Loft Conversion RAMS Example (Completed)

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.

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Company name: Example Building Co. Ltd (fictional)
Client: Mr and Mrs Example, homeowners (fictional)
Job and site address: Loft conversion, 27 Sample Avenue, Exampletown ZZ1 1ZZ (fictional)
Start date and expected duration: On the agreed start date. About 8 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

Convert the loft of a 1930s semi-detached house (fictional) into a bedroom with an en-suite. Build a rear dormer, fit steel beams and new floor joists to the structural engineer's design, add roof windows to the front slope and a new staircase from the first-floor landing. Our subcontract electrician and plumber do the first and second fix. The family live in the house during the work. Scaffold is erected by a scaffolding contractor on the rear and side of the house.

Part 1: Risk assessment

Falls from the roof and scaffold while building the dormer
Who might be harmed and how
Workers could fall from the roof edge or scaffold and be seriously injured or killed.
Controls in place
Scaffold with guard rails, toe boards and brick guards on all working lifts, erected, altered and taken down only by the scaffolding contractor. The scaffold is inspected before first use, at least every 7 days and after anything that could affect it, such as high winds. Nobody uses it without checking the inspection tag. There is no scaffold on the front. No work on the outside of the front roof slope: the roof windows there are fitted from inside the loft.
Further action needed
Scaffolding contractor to hand over the scaffold and the inspection record. (Scaffolding contractor, before first use)
Falls through the ceiling below the loft
Who might be harmed and how
Workers could step between the ceiling joists and fall through the ceiling.
Controls in place
Boards are laid and fixed across the joists to make a working platform before work starts in the loft. The edges of the new stair opening are protected with a guard rail until the staircase is in.
Further action needed
None.
Collapse while the roof is opened up and the steels go in
Who might be harmed and how
Workers and the household could be crushed if the roof or walls are not supported.
Controls in place
Temporary support is installed as shown on the structural engineer's design before any rafter, purlin or wall is cut. Supports are not removed until the engineer's design says the permanent structure can take the load. The supervisor checks the supports every morning.
Further action needed
Get the temporary works design from the structural engineer. (Site supervisor, before the roof is opened)
Lifting the steel beams and joists into the loft
Who might be harmed and how
Workers could hurt their backs or be crushed by a dropped beam.
Controls in place
Steels are lifted through the opening in the roof with a hoist or other lifting equipment agreed with the steel supplier, used by a trained person, not by hand. Joists and boards are passed up in loads people can manage. Nobody stands under a load being lifted.
Further action needed
Agree the lifting method and equipment with the steel supplier. (Site supervisor, before delivery)
Falling materials from the scaffold and roof
Who might be harmed and how
The household, neighbours and people passing could be hit by falling materials.
Controls in place
Brick guards and debris netting on the scaffold. Waste goes down a chute into a covered skip, never thrown. The garden under the work is fenced off and the homeowners agree not to use it.
Further action needed
None.
Asbestos hidden in the loft (for example in old roof sheets, water tanks or insulation)
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 loft and roof 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)
Dust from cutting timber, plasterboard and masonry
Who might be harmed and how
Workers and the household could breathe in wood dust and silica dust.
Controls in place
Saws and grinders are fitted with on-tool extraction to an M-class or H-class vacuum. Workers wear FFP3 masks that have been face-fit tested. The loft hatch is sealed with a dust screen until the new stairs go in. Clean up with the vacuum, never by dry sweeping.
Further action needed
None.
Mineral wool insulation
Who might be harmed and how
Workers could get skin and eye irritation from the fibres.
Controls in place
Read the safety data sheet. Wear gloves, long sleeves, eye protection and an FFP3 mask when cutting.
Further action needed
None.
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.
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 loft is reached only through the scaffold until the stairs are in. The landing below the loft hatch is kept clear and screened. 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: Set up: welfare, skip and chute. Brief the team on this RAMS.
Who: Site supervisor
Plant, equipment and materials: Skip, chute
Controls for this step: Check the asbestos survey and the engineer's drawings are on site.
Step 2: Erect the scaffold on the rear and side with a loading bay.
Who: Scaffolding contractor
Plant, equipment and materials: Scaffold
Controls for this step: Handover and inspection tag before anyone uses it.
Step 3: Board out the loft floor as a working platform.
Who: Carpenter
Plant, equipment and materials: Boards, cordless drill
Controls for this step: Boards fixed before anyone works in the loft.
Step 4: Install temporary supports. Open up the rear roof slope.
Who: Carpenter, labourer
Plant, equipment and materials: Props, hand tools
Controls for this step: Supports exactly as the engineer's design. Waste down the chute.
Step 5: Lift in and fix the steel beams. Fit the new floor joists.
Who: Carpenter, labourer
Plant, equipment and materials: Hoist or other lifting equipment, cordless tools
Controls for this step: Nobody under the load. Supervisor checks supports.
Step 6: Build the dormer walls and roof. Weatherproof it.
Who: Carpenter, roofer
Plant, equipment and materials: Cordless tools, saw with extraction
Controls for this step: Work only from the scaffold and the boarded floor.
Step 7: Remove temporary supports once the engineer's design allows it.
Who: Carpenter
Plant, equipment and materials: Hand tools
Controls for this step: Supervisor confirms before any support comes out.
Step 8: Fit roof windows to the front slope from inside the loft.
Who: Carpenter
Plant, equipment and materials: Hand tools
Controls for this step: No work on the outside of the front slope.
Step 9: First fix electrics and plumbing. Insulate.
Who: Electrician, plumber, carpenter
Plant, equipment and materials: Cordless tools
Controls for this step: Gloves and mask for insulation. Electrician's own safe isolation procedure.
Step 10: Form the stair opening and fit the staircase.
Who: Carpenter
Plant, equipment and materials: Saw with extraction
Controls for this step: Guard rail round the opening until the stairs are fixed.
Step 11: Plasterboard, plaster, second fix and decorate.
Who: Plasterer, electrician, plumber
Plant, equipment and materials: Hop-ups, cordless tools
Controls for this step: FFP3 masks when sanding.
Step 12: Strike the scaffold. Clean up and hand over.
Who: Scaffolding contractor, site supervisor
Plant, equipment and materials: Vacuum
Controls for this step: Garden kept fenced off until the scaffold is down.

People and competence

Site supervisor (example), Supervisor and carpenter. CSCS card. Site supervisor training. Emergency first aid at work. Asbestos awareness.
Carpenter (example), Carpenter. CSCS card. Asbestos awareness.
Labourer (example), Labourer. CSCS card. Asbestos awareness.
Scaffolders (example subcontractor), Scaffolders. CISRS cards.
Roofer (example), Roofer. CSCS card. Asbestos awareness.
Plasterer (example), Plasterer. CSCS card. Asbestos awareness.
Electrician and plumber (example subcontractors), Electrician, plumber. Qualified in their trades. Asbestos awareness.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Safety boots and hard hat: All steps outside and when working under the scaffold
FFP3 mask (face-fit tested): Steps 4, 6, 10 and 11 (dusty work)
Gloves: Steps 4, 5, 9 and 10
Eye protection: Steps 4, 6, 9 and 10

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 and on the scaffold. 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); Carpenter (example); Labourer (example); Roofer (example); Plasterer (example); Scaffolders (example); Electrician (example); Plumber (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; the Work at Height Regulations 2005, regulation 6; HSE guidance on roof work, scaffolds, temporary works, asbestos, construction dust, electricity and manual handling.

Loft conversion RAMS example

Description of the work

Part 1: Risk assessment

Falls from the roof and scaffold while building the dormer

Falls through the ceiling below the loft

Collapse while the roof is opened up and the steels go in

Lifting the steel beams and joists into the loft

Falling materials from the scaffold and roof

Asbestos hidden in the loft (for example in old roof sheets, water tanks or insulation)

Dust from cutting timber, plasterboard and masonry

Mineral wool insulation

Electric shock from power tools and leads

Household and visitors near the work