RAMS vs risk assessment
Reviewed September 2026 · Written by Complys and checked against HSE and legislation.gov.uk guidance (sources below).
People often use "risk assessment" and "RAMS" as if they mean the same thing. They don't. A risk assessment is one part of RAMS — the other part is the method statement. Here's the distinction and when each is enough.
A risk assessment is one half of RAMS
RAMS = Risk Assessment + Method Statement. So every RAMS contains a risk assessment, but a risk assessment on its own is not a RAMS. If someone asks for "RAMS", a risk assessment alone usually won't satisfy them.
What the risk assessment does
The risk assessment identifies the hazards in a job, works out who could be harmed and how, and decides what controls are needed to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. It's the analysis — the thinking about what could go wrong.
What the method statement adds
The method statement turns that analysis into a plan of action: the step-by-step safe sequence of work, with the controls built in, written for the people actually doing the job. It's the doing — how the work will be carried out safely on the day.
When a risk assessment alone is enough
For lower-risk, general workplace activities, a suitable risk assessment may be all that's needed. For construction and higher-risk tasks — working at height, excavations, lifting, hot works — you'll normally need the full RAMS, because the method statement is what proves the job can be sequenced safely.
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
- HSE — Managing risks and risk assessment at work
- HSE — Risk assessment: steps needed to manage risk
- HSE — Construction: managing safety (method statements)
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.
RAMS vs risk assessment — FAQs
Is a risk assessment the same as RAMS?
No. A risk assessment is one component of RAMS. RAMS is the risk assessment plus a method statement.
Can I submit just a risk assessment instead of RAMS?
Sometimes, for low-risk work. But if a client or principal contractor has asked for RAMS, they expect the method statement too, so a risk assessment alone usually won't be accepted.
Which comes first, the risk assessment or the method statement?
The risk assessment. You identify the hazards and controls first, then write the method statement that puts those controls into a safe sequence of work.