When this template fits
Concreting gangs placing, compacting and finishing in-situ concrete — by skip, pump or direct discharge — should issue this concreting method statement to the principal contractor before the pour. The trade's worst injuries come from kneeling in wet concrete and from pump-line failures, hazards a generic groundworks RAMS glosses over. It is written for the gang on the pour, the pump operator and the operative running the poker.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 9 task-specific hazards scored on a 5×5 matrix (initial → residual)
- ✓ Specific control measures for each hazard, in hierarchy-of-control order
- ✓ A 10-step method statement (sequence of works)
- ✓ PPE, plant/equipment, permits and competence requirements
- ✓ Emergency arrangements and operative briefing / sign-off section
Scope of works
Place and finish concrete pours.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-pour planning: Complete COSHH and manual handling assessments, review formwork/falsework design sign-off by a competent person, confirm pour rate limits, and brief all operatives on hazards, exclusion zones and emergency procedures.
- 2Site preparation: Inspect and confirm formwork is correctly erected, adequately propped and signed off. Install edge protection at all slab edges and openings. Establish clear pedestrian routes and plant exclusion zones.
- 3Plant and equipment checks: Inspect concrete pump, mixer truck routes and banksman positions. Check vibrator condition and record pre-use inspection. Position eye wash station within the work area.
- 4PPE issue and check: Issue and confirm correct use of alkali-resistant gloves, chemical-splash goggles, waterproof boots, hi-vis clothing and hard hats for all operatives in the pour area before concrete arrives.
- 5Concrete placement: Direct the pump or chute to the pour location under banksman supervision. Control pour rate to stay within the formwork design limit. Avoid overloading any single area of formwork.
- 6Compaction and vibration: Insert immersion vibrator at regular intervals (typically 450–600 mm centres) and withdraw slowly. Rotate operators to manage HAV and noise exposure within daily limits.
- 7Finishing: Level and float the surface using long-handled tools where possible to minimise direct skin contact. Monitor operatives for skin exposure; ensure washing facilities are used immediately if concrete contacts skin.
- 8Post-pour inspection: Once placing is complete, inspect formwork for signs of movement, leakage or distress. Maintain exclusion zones until concrete has achieved adequate strength. Clean all tools and plant before concrete sets.
- 9Curing and protection: Apply curing compound or cover with polythene sheeting to prevent rapid drying. Secure covers against wind and restrict access to the fresh slab surface.
- 10Housekeeping and close-out: Remove all concrete waste, hoses, cables and trip hazards from the work area. Dispose of concrete slurry and washings to an appropriate containment point — do not allow to enter drains or watercourses.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Dermatitis and chemical burns from wet concrete
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Complete a COSHH assessment for wet concrete and cement before work begins. Identify exposure routes (skin, eye, inhalation) and document controls.
- › Specify and use cement or ready-mix products with reduced chromate content (≤2 ppm water-soluble Cr(VI)) to minimise sensitisation risk.
- › Use long-handled tools (rakes, floats, vibrators) to reduce direct hand contact. Where contact cannot be avoided, provide alkali-resistant gloves, waterproof boots and full-length clothing.
- › Provide dedicated wash stations with clean water and pH-neutral skin cleansers on site. Workers to check skin regularly during the shift and wash immediately if concrete contacts skin.
Silica dust inhalation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where dust suppression and extraction cannot reduce exposure below the WEL for RCS (0.1 mg/m³ 8h TWA per EH40), wear a tight-fitting FFP3 disposable or half-mask respirator with P3 filter. RPE must be face-fit tested.
- › Avoid dry cutting or grinding hardened concrete. Redesign formwork and joints to eliminate post-pour cutting where possible.
- › Where cutting or grinding cannot be avoided, use wet methods or tools fitted with LEV (Local Exhaust Ventilation) dust extraction meeting H-class vacuum standard.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use ready-mix concrete delivered by truck and pumped or chuted directly to the pour location, eliminating manual bag mixing wherever practicable.
- › Where bagged material is necessary, specify bags no heavier than 25 kg. Provide trolleys, hoists or forklifts for moving bulk materials and formwork.
- › Complete a manual handling assessment for all significant lifting tasks. Brief all workers on safe lifting technique and team-lift procedures before work begins.
Plant and vehicle strike
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Establish clearly marked exclusion zones around operating plant. Use physical barriers (Heras fencing, barriers) to separate foot traffic from vehicle routes.
- › Appoint a trained and competent banksman to direct all reversing and manoeuvring vehicles on site. No vehicle to move without banksman confirmation.
- › Brief all workers on plant movements, exclusion zones and emergency stop signals before each pour. Ensure only authorised personnel are in the pour area.
- › All personnel in areas where plant operates must wear EN ISO 20471 Class 2 high-visibility vest or jacket at all times.
Formwork and falsework collapse
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › All formwork and falsework must be designed or checked by a competent person (typically a structural engineer) in accordance with BS 5975. A formal inspection record must be completed and signed before concrete is placed.
- › Specify and adhere to maximum pour rates to ensure formwork is not overloaded. Pump and chute positioning to be planned to avoid point loading.
- › Maintain a clear exclusion zone around and below formwork during the pour. Only essential operatives to be present; no workers beneath falsework unless specifically required.
Slip, trip and fall on contaminated surfaces
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Maintain clear, defined walkways to and around the pour area. Remove or secure trailing hoses, cables and debris before and during the pour.
- › All operatives to wear safety boots with anti-slip soles (EN ISO 20345 rated SRC) resistant to alkali.
- › Install guardrails, edge protection or cover exposed slab edges and openings before and during pours to prevent falls. Competent person to verify adequacy.
Noise and vibration from concrete vibrators
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where practicable, select vibrators with lower declared vibration values. Consider electric vibrators over petrol-driven equivalents to reduce both noise and HAV.
- › Rotate vibrator operators to limit individual HAV and noise exposure below EAV (2.5 m/s² A(8) for HAV; 80 dB(A) LEP,d for noise). Maintain exposure records.
- › Provide EN 352-rated hearing protection where noise exceeds 85 dB(A). Anti-vibration gloves may be used as a supplementary measure only — not a primary control for HAV.
Eye injury from concrete splashing
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use controlled pump rates and low-turbulence chute/hose ends to minimise splashing during placement.
- › All operatives in the pour area to wear EN166-rated chemical-splash goggles or a full face shield. Standard safety glasses are not sufficient.
- › Provide a dedicated sterile eye wash station within 10 seconds' travel of the pour area. All operatives to be briefed on its location before work starts.
Overexertion and heat stress
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › On hot days, plan intensive finishing work for early morning or evening. Provide shaded rest areas adjacent to the pour area.
- › Ensure workers have access to drinking water at all times and take regular rest breaks. Brief supervisors to monitor for signs of heat stress.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ RPE per the COSHH assessment
- ✓ Chemical-resistant gloves
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
Competence
- ✓ Site induction completed; CSCS or equivalent where the site requires it
Schemes (CSCS, PASMA, IPAF…) evidence competence; they are not statutory requirements in themselves.
Plant & equipment
- › Concrete pump and pipeline or crane skip
- › Poker/immersion vibrators
- › Power float and long-handled bull floats/screeds
- › Levelling screeds and trowels
- › Bunded washout area/skip
- › Curing compound or membranes
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ That cement-burn controls for finishers — knee protection, gloves, washing, no direct kneeling — are explicit, given this is the trade's most serious injury
- ✓ That pump-line setup names blockage/blow-out controls and a clearing procedure, not just 'operate pump safely'
- ✓ That HAVS exposure from pokers is managed with rotation and trigger-time limits under the Vibration Regulations
- ✓ The document is site-specific — real address, access arrangements and dates, not a generic template
- ✓ Hazards match the actual task and the controls are specific (not “take care” and “use PPE”)
- ✓ Named supervisor and competent person, with operative sign-off space
- ✓ Emergency and rescue arrangements that work for this site
The report builder runs these as pre-submission checks before you download — or run an existing document through the free RAMS pre-submission checker.
Frequently asked questions
Why are cement burns such a problem for concrete finishers?
Wet concrete is strongly alkaline and abrasive, and finishers kneel and lean in it for long periods, so it can soak through clothing and cause deep, slow-healing chemical burns — often without immediate pain. These are routinely the most serious injuries in the concreting trade. The controls are to minimise kneeling with long-handled tools, wear genuinely waterproof knee protection and cement-resistant gloves, and wash any contact off immediately with hot water. The RAMS should treat this as a primary hazard, not a footnote under COSHH.
What should we do if the pump line blocks?
Stop pumping immediately and do not break any coupling under pressure — a blocked line stores energy and can blow out violently when opened. The line should be reversed and fully depressurised following the pump manufacturer's procedure before any operative approaches a coupling, and everyone stands clear during clearing. Keeping the line straight, primed correctly and properly clamped reduces the chance of a blockage in the first place. The method statement should set out this stop-reverse-depressurise sequence.
What regulations apply to concreting?
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and CDM 2015 apply to all construction work.
Does a method statement need to be site-specific?
Yes — this is the most common reason documents get sent back. Principal contractors reject generic copy-paste RAMS. Your document should name the site, access arrangements, dates, supervisor and any site-specific hazards. The RamsDocs builder fills these in for you and flags what's missing before you download.
Is this template free?
Yes — everything on RamsDocs is free during early access, including building a site-specific version of this RAMS and downloading the PDF. No card required.