Ladder RAMS Builder
Ladder risk assessment and method statement
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Ladder RAMS template
A blank ladder RAMS to fill in: job details, method statement, risk assessment and briefing record.
Risk assessment and method statement
Ladder RAMS
- Company
- left blank to fill in
- Site and work area
- left blank to fill in
- Planned dates
- left blank to fill in
- In charge on site
- left blank to fill in
- Team
- left blank to fill in
Method statement
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Risk assessment
| Hazard | Who might be harmed and how | Controls in place | Further action |
|---|---|---|---|
Ladder RAMS example
The same RAMS, filled in for one job.
Risk assessment and method statement
Ladder, 14 Mill Street, Stockport: rear elevation and yard
Risk assessment
People entering the work area or tripping over materials
Workers, occupants and visitors
Mark or barrier the active work area. Store tools and materials away from access routes.
Tools and materials falling onto people below
People below
Bring waste down by hand or in bags. Never throw it. Keep the exclusion zone up until the last item is down.
A live part gives a shock at the top of the ladder, and the shock causes a fall
The ladder user
Nobody goes up to the item until it has been proved dead.
A defect or unlocked section makes the ladder fail or move
The ladder user
Use a ladder suited to the job and the user.
A slipping base, wrong angle or unlocked ladder causes a fall
The ladder user and people below
Never stand a ladder on boxes, pallets or loose packing. Keep doors and routes controlled.
A leaning ladder slips or overturns while it is being climbed
The ladder user and people below
Use a second person to foot it only while the permanent securing is put in place.
Falling from the ladder or steps; tools or tins dropped on people below
The person working from it, if the feet slip or they overreach to one side. Anyone passing or working under the ladder while it is in use.
Secure the equipment where it could move. Keep the base and area below clear.
A lost handhold or turned body causes a fall
The ladder user
Keep both hands available for climbing when moving between levels.
Overreaching, force or heavy handling pulls the user off balance
The ladder user
Reposition from the ground instead of leaning sideways. Use a guarded platform for force or bulky work.
Debris, tools or unfinished work left in the area
Workers, occupants and visitors
Remove waste by the agreed route. Record and protect any unfinished work.
Ladder, 14 Mill Street, Stockport: rear elevation and yard
- Company
- Hollins & Reed Contracting Ltd
- Site and work area
- 14 Mill Street, Stockport: rear elevation and yard
- Planned dates
- 12 to 14 October 2026
- In charge on site
- Dan Hollins
- Team
- Two operatives: Dan Hollins works from the ladder; Priya Shah ties it at the top, then stays at the foot and keeps the yard clear.
Method statement
- 1Set up the work areaConfirm the work area and scope before starting. Keep other people outside the active work area. Keep entrances and escape routes clear.
- 2Stop things falling on people belowKeep people out of the area below the work so nobody walks under the tools and materials. Keep toe boards and guards in place on any platform, and lanyard tools where you can.
- 3Get the electrics made dead firstA competent electrician isolates the item, locks it off and proves it dead before anyone touches it.
- 4Check the ladder before useCheck the feet, rungs, steps, locks, labels and visible condition before climbing. Remove damaged equipment from use.
- 5Set the ladder securelyPut it on firm, level support with a strong upper resting point. For a leaning ladder, use the 1-in-4 angle and secure it against slipping. Open stepladders fully and lock them before climbing.
- 6Secure the leaning ladderUse the 1-in-4 angle and secure the ladder at the top or foot before climbing. Use a strong upper resting point.
- 7Use the ladder or stepsCheck the ladder or steps before use. Place them on firm, level ground. Keep three points of contact while climbing. Reposition them instead of overreaching. Do not carry loose tools or tins up; hand them up or use a belt.
- 8Climb facing the ladderFace the rungs while climbing and keep three points of contact. Use a tool belt or pass tools up separately.
- 9Keep the task within reachUse only light tools and materials. Keep one hand on the ladder while you work. Both hands needed for more than a moment: use a tower or platform. Stay off the top three rungs and keep your belt buckle within the stiles. Descend before moving the ladder.
- 10Clear and hand back the areaRemove tools, waste and unused materials. Check the area is clean and ready to use. Tell the customer or whoever runs the site when the work is complete.
What a ladder RAMS covers
Short, low-risk work from a leaning ladder or stepladder where a platform is not reasonable. Not covered: roof ladders on a pitched roof.
Falls from height caused 97 of 186 construction worker deaths in five years (HSE, 2021/22–2025/26p). See the figures
Suggested steps and hazards for ladder
Suggested for ladder/steps before any questions are answered.
Stop things falling on people below
- Keep people out of the area below the work so nobody walks under the tools and materials.
- Keep toe boards and guards in place on any platform, and lanyard tools where you can.
Hazard
Tools and materials falling onto people below
Who might be harmed and how
People below
Controls in place
- Bring waste down by hand or in bags. Never throw it.
- Keep the exclusion zone up until the last item is down.
Falling objects are a leading cause of harm to the public near construction.
HSE: Protecting the public Check the ladder before use
- Check the feet, rungs, steps, locks, labels and visible condition before climbing.
- Remove damaged equipment from use.
Hazard
A defect or unlocked section makes the ladder fail or move.
Who might be harmed and how
The ladder user
Controls in place
- Use a ladder suited to the job and the user.
A pre-use check catches defects before someone climbs.
Safe use of ladders and stepladders Set the ladder securely
- Put it on firm, level support with a strong upper resting point.
- For a leaning ladder, use the 1-in-4 angle and secure it against slipping.
- Open stepladders fully and lock them before climbing.
Hazard
A slipping base, wrong angle or unlocked ladder causes a fall.
Who might be harmed and how
The ladder user and people below
Controls in place
- Never stand a ladder on boxes, pallets or loose packing.
- Keep doors and routes controlled.
A stable base, upper support and locked sections stop the ladder moving.
Safe use of ladders and stepladders: types Climb facing the ladder
- Face the rungs while climbing and keep three points of contact.
- Use a tool belt or pass tools up separately.
Hazard
A lost handhold or turned body causes a fall.
Who might be harmed and how
The ladder user
Controls in place
- Keep both hands available for climbing when moving between levels.
Facing the ladder and keeping contact protects the user while climbing.
Safe use of ladders and stepladders: types
What the builder asks about ladder
Your answers decide which steps, hazards and controls it suggests.
How it’s done
- How high is the work, and what is the ground like?
- Which ladder or steps will you use?
- Will anyone touch a light, cable or other electrical item from the ladder?
- What will you do with the ladder?
What your ladder RAMS includes
Method statement
The work in order, step by step.
Risk assessment
Each hazard, who could be harmed, the controls in place and any further action.
The method statement and risk assessment in one A4 PDF. Your logo on Pro and Team.
What the law asks for
What a RAMS is
A risk assessment and method statement. The risk assessment records what could cause harm on the job, who could be harmed and how, and the controls that keep the risk down. The method statement sets out how the work will be done, step by step, in the order it happens.
A client or main contractor will usually ask for one before you start. RAMS is a site term, not a legal one: the law asks for the risk assessment and for the work to be planned, and a method statement is the usual way to show that plan for one job.
What the law asks for
- Employers, and self-employed people doing construction work, must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to their own people and to anyone else affected by the work (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3).
- An employer with five or more employees must record the significant findings and any group of employees it finds especially at risk. The assessment must be reviewed if there is reason to think it is no longer valid, or the work has changed significantly.
- Every contractor must plan, manage and monitor its work so that, so far as is reasonably practicable, it is done without risks to health and safety, and must give its workers the information and instructions they need, including the hazards the risk assessment found (Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, regulation 15).
HSE guidance: the steps to manage risk and what contractors must do under CDM. This is the law in Great Britain; Northern Ireland has its own equivalent regulations.
What the builder does
You choose the work and answer questions about how the job will be done, such as what you will stand on and what else is going on nearby. Your answers decide which steps, hazards and controls it suggests.
Many suggestions link to the HSE guidance they draw on. Your work is kept in this browser and, signed in, on your account with its photos; the PDF is made on your device. A briefing you send to phones goes through your account.
Separate documents
A COSHH assessment, lifting plan, permit to work, asbestos survey and the principal contractor’s construction phase plan are separate from the RAMS.
Reviewing a RAMS before work starts
RAMS review reads a RAMS PDF, yours before you send it or one a subcontractor sends you, and lists the points to raise, each marked on the page it comes from. Quick reviews are free.