What are RAMS?
Reviewed September 2026 · Written by Complys and checked against HSE and legislation.gov.uk guidance (sources below).
RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement. It's the pair of documents a contractor produces to show a specific job has been thought through and can be carried out safely. "RAMS" is an industry term rather than a legal one — but the documents behind it are how you meet real legal duties.
What the letters stand for
RA is the risk assessment; MS is the method statement. Put together for a task or project, they're referred to as RAMS. There is no single legal definition of "RAMS" and no official format — it's simply the two documents bundled into one submission.
The risk assessment
A risk assessment is a careful look at what, in a job, could cause harm to people. It identifies the hazards, decides who might be harmed and how, and judges whether existing precautions are enough or more control is needed. HSE describes it as "a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people".
The method statement
A method statement — sometimes called a safe system of work — describes how the task will actually be done safely. It sets out the sequence of work and the control measures the risk assessment identified, so the crew on site knows exactly how to carry out the job without putting themselves or others at risk.
Why they go together
The risk assessment finds the hazards; the method statement explains the safe procedure that controls them. One without the other is only half the picture, which is why clients and principal contractors almost always ask for both as a single RAMS pack before work starts.
Where the legal weight comes from
RAMS themselves aren't named in law. Their force comes from the duties underneath them — the duty to assess risk under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the duty to provide a safe system of work under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and the duty to plan, manage and monitor construction work under CDM 2015.
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 — Construction: managing safety (method statements)
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 (risk assessment)
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.
What are RAMS? — FAQs
What does RAMS stand for?
Risk Assessment and Method Statement — the two documents combined into one pack for a job.
Is RAMS one document or two?
Two: a risk assessment and a method statement. They're usually submitted together as a single RAMS document.
Is a RAMS the same as a risk assessment?
No. A risk assessment is one half of RAMS. RAMS also includes the method statement — the step-by-step safe procedure for doing the work.
Is 'RAMS' a legal term?
No. It's an industry term. The legal duties sit with risk assessment (a statutory requirement) and the general duty to work safely, not with 'RAMS' as a named document.