Free RAMS template — no signup, no email
Free RAMS Template
PDF, Word & Excel
A blank UK RAMS template — risk assessment and method statement in one document, with a 5x5 risk matrix, control measures, a legislation checklist and a sign-off page. Free to download in PDF, Word or Excel. No email address, no account, no watermark.
Or skip the blank page — generate a filled-in RAMS for your exact task in 2 minutes →
- Formats
- 3 formats — PDF, Word, Excel
- Legislation
- UK legislation checklist
- Trades
- 35 trades covered
The same structure, filled in — what the template looks like once it is completed
Ten sections
What's in a RAMS template
Ten sections. Miss one and a principal contractor will send it back before you get through the gate.
Risk assessment, method statement, or RAMS?
Risk assessment
Identifies the hazards, decides who might be harmed, and scores the risk before and after controls.
Method statement
Sets out the safe sequence of work — who does what, in what order, with what plant and equipment.
RAMS
Both, in one document. This is what UK principal contractors actually ask for before granting site access.
If you only need the hazard identification and scoring half, our risk assessment template covers that on its own. The template on this page is the full RAMS — risk assessment plus method statement — because that is what gets asked for at the gate.
1. Project and site details
Client, site address, principal contractor, the dates the work covers, and who wrote the document. Without this a RAMS is not site-specific, and it is the first thing a contracts manager checks before they let you on site.
2. Scope of works
A plain description of the task being assessed — what is being done, where on site, over what period, and what is explicitly out of scope. Vague scope is the most common reason a RAMS gets rejected and returned.
3. Hazards and who might be harmed
Every significant hazard for this task, and who is at risk from it: your own operatives, other trades working nearby, visitors, and members of the public. MHSWR 1999 requires you to consider people beyond your own employees.
4. Risk scoring (5x5 matrix)
Likelihood multiplied by severity, scored before and after controls, so the document shows the risk actually being reduced. The 5x5 matrix is the convention most UK principal contractors expect to see.
5. Control measures
Specific controls following the hierarchy — eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE last. "Take care" and "be aware" are not control measures; "edge protection to all open leading edges" is.
6. Method statement — the safe sequence of work
The part that makes it a RAMS rather than a risk assessment. Step by step: who does what, in what order, with what equipment, including set-up, the working sequence, and how the area is left safe at the end of each shift.
7. Plant, equipment, materials and PPE
Access equipment, tools and plant with their inspection or thorough examination requirements under PUWER 1998 and LOLER 1998, substances that need a COSHH 2002 assessment, and mandatory PPE with the relevant BS EN standards.
8. Emergency arrangements
First aid provision, nearest A&E, site emergency contacts, evacuation and assembly points, spill procedure, and a rescue plan where one is needed — for example rescue from height or from a confined space.
9. Legislation referenced
The regulations the task actually engages: HASAWA 1974 and MHSWR 1999 as a minimum, then CDM 2015, the Work at Height Regulations 2005, COSHH 2002, PUWER 1998 or LOLER 1998 as the work demands.
10. Briefing and sign-off record
Signatures from the author, the person approving it, and every operative briefed on it. An unsigned RAMS proves nothing after an incident — the briefing record is what shows the safe system was communicated, not just written.
Free, no email required
Download the RAMS template in PDF, Word or Excel
Same document, three formats. Take whichever suits how you work — all three are free and none of them ask for an email address.
PDF — print, sign and issue
The version to print for the site file, hand to an operative at induction, or email to a principal contractor who just wants to read it. Layout is fixed, so it looks the same on every device and nobody can accidentally edit a control measure after sign-off.
Download PDFWord (.docx) — edit and reuse
The one most people actually want. Type your project and site details straight in, rewrite the hazards and the method statement sequence for the job in front of you, drop in your own logo, and save a copy per project.
Download WordExcel (.xlsx) — the matrix in a spreadsheet
Likelihood, severity and residual risk as columns, so scoring rows is quick and you can sort or filter by risk rating. Useful when one assessment covers a long list of activities and you want the high scores at the top.
Download ExcelWorking on electrical installations? Electrical RAMS template (PDF) and Word are free too.
By trade
RAMS templates by trade
35 trade-specific RAMS templates, each with the hazards, control measures and legislation that actually apply to that trade. Free PDF and Word downloads, or open the trade page to see what a completed RAMS covers.
Construction RAMS templates
CDM 2015 duty holders, site inductions and principal contractor submissions
Security operations — door supervision, event security, close protection, CCTV and mobile patrol — see all 35 trades.
An honest comparison
RAMS templates vs RAMS software
Honestly: it depends how often you write them. Here is where the line sits.
Use the template
Free, yours to keep
- You write a handful of RAMS a year
- The work is repetitive and the sequence rarely changes
- You already know which regulations your task engages
- You have an hour or two per document to fill it in properly
- You want the structure without paying for anything
The catch: a blank template is only as good as what you put in it. Filling one in properly — hazards, scoring, sequence, legislation — usually takes one to two hours per job.
Use RAMS software
swiftRMS — from £49/mo, 14-day free trial
- You issue RAMS weekly, or for every new site
- Describe the task in plain English, get a document in about 2 minutes
- Relevant UK legislation cited automatically for the task
- COSHH assessments, safe systems of work, construction phase plans and permits too
- Branded PDF and Word export to send straight to the principal contractor
Pro is £49/mo for unlimited documents; Business is £399/mo for up to 10 users. Both start with a 14-day free trial, and you can preview a RAMS without signing up.
Comparing options? See how UK RAMS software compares — or read what RAMS software actually does.
FAQ
RAMS template FAQs
Is there a free RAMS template?
Yes. The RAMS template on this page is free to download in PDF, Word and Excel with no signup, no email address and no payment. It contains both halves of a RAMS — the risk assessment section with a 5x5 matrix, and the method statement section for the safe sequence of work — plus space for project details, PPE, emergency arrangements and sign-off. There are also free RAMS templates for 35 individual trades further down this page.
What should a RAMS template include?
A RAMS template should include project and site details, the scope of works, the hazards and who might be harmed, a risk score before and after controls (usually a 5x5 likelihood-by-severity matrix), the control measures in hierarchy order, a step-by-step method statement for the safe sequence of work, plant, equipment and PPE requirements, emergency arrangements, the UK legislation the task engages, and a briefing and sign-off record.
Is a blank RAMS template enough on its own?
No — not on its own. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 your risk assessment must be suitable and sufficient, which means specific to the task, the site and the people doing the work. A blank template gives you the right structure and stops you missing a section, but it is only suitable and sufficient once you fill it in with the real hazards, the real controls and the real sequence for that job. A generic RAMS submitted unchanged is likely to be rejected by a principal contractor and would not stand up after an incident.
What is the difference between a RAMS template and a risk assessment template?
A risk assessment identifies the hazards, decides who might be harmed and scores the level of risk. A method statement sets out the safe sequence of work — who does what, in what order, with what equipment. A RAMS is both documents in one, which is what UK principal contractors normally ask for before granting site access. If you only need the hazard identification and scoring half, our risk assessment templates cover that; if you need to explain how the work will actually be carried out safely, you need the full RAMS template on this page.
Can I get the RAMS template in Word?
Yes. The template is available as a Word .docx file so you can edit every section, add your company logo and save a copy for each project. There is also an Excel .xlsx version if you would rather score the risk matrix in a spreadsheet, and a PDF if you just need something to print, sign and issue.
Do I need a separate RAMS for every job?
In practice, yes. The RAMS has to reflect the task, the site conditions and the people carrying out the work, so the same document rarely transfers unchanged between projects. Most contractors keep one master template and rewrite the scope, hazards, controls and method statement for each job — which is exactly why writing them by hand becomes the bottleneck once you are issuing several a week.
Related: free risk assessment template (hazard identification and scoring only), RAMS software, and what a RAMS document is.
Take the template.
Or have it written for you.
Describe the job in plain English and swiftRMS writes a task-specific RAMS in about two minutes, with the UK legislation cited and a branded PDF ready to issue. Preview it without signing up.
14-day free trial — preview without signing up