When this template fits
Refurbishment and finishing trades disturbing old paint on pre-1970s buildings can release lead, which is governed by its own statutory regime — the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002, not just COSHH. This RAMS is for painters, decorators and maintenance crews preparing or removing lead-based paint by methods that generate dust or fume. It builds in work-category determination, blood-lead surveillance and decontamination to stop take-home exposure to workers' families.
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
Disturb or remove lead-based paint with controlled methods.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-work survey: confirm presence and extent of lead paint by XRF or laboratory analysis before any disturbance. Record results and incorporate into the site-specific COSHH assessment.
- 2Plan and brief: prepare a written RAMS including containment strategy, waste disposal plan, emergency procedures and health surveillance arrangements. Deliver a toolbox talk to all operatives before work starts.
- 3Set up containment: seal the work area with polythene sheeting, establish a decontamination station (wet wipes, HEPA vacuum, waste bags) at the exit, erect exclusion zone signage and restrict access.
- 4Don PPE in the correct sequence: coverall, safety footwear, double nitrile gloves, fit-tested RPE (FFP3 or P3 half-mask) and eye protection before entering the work area.
- 5Remove lead paint using the lowest-hazard method available: chemical gel stripper (preferred) or shrouded/vacuum-assisted mechanical tool with H-class on-tool extraction. Do not use open-flame or high-heat methods.
- 6During work, continuously monitor LEV performance. Dampen surfaces before and during mechanical work to suppress dust. Keep bystanders out of the containment zone.
- 7Decontaminate progressively: at each break, vacuum coverall with HEPA unit, doff PPE into waste bags at decontamination station, wash hands and face thoroughly before leaving the area.
- 8Clean down on completion: HEPA vacuum all surfaces, damp-wipe, then final HEPA vacuum. Check surfaces with wipe-test sampling if required by the COSHH assessment.
- 9Waste disposal: double-bag all lead-contaminated waste (debris, sheeting, PPE) in clearly labelled heavy-duty sacks. Arrange collection and disposal as hazardous waste with a licensed carrier and complete a consignment note.
- 10Post-work review: record operatives' exposure duration and methods used; update health surveillance records; notify occupational health provider if blood-lead monitoring trigger levels may have been approached.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Lead dust/fume inhalation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where feasible, encapsulate lead paint in situ with an approved overcoating system rather than removing it, eliminating the generation of lead dust entirely.
- › Use wet sanding, chemical stripping or shrouded/vacuum-assisted power tools rather than dry abrasion or hot air guns to minimise dust and fume generation.
- › Use on-tool LEV (e.g. shrouded sanding disc with H-class vacuum) and/or extraction units with HEPA filtration to capture lead dust at source.
- › Provide fit-tested, face-fitted RPE rated to at least FFP3 (disposable) or a half-mask with P3 filter. Face-fit testing required before first use.
Lead ingestion
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Establish a designated work zone with no eating, drinking or smoking permitted. Provide dedicated welfare facilities with running water, soap and nail brushes adjacent to the work area.
- › Workers must remove and bag contaminated disposable PPE, use a wet-wipe decontamination sequence and wash hands and face thoroughly before leaving the work area.
- › Wear disposable Type-5/6 coveralls; bag and dispose of as contaminated waste. Keep work clothing separate from personal clothing to prevent take-home contamination.
Lead absorption through skin
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Wear nitrile or similar chemical-resistant gloves; apply barrier cream where gloves cannot provide full coverage. Inspect gloves for damage regularly.
- › Arrange blood-lead monitoring for regularly exposed workers via an occupational health provider. Establish action and suspension levels in line with current guidance. A competent occupational health physician must set and review trigger levels.
Contamination of wider environment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Seal off the work area using polythene sheeting taped to walls, floors and openings. Use negative-pressure enclosures for high-risk operations. Restrict access with signage.
- › Clean contaminated surfaces using an H-class HEPA vacuum then damp-wipe. Do not dry sweep or blow dust with compressed air.
- › Collect all lead-contaminated waste (dust, debris, PPE, sheeting) into double-sealed, labelled heavy-duty bags. Dispose of as hazardous waste in accordance with applicable waste carrier and consignment note requirements.
Inadequate risk assessment — unknown paint composition
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Arrange XRF testing or laboratory analysis of paint samples by a competent person before disturbance. Record findings in the COSHH assessment.
- › If testing has not been completed, treat all paint in structures built before 1970 as containing lead and apply full lead paint controls.
Heat gun and flame stripping fume
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Prohibit the use of blow torches and heat guns on lead paint. Mandate chemical stripping or mechanical methods with LEV as the preferred removal technique.
- › Where any heating of lead-painted substrates is unavoidable (e.g. heat from welding adjacent materials), provide powered air-purifying respirator with P3 filter to protect against fume.
Noise and vibration from mechanical stripping
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Prefer chemical stripping or hand scraping where lead paint covers allow, reducing reliance on high-vibration power tools.
- › Calculate daily vibration exposure (A(8)) for each operative. Rotate tasks to keep exposure below the EAV (2.5 m/s²) and below the ELV (5 m/s²). Maintain tools in good condition.
- › Provide hearing protection (minimum SNR matching tool noise level) and anti-vibration gloves where engineering controls are insufficient.
Fall from height during paint removal
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use proprietary mobile scaffold towers or fixed access scaffolding with guardrails and toeboards in preference to ladders for sustained overhead work.
- › Ensure equipment is inspected before use by a competent person and that operatives are trained in its safe use. Conduct pre-use checks and record findings.
Chemical stripping agent exposure
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Select the least hazardous effective chemical stripper. Avoid products containing dichloromethane (now banned for consumer use and restricted commercially). Review SDS before selection.
- › Ensure general ventilation (minimum 10 air changes/hour) or mechanical ventilation when using chemical strippers indoors to prevent vapour accumulation.
- › Wear nitrile or neoprene gloves, chemical splash goggles and acid-resistant apron. Ensure SDS-recommended PPE is available before work starts.
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 (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ RPE per the COSHH assessment
- ✓ Chemical-resistant gloves
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
- ✓ Safety harness and lanyard where fall arrest is the selected control
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
- › Wet or chemical paint-stripping equipment
- › H-class vacuum for clean-down
- › Disposable coveralls and decontamination/washing facilities
- › Hazardous-waste sacks for lead debris
- › Air-monitoring and blood-lead surveillance arrangements
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ That the work is assessed under CLAW 2002, not generic COSHH, with the work category determined for the removal method
- ✓ That medical (blood-lead) surveillance and the action/suspension levels are addressed where exposure is significant
- ✓ That decontamination and clothing controls are in place to prevent take-home exposure to families
- ✓ 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 I remove lead paint by sanding?
Dry sanding is one of the worst methods because it generates large amounts of fine, easily inhaled lead dust, and it should be avoided wherever a lower-exposure method exists. Wet stripping or chemical removal is generally preferred because it keeps the lead bound in liquid or paste rather than airborne. If an abrasive method is unavoidable it must use H-class on-tool extraction and a determined CLAW work category, with appropriate RPE and decontamination. Power sanding of lead paint without these controls is not acceptable.
When does lead paint work need blood-lead medical surveillance?
Under the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002, medical surveillance including blood-lead monitoring is required when a worker's exposure is significant — broadly when airborne lead could exceed the action level or there is a real risk of ingestion. The regulations set action levels and suspension levels for blood lead, and a worker who reaches the suspension level must be taken off lead work until their levels fall. Surveillance is arranged through an appointed doctor or HSE-approved scheme, and records must be kept. Even where surveillance is not strictly triggered, hygiene and decontamination controls still apply to keep exposure low.
What regulations apply to lead paint?
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Work at Height Regulations 2005 are the main ones, alongside COSHH 2002, reg 7 — prevention or control of exposure. 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.