Every RAMS document submitted to a principal contractor or reviewed by an H&S manager should contain the same 15 core sections. In practice, most do not. Some are missing sections entirely. Others have the sections but leave them vague, incomplete or copied from a previous project.
This article covers what each section should contain and the specific gaps that most commonly get missed.
1. Project Details
The document header should record the site name and address, client name, principal contractor name, subcontractor name where applicable, a document reference number, the document date, a revision number and a brief project description. Missing reference numbers or revision numbers seem minor but make document control impossible — you cannot tell which version of a RAMS is current on site.
2. Scope of Works
The scope must describe the exact tasks being carried out in specific terms. "General construction works" is not a scope. The scope should describe the sequence of activities, the area of the site affected and any time constraints on the work. If the scope is updated mid-project the rest of the document must be reviewed and updated accordingly — one of the most common gaps is a scope that has changed while the hazard register still reflects the original version.
3. Personnel
This section should name the site supervisor rather than just recording a job title. It should state the competency requirements for the work, any relevant training requirements and the expected number of operatives. Generic entries like "site operatives" with no names, numbers or competency requirements indicate a document that was not written with this specific project in mind.
4. Plant and Equipment
Every item of plant and equipment should be listed specifically. Generic entries like "hand tools and machinery" are not acceptable. For each item of plant the document should reference the required operator certifications — CPCS, IPAF, PASMA as relevant — and note any pre-use inspection requirements. Plant that appears in the scope of works but does not appear in Section 4 is a red flag.
5. Materials and COSHH
All materials used on the project should be listed. Any hazardous substance — cement, silica dust from cutting, solvents, adhesives, diesel, hydraulic fluids, resins — requires a corresponding COSHH assessment reference and should note that Safety Data Sheets are available on site. If a material appears in the scope and there is no COSHH reference in Section 5, that is a critical gap. Storage and disposal arrangements should also be stated.
6. Hazard Identification
This is the core of the risk assessment. Every hazard that the described work could generate must be listed. If the scope involves working at height, manual handling, excavation, plant operation, hot works, confined space entry, electrical work, demolition or working near live services, corresponding hazards must appear in this section. Cross-referencing the hazard register against the scope of works is the single most valuable check you can perform on any RAMS document.
7. Risk Assessment
Each hazard identified in Section 6 must have a likelihood rating, a severity rating and an initial risk score before controls are applied. After control measures are described, a residual risk score should be recorded showing whether the controls have reduced the risk to an acceptable level. Blank residual risk scores are one of the most common critical gaps in submitted documents — they indicate that the assessment was completed as a paperwork exercise rather than a genuine evaluation.
8. Control Measures
Every hazard requires a specific, actionable control measure. Entries that read "take care", "be careful" or "use common sense" are not control measures and should be treated as critical failures. Control measures should follow the hierarchy of control — eliminate the hazard, substitute for something safer, apply engineering controls, apply administrative controls, and use PPE as a last resort rather than a primary response. If PPE is the only or primary control measure for a significant hazard, the document has not adequately controlled that hazard.
9. PPE Requirements
The required PPE should be listed specifically for each relevant task and hazard. A generic list of PPE at the bottom of a document that is not tied to specific hazards is insufficient. Where applicable, PPE should reference the relevant EN standard. The document should state who is responsible for providing and maintaining the PPE.
10. Emergency Procedures
Section 10 is consistently the thinnest section in RAMS documents and consistently the first section examined following an incident. It should contain the name of the designated first aider — not "site first aider" — the location of first aid equipment, the specific muster point verified against the current site plan, emergency services contact details, the name and location of the nearest A&E department, and the incident reporting procedure. The muster point is the most commonly wrong item in this section — it is frequently copied from a previous project and never updated.
11. Environmental Considerations
Waste disposal arrangements, dust control, noise management, pollution prevention and protection of any watercourses in the vicinity should all be addressed. If the scope obviously generates environmental risks that are not mentioned in Section 11, the document is incomplete.
12. Communication and Briefing
The document should state who is responsible for briefing the workforce, when the briefing will take place — specifically before work commences — how the briefing will be recorded, and what provision is made for operatives whose first language is not English. "Toolbox talk to be delivered" without naming a responsible person or specifying timing is not adequate.
13. Legislation References
The relevant regulations that apply to the work should be referenced. At minimum for most UK construction RAMS this should include the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 where applicable. Legislation references that appear copied from a template often include superseded regulations or regulations that have no relevance to the described work.
14. Signatures and Sign-Off
Three separate sign-off fields are required: prepared by, reviewed by and authorised by — each with a name and a date. The authorisation date must predate the scheduled start of works. If any of these fields are blank or undated the document cannot be considered properly authorised. The operative acknowledgement section — where workers confirm they have been briefed on the document — should also be present.
15. Review and Revision History
The document version number and revision dates should be recorded. Where a revision has been made the reason for the revision should be noted. A revision history that appears to have been copied from a different project — different project names, addresses or dates appearing in the history — indicates that the document was not created specifically for this project.
Working through the sections in this order is the fastest way to write one from scratch — how to complete a RAMS step by step covers the sequence, and the checklist version is the one to keep beside you while reviewing. If you want the mechanical half of that read done for you first, understanding your report explains what comes back.
This article is general guidance on UK construction documentation practice. It is not legal advice, a compliance certification or a substitute for review by your own qualified health and safety personnel, who remain responsible for deciding whether any particular document is adequate. See our disclaimer.