareness certificates, and any specialist training (e.g. IPAF for MEWPs, LPG training for torch-on work).

This sounds like a lot of documentation, and for a complex commercial re-roofing project it can be. But for a domestic re-roof or repair, a well-structured RAMS covering the key hazards can be 8–12 pages — comprehensive enough to satisfy the HSE and practical enough that your team will actually read it. That is where The Site Book comes in. Describe your roofing project and get a complete RAMS package in minutes. For more on how this works for roofers, see our roofers page and our roofing use case.

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Frequently asked questions

Common questions about RAMS for roof work.

Do roofers legally need RAMS?

Yes. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer and self-employed person must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for work involving significant risk. Roof work is, by definition, work at height — the single biggest cause of death in UK construction. It also involves manual handling of heavy materials, potential exposure to asbestos, hot works on flat roofs, and the risk of falls through fragile surfaces. These are all significant risks that require formal assessment. Under CDM 2015, contractors must plan, manage, and monitor their work to ensure safety. RAMS is the standard industry format for meeting these obligations. If you are working for a principal contractor or a commercial client, RAMS will be a condition of getting on site. Even on domestic jobs, having RAMS protects you legally and demonstrates the professionalism that wins repeat business and referrals.

What is the most dangerous part of roof work?

Falling through fragile surfaces is the single biggest killer in roofing. More roofers are killed by falling through fragile roof materials than by falling from the edge of a roof. Fragile surfaces include fibre cement sheets (often containing asbestos in older buildings), roof lights, skylights, plastic sheeting over openings, corroded metal decking, and deteriorated felt on flat roofs. The danger is that these surfaces look like they can bear weight when they cannot. A roofer steps onto what looks like a solid surface and falls straight through to the floor below — often a drop of 5 metres or more. Your RAMS must identify every fragile surface on the roof, specify how they will be protected or avoided, and ensure that no one walks on or near them without appropriate precautions in place.

What scaffolding do I need for roof work?

The type and extent of scaffolding depends on the specific job, but for most pitched roof work you will need a full scaffold to eaves level as a minimum, complying with TG20:21 for standard configurations or designed by a scaffold engineer for non-standard setups. For work on the roof surface, you will typically need edge protection at eaves level (guard rails, toe boards, and brick guards), a working platform wide enough to store materials and work safely, and ladder access or a scaffold stairway for getting onto and off the scaffold. For work above the eaves line — chimneys, ridge tiles, verge work — you may need additional lifts above eaves level. Your RAMS should specify the scaffolding configuration, the standard it complies with, the inspection schedule (before first use, after any event that could affect stability, and at least every seven days), and who is responsible for erecting, altering, and dismantling the scaffold.

Can I do roof work in bad weather?

You can, but your RAMS must address the additional risks. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require that account is taken of weather conditions that could compromise safety. For roof work, the main weather risks are wind (which affects stability, can catch sheets and boards, and makes ladder and scaffold access more dangerous), rain (which makes roof surfaces slippery, reduces grip, and affects visibility), ice and frost (which make all surfaces treacherous and can make metal fixings impossible to handle), and low temperatures (which affect dexterity and concentration). As a general rule, work should stop if wind speeds exceed 23 mph (force 5 on the Beaufort scale) at roof height, or if the roof surface is icy or covered in frost. Your RAMS should set clear weather thresholds for stopping work and specify who has the authority to make that decision. Never leave the decision to individual workers under pressure to finish a job.

Do I need a hot works permit for flat roofing with a torch?

Yes. Torch-on felt roofing involves an open flame at temperatures exceeding 300°C, applied to combustible materials. This is hot works by any definition, and your RAMS should include a hot works procedure that covers the specific controls for each application. Best practice is a formal hot works permit system, where a permit is issued before each torch-on session and specifies the fire precautions in place: combustible materials cleared from the area, a fire watch maintained during and for at least 60 minutes after the work, a suitable fire extinguisher immediately to hand, and a means of raising the alarm. The Joint Code of Practice for Fire Prevention in Construction (published by the Fire Protection Association) provides detailed guidance. Many insurance policies specifically require a hot works permit system as a condition of cover — if you do not have one and there is a fire, your insurer may refuse the claim.

How do I deal with asbestos cement roof sheets?

Asbestos cement roof sheets are extremely common on industrial buildings, farm buildings, garages, and outbuildings built before 2000. They are fragile (they cannot support a person’s weight), and disturbing them releases asbestos fibres. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, work with asbestos cement is classified as non-licensed work, but it still requires notification to the HSE, a written plan of work, adequate training for all operatives (minimum of asbestos awareness plus task-specific training for removal), appropriate RPE (minimum FFP3), and controls to prevent fibre release (typically wetting the sheets and lowering them intact rather than breaking them). If the sheets are in poor condition, badly weathered, or will be broken during removal, the fibre release risk increases significantly and you may need to engage a licensed asbestos removal contractor. Your RAMS must include the specific method for handling the asbestos cement, the PPE and RPE requirements, the decontamination procedures, and the waste disposal arrangements (asbestos waste must go to a licensed disposal site).

How The Site Book helps

• Creates roof-specific RAMS — describe your project and get a complete, site-specific document covering all the hazards above.
• Fragile surface risks and edge protection requirements are automatically identified and controlled based on your project description.
• Height risk controls built in — scaffolding specifications, inspection schedules, and fall prevention measures pre-populated for your specific roof type.
• Hot works procedures, asbestos considerations, and weather thresholds included where relevant to your project.

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Related guides

Working at Height

The full guide to height regulations, hierarchy of controls, and fall prevention.

Scaffolding Safety

Inspection schedules, load limits, and scaffold safety rules for builders.

Roofing Use Case

See how The Site Book creates RAMS for roofing projects from start to finish.

Hot Works Permits

Permit systems, fire watches, and safe procedures for torch-on and welding work.

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