When this template fits
Use this RAMS when a principal contractor or client has asked you to show how hazardous substances are controlled within the method statement for a specific task, not in a separate folder. It suits trades who use a handful of products on a job — adhesives, sealants, primers, cleaning agents — and need the COSHH controls written into the same document that describes how the work is done. The angle here is integration: a reviewer should see the substance, its exposure route and the control sitting alongside the step that creates the risk.
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
Assess and control exposure to substances hazardous to health on site.
Sequence of works
- 1PLAN: Before work begins, compile a full inventory of all substances that will be used or generated on site. Obtain current Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for every product. Identify naturally occurring hazards (e.g. silica-bearing materials, contaminated ground).
- 2ASSESS: A competent person completes a written COSHH assessment for each substance. Evaluate hazard classification, route of entry (inhalation, skin, ingestion, injection), likely exposure duration and frequency, number of workers affected, and whether WELs may be exceeded.
- 3ELIMINATE OR SUBSTITUTE: Consider whether the substance or process can be eliminated entirely. Where not possible, substitute with a less hazardous alternative (e.g. water-based products, pre-wetted materials, lower-VOC formulations). Document the decision.
- 4ENGINEERING CONTROLS: For remaining risks, implement engineering controls at source — LEV, on-tool extraction, enclosed systems, or mechanical handling to minimise human contact. Verify controls are in working order before work commences.
- 5ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS: Implement safe systems of work — restrict access to substance use areas, limit duration of exposure through job rotation, schedule high-exposure tasks at low-occupancy times, establish hygiene rules, and brief all workers via toolbox talk.
- 6PPE SELECTION AND ISSUE: Select PPE appropriate to the specific substance based on SDS guidance (gloves, RPE, eye protection, coveralls). Ensure RPE is face-fit tested. Issue PPE to all exposed workers and verify it is worn correctly before work starts.
- 7COMMUNICATE: Display substance hazard information and first-aid actions at the point of use. Ensure SDS is accessible. Confirm non-English-speaking workers understand the hazards and controls. Record training and briefings.
- 8IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR: Carry out the work in accordance with the COSHH assessment. Supervisor to monitor that controls are in place and effective throughout. Report and investigate any control failures or ill-health symptoms immediately.
- 9HEALTH SURVEILLANCE: Where required by the COSHH assessment (e.g. exposure to sensitisers, carcinogens), ensure health surveillance is arranged and records maintained. Workers must know how to report symptoms.
- 10REVIEW: Review the COSHH assessment at the end of each phase, after any incident, when substances or tasks change, and at least annually. Update and re-brief workers as required. Retain assessment records.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Unassessed hazardous substance exposure
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Compile a complete inventory of all substances brought to or generated on site before work begins. Identify every product by name and obtain current Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each.
- › A competent person must complete a written COSHH assessment for each hazardous substance, evaluating route of entry (inhalation, skin, ingestion), duration and frequency of exposure, and number of workers affected.
- › Where technically and practically possible, redesign the task or process to eliminate the need for the hazardous substance entirely (e.g. use pre-mixed grout instead of powdered cement).
Inhalation of hazardous dust or fumes
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Replace high-hazard substances with safer alternatives where feasible (e.g. water-based instead of solvent-based paints, pre-wetted materials to suppress dust generation).
- › Provide on-tool or fixed LEV (e.g. dust-shrouded cutting tools with H-class vacuum extraction, spray booth extraction) to capture contaminants at source before they enter the breathing zone.
- › Ensure all substances are controlled below applicable WELs (e.g. respirable crystalline silica 0.1 mg/m³, general inhalable dust 10 mg/m³). Carry out air monitoring where exposure cannot be confidently assessed by other means.
- › Provide suitable RPE (minimum FFP2 for nuisance dust; FFP3 or half-mask with P3 filter for silica/isocyanates; full-face or PAPR for high-hazard fumes) as a last-resort or supplementary control only. RPE must be face-fit tested.
Skin contact with corrosive or sensitising substances
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Replace skin-sensitising substances with safer alternatives wherever possible (e.g. solvent-free adhesives, pre-blended ready-to-use products).
- › Use mechanical application tools (rollers, spray equipment, dispensing systems) to reduce hand contact with hazardous substances.
- › Provide pre-work barrier cream, chemical-resistant gloves appropriate to the substance (refer to SDS for glove material and breakthrough time), and washing facilities with appropriate cleansers. Prohibit skin cleaning with solvents.
Ingestion of hazardous substances
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Provide separate, clearly identified welfare areas away from work zones, with washing facilities before eating or drinking. Prohibit eating, drinking, or smoking in areas where hazardous substances are used.
- › Brief all workers on ingestion risks, required hand hygiene, and the prohibition of food/drink in hazardous substance areas. Record briefings in site induction records.
Inadequate substance storage and spillage
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Store hazardous substances in a bunded, ventilated, locked store. Segregate incompatible substances (e.g. oxidisers from flammables). Keep only the minimum quantity required on site. Retain SDS in the store.
- › Provide appropriate spill kits matched to the substances on site. Establish and communicate a written spill response procedure. Designate trained personnel for spill response.
Failure to monitor and review COSHH controls
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Establish a defined review cycle (at least annually and whenever work activities, substances, or personnel change). A competent person must re-assess and update the COSHH assessment accordingly.
- › Implement health surveillance (e.g. skin checks, lung function tests) where workers are exposed to substances that carry a defined health risk and where surveillance is appropriate and detectable. Records must be kept for 40 years for substances capable of causing cancer.
Exposure to biological agents
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Assess the likelihood of biological hazard exposure based on site history (proximity to waterways, old buildings, stagnant water). Include biological agents in the COSHH assessment.
- › Provide waterproof plasters to cover cuts, prohibit working with open wounds near contaminated water, ensure hand-washing before eating. Display Weil's disease warning notices where contaminated water may be present.
- › Provide waterproof gloves, waterproof footwear, and RPE (FFP3 minimum for mould or sewage aerosol risk) where contact with biological agents cannot be eliminated.
Worker lack of COSHH awareness
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Provide all workers with substance-specific information: risks, symptoms, controls, and emergency actions. Training must be documented, repeated when substances or tasks change, and comprehension verified.
- › Make current Safety Data Sheets accessible to all workers at the point of use. Summarise key hazards and first-aid measures in toolbox talks. Ensure non-English-speaking workers receive information in a language they understand.
Accidental release causing environmental contamination
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use bunded storage areas and drip trays under any substance containers in use. Ensure bund capacity is at least 110% of the largest container volume.
- › Identify and seal or protect all drainage inlets within the working area before using hazardous substances. Drain plugs, drain guards, and absorbent booms should be available.
- › Maintain a site environmental emergency plan. In event of release to a watercourse, notify the Environment Agency immediately. Designate a trained environmental spill coordinator on site.
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
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
- › Product Safety Data Sheets for every substance
- › Approved-substance register for the task
- › Decanting funnels and pumps
- › Sealable labelled waste containers
- › Spill kit sized to the quantities in use
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ That each substance is tied to the method step that uses it, not collected in a generic list at the back
- ✓ That a current SDS exists for every product named and the controls match the SDS advice
- ✓ That the assessment names a route to re-assess if a new product is introduced mid-task
- ✓ 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
Can a COSHH assessment be part of the method statement instead of a separate document?
Yes, and for many tasks it is clearer that way. COSHH 2002 requires a suitable and sufficient assessment, but it does not dictate the format. Embedding the substance controls against the relevant method step often makes the assessment more usable on site, because the operative reads the control at the moment they create the risk. Principal contractors generally accept this provided every substance is still individually assessed and the Safety Data Sheets are referenced.
Do I need a COSHH assessment for products in small quantities?
Quantity affects the level of risk, not whether an assessment is required. If a product carries a hazard pictogram or hazard statement on its label, COSHH applies regardless of how little you use. A small-quantity task may end up with very simple controls — gloves, ventilation, lids on — but the assessment still has to be recorded so the reasoning is auditable.
What regulations apply to coshh assessment?
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), COSHH 2002, reg 7 — prevention or control of exposure are the main ones. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and CDM 2015 apply to all construction work.
Does a RAMS 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.