Are RAMS a legal requirement?
Reviewed September 2026 · Written by Complys and checked against HSE and legislation.gov.uk guidance (sources below).
It's the most common RAMS question, and the honest answer has two parts. A risk assessment is required by law. A method statement, in most cases, is not — though it's expected best practice and is almost always required contractually. Here's what UK law actually says, without the myths.
Risk assessments: yes, required by law
Under regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer must make a "suitable and sufficient" assessment of the risks to employees and to anyone else affected by the work. The same duty applies to the self-employed. This sits on top of the general duty in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to provide a safe system of work.
Recording it: the five-employee rule
The duty to carry out a risk assessment applies to everyone — including sole traders. The duty to write it down only bites if you employ five or more people (regulation 3(6)), when you must record the significant findings and any group especially at risk. HSE recommends writing it down regardless, and on site you'll be asked for it either way.
Method statements: best practice, not a blanket law
There is no UK regulation requiring a "method statement" for general work. HSE says plainly that, aside from specific cases, method statements are "not required by law" but are a proven, practical way to plan, manage and monitor construction work. The exception is certain high-risk work — for example, the arrangements for demolition must be recorded in writing before work begins under CDM 2015.
So do you actually need RAMS? In practice, yes
Even though "RAMS" isn't named in law, you'll almost always need them. Principal contractors and clients require subcontractors' RAMS before granting site access, as the practical way of meeting their CDM duties to plan and manage the work. "No RAMS, no access" is a commercial reality built on those legal duties.
The myths to ignore
Two things you'll hear that aren't true: that method statements are always legally required (they're not, as a blanket rule), and that RAMS can be "HSE-approved" (HSE neither approves RAMS nor publishes an official RAMS template). What matters is that your documents are suitable and sufficient for the actual job.
Stop writing RAMS from scratch
Complys builds a complete, CDM-ready RAMS for your trade in minutes — hazards, controls, PPE, legislation, sequence of works and plant register — as a branded PDF you can share.
Sources
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 (risk assessment)
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, s.2 (safe systems of work)
- HSE — Construction: managing safety (method statements)
- HSE — Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Health and safety law and HSE guidance change over time — always check the current HSE and legislation.gov.uk guidance for your work.
Are RAMS a legal requirement? — FAQs
Are RAMS legally required?
The risk assessment part is required by law (MHSWR 1999, reg 3). The method statement generally isn't a legal requirement, but it's expected best practice and is almost always required by the principal contractor or client before you can start.
Do I need to write down my risk assessment?
You must record the significant findings if you employ five or more people. If you have fewer, the law doesn't force a written record, but HSE recommends it and you'll be asked for it on site.
Are method statements a legal requirement?
Not as a general rule. HSE states method statements are not required by law for most work, though written arrangements are required for specific high-risk activities such as demolition under CDM 2015.
Can RAMS be HSE-approved?
No. HSE does not approve, certify or endorse RAMS, and does not issue an official RAMS template. Your documents simply have to be suitable and sufficient for the work.