Use this checklist when reviewing any RAMS document submitted for a UK construction project. Work through each section in order. Note any items that are absent, vague or inconsistent with other sections of the document.
Section 1 — Project Details
- Site name and address present
- Client name recorded
- Principal contractor named
- Subcontractor named where applicable
- Document reference number present
- Document date recorded
- Revision number present
- Project description included
Section 2 — Scope of Works
- Scope describes specific tasks rather than generic activities
- Sequence of operations described
- Area of site affected identified
- Any recent changes to scope are reflected in the rest of the document
Section 3 — Personnel
- Site supervisor named, not just job title recorded
- Competency requirements stated
- Training requirements noted
- Number of operatives consistent with scale of works
Section 4 — Plant and Equipment
- All plant and equipment listed specifically
- Required operator certificates referenced (CPCS, IPAF, PASMA etc.)
- Pre-use inspection requirements noted
- All plant listed in scope also appears in this section
Section 5 — Materials and COSHH
- All materials listed
- Hazardous substances identified
- COSHH assessment referenced for each hazardous substance
- SDS availability confirmed
- Storage and disposal arrangements stated
Section 6 — Hazard Identification
- Hazards cover all activities described in the scope
- Working at height hazards present where applicable
- Manual handling hazards present where applicable
- Plant and equipment hazards present for each item in Section 4
- Excavation hazards present where applicable
- No obvious hazard implied by the scope is absent from the register
Section 7 — Risk Assessment
- Likelihood rating recorded for each hazard
- Severity rating recorded for each hazard
- Initial risk score calculated
- Residual risk score recorded after controls (not blank)
- Risk scoring applied consistently throughout
Section 8 — Control Measures
- Control measure present for every hazard in Section 6
- No control measure reads "take care", "be careful" or similar vague language
- Hierarchy of control applied — engineering controls addressed before PPE
- PPE is not the primary or only control for any significant hazard
- Control measures are specific and actionable
Section 9 — PPE Requirements
- PPE listed for each relevant task and hazard
- PPE tied to specific hazards rather than generic list
- EN standards referenced where applicable
- Responsibility for providing PPE stated
Section 10 — Emergency Procedures
- First aider named specifically
- Location of first aid equipment stated
- Muster point verified against current site plan
- Emergency services contact details recorded
- Nearest A&E department named specifically
- Incident reporting procedure described
- Evacuation procedure stated
Section 11 — Environmental Considerations
- Waste disposal arrangements stated
- Dust control measures described where applicable
- Noise management addressed where applicable
- Watercourse protection described where relevant
- No obvious environmental risk from the scope left unaddressed
Section 12 — Communication and Briefing
- Named person responsible for briefing identified
- Timing of briefing stated (before works commence)
- Record-keeping method described
- Provision for non-English speaking workers addressed where relevant
Section 13 — Legislation References
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 referenced
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 referenced
- CDM Regulations 2015 referenced where applicable
- No superseded legislation referenced
- No legislation referenced that is clearly inapplicable to the work
Section 14 — Signatures and Sign-Off
- Prepared by: name and date present
- Reviewed by: name and date present
- Authorised by: name and date present
- Authorisation date predates scheduled start of works
- Operative acknowledgement section present
Section 15 — Review and Revision History
- Version number recorded
- Revision dates consistent with project timeline
- Reason for revision noted
- Revision history specific to this project (not copied from another)
Cross-Document Consistency Checks
- All hazards in Section 6 relate to activities described in Section 2
- All activities in Section 2 generate at least one hazard in Section 6
- Every hazard in Section 6 has a corresponding control in Section 8
- PPE in Section 9 matches specific hazards in Section 6
- All plant in Section 4 appears in hazard register in Section 6
- No internal contradictions between sections
The checklist is a reviewing tool; for writing one from scratch, the fifteen sections every RAMS should contain explains what belongs in each part, and before and after examples shows what the difference looks like on the page. To have the mechanical items checked before a reviewer sees the document, upload it and work down the report.
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.