This is an example for a fictional job. The company, people, address and phone number are made up. Do not copy it for real work: write your own RAMS for the actual job, site and team, and have a competent person check it.
- Company name
- Example Building Co. Ltd (fictional)
- Client
- Mr and Mrs Example, homeowners (fictional)
- Job and site address
- Bathroom refit, 12 Sample Street, Exampletown ZZ1 1ZZ (fictional)
- Start date and expected duration
- On the agreed start date. About 2 weeks.
- Prepared by
- Site supervisor, Example Building Co.
- Date
- Before work starts
- Principal contractor (if there is one)
- Example Building Co. Ltd (us)
- Date of next review
- If the work, the team or the site conditions change
Description of the work
Strip out and refit the first-floor bathroom of a 1970s semi-detached house (fictional). Remove the bath, basin, toilet, tiles and floor covering. Make good walls and floor. Fit a new bath with shower over, basin, toilet and tiling. Our subcontract electrician wires the new extractor fan and the shower. The family live in the house during the work. Access is up the internal stairs. The skip is on the drive.
Part 1: Risk assessment
Asbestos hidden in the bathroom (for example in old floor tiles, adhesive or a textured ceiling)
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers and the household could breathe in fibres if material containing asbestos is disturbed.
- Controls in place
- The client's refurbishment asbestos survey of the bathroom found no asbestos in the areas to be worked on (example). Everyone on the job has asbestos awareness training. If anyone finds or suspects asbestos, they stop work on it, keep people away and tell the site supervisor. Work does not restart until it has been assessed and controlled.
- Further action needed
- Check the survey covers every area to be opened up. (Site supervisor, before work starts)
Water leaks and flooding from pipework, and fire from soldering joints
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers could slip. The household could lose water, and water could damage the ceiling below. A fire could start from soldering.
- Controls in place
- Water is isolated at the stopcock and pipes are drained before they are cut. Open pipe ends are capped. Floors are dried straight away. Any soldering is hot work and is done under a hot works permit issued before the work starts. A suitable fire extinguisher is positioned within immediate reach of the operative. After hot works finish, a competent person keeps a continuous fire watch for at least 60 minutes, then checks the area again two hours after the work ended.
- Further action needed
- The permit is issued by a competent person who is not the person carrying out the hot works. (Plumber, during the job)
Electric shock from existing circuits in the bathroom
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers could get an electric shock when stripping out or drilling near hidden cables.
- Controls in place
- Treat all cables as live until the electrician has proved them dead. The electrician isolates the bathroom circuits, locks them off and tests them dead before strip-out. Only the electrician works on the wiring.
- Further action needed
- Electrician to confirm isolation each morning before work starts. (Electrician, each day of strip-out)
Electric shock from power tools and leads
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers could get an electric shock from damaged tools or leads.
- Controls in place
- Cordless tools, or tools run from a 110V centre-tapped to earth (CTE) transformer. Tools and leads are checked before use and taken out of use if damaged. Leads are run where they will not be damaged or trip anyone.
- Further action needed
- None.
Dust from cutting tiles and chasing walls
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers and the household could breathe in silica dust, which can cause serious lung disease.
- Controls in place
- Tiles are cut with a wet tile cutter outside. Walls are chased with a tool fitted with on-tool extraction to an M-class or H-class vacuum. Workers wear FFP3 masks that have been face-fit tested. Clean up with the vacuum or damp down, never by dry sweeping. Doors to other rooms are kept closed.
- Further action needed
- None.
Lifting and carrying the old bath, the new bath and boxes of tiles on the stairs
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers could hurt their backs, or fall on the stairs while carrying.
- Controls in place
- Plan the route and clear it first. Two people carry the baths. The old bath is taken out in one piece; it is not broken up. Tiles and adhesive are carried in loads people can manage. Nobody carries a load they cannot see over.
- Further action needed
- Check the weight of the old bath before moving it, and get a third person if needed. (Site supervisor, before strip-out)
Cement-based adhesive and grout
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers could get skin burns or dermatitis from wet cement products, and breathe in dust when mixing.
- Controls in place
- Read the safety data sheet for each product. Wear gloves and eye protection when mixing. Mix outside or with the window open. Wash hands after use.
- Further action needed
- None.
Slips and trips on wet floors, dust sheets and waste
- Who might be harmed and how
- Workers and the household could slip or trip on the landing and stairs.
- Controls in place
- Waste is bagged and taken to the skip as it is made. Spills are cleaned up straight away. Dust sheets are taped down. The landing and stairs are kept clear.
- Further action needed
- None.
Household and visitors near the work
- Who might be harmed and how
- The homeowners, children and visitors could be hurt by tools, materials, dust or falling objects.
- Controls in place
- The bathroom door is kept shut while we work and the family use the downstairs toilet. Tools and materials are not left out where children can reach them. The work area is left safe and tidy at the end of each day.
- Further action needed
- Agree with the homeowners which rooms and routes they will use. (Site supervisor, before work starts)
Part 2: Method statement
Sequence of work
Step 1: Arrive and set up. Protect the stairs and landing. Brief the team on this RAMS.
Who: Site supervisor
Plant, equipment and materials: Dust sheets, floor protection, tape
Controls for this step: Check the asbestos survey before any strip-out.
Step 2: Isolate and drain the water. Electrician isolates and proves dead the bathroom circuits.
Who: Plumber, electrician
Plant, equipment and materials: Lock-off kit, voltage tester
Controls for this step: No strip-out until isolation is confirmed.
Step 3: Strip out the toilet, basin and bath. Cap the pipes.
Who: Plumber, labourer
Plant, equipment and materials: Hand tools, pipe caps
Controls for this step: Two-person lift for the bath. Route cleared.
Step 4: Remove tiles and floor covering. Bag the waste.
Who: Labourer
Plant, equipment and materials: Hand tools, M-class or H-class vacuum
Controls for this step: Stop if suspect material is found. FFP3 masks. No dry sweeping.
Step 5: First fix: pipework, extractor fan and shower cable.
Who: Plumber, electrician
Plant, equipment and materials: Cordless drill, push-fit fittings
Controls for this step: On-tool extraction when chasing walls. Any soldering is done under a hot works permit.
Step 6: Board and make good the walls and floor.
Who: Plumber, labourer
Plant, equipment and materials: Tile backer board, screws
Controls for this step: Cut boards outside.
Step 7: Fit the bath, basin and toilet.
Who: Plumber
Plant, equipment and materials: Hand tools
Controls for this step: Two-person lift for the new bath.
Step 8: Tile walls and floor. Grout and seal.
Who: Tiler
Plant, equipment and materials: Wet tile cutter (outside), mixing paddle
Controls for this step: Gloves and eye protection when mixing. Ventilate the room.
Step 9: Electrician connects and tests the fan and shower. Plumber tests for leaks.
Who: Electrician, plumber
Plant, equipment and materials: Test equipment
Controls for this step: Electrician's own safe isolation procedure.
Step 10: Clean up, remove protection and hand over.
Who: Site supervisor
Plant, equipment and materials: Vacuum
Controls for this step: Leave no waste or tools behind.
People and competence
- Site supervisor (example), Supervisor and plumber. CSCS card. Site supervisor training. Emergency first aid at work. Asbestos awareness.
- Tiler (example), Tiler. CSCS card. Asbestos awareness.
- Labourer (example), Labourer. CSCS card. Asbestos awareness.
- Electrician (example subcontractor), Electrician. Qualified electrician. Asbestos awareness.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Safety boots: All steps
- FFP3 mask (face-fit tested): Steps 4, 5, 6 and 8 (dusty work)
- Gloves: Steps 3, 4 and 8
- Eye protection: Steps 4, 5 and 8
Emergencies
Record the arrangements for any foreseeable emergency, including how to evacuate the site.
- First aider
- Site supervisor (example)
- First aid kit location
- In the van on the drive
- Nearest A&E (name and address)
- [Before work starts, find and write in the nearest A&E department and its address]
- Assembly point
- Front garden, by the gate
- How to raise the alarm
- Shout to everyone in the house. Call 999.
- Site contact and phone number
- Site supervisor: 01632 960123 (fictional number)
If there is serious and imminent danger, workers should stop work immediately, report it and go to a place of safety.
Who workers report danger to: Site supervisor (example)
Briefing record
Brief everyone doing the work on this RAMS before the work begins. Each person signs to confirm.
In the PDF, each person below signs and dates the briefing record: Site supervisor (example); Tiler (example); Labourer (example); Electrician (example).
Approval
Prepared by Site supervisor (example). Approved by Director, Example Building Co. (example).
Based on
HSE's five steps to managing risk; CDM 2015, regulations 15 and 30; HSE guidance on asbestos, construction dust, electricity and manual handling.