Strip and reroof RAMS Builder
Strip and reroof risk assessment and method statement
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Strip and reroof RAMS template
A blank strip and reroof RAMS to fill in: job details, method statement, risk assessment and briefing record.
Risk assessment and method statement
Strip and reroof 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Strip and reroof RAMS example
The same RAMS, filled in for one job.
Risk assessment and method statement
Strip and reroof, 22 Hawthorn Road, Stockport: whole roof
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.
An unplanned strip destabilises the roof or exposes people to uncontrolled debris
Roofers, other trades and the public
Use a written method from a competent person. Stop if the roof build-up differs from the method.
Breathing asbestos fibres from old boards, sheets, sealants or insulation
The team and anyone in the building
Do not cut, drill or break any material until it is confirmed asbestos free. Licensed work is not for this method; hand it to a licensed contractor.
Hitting a live cable or gas pipe causes shock, fire or gas escape
The person doing the work and everyone nearby
Check again wherever the work moves. If you hit something, stop, keep clear and report it.
Wind catches the roof coverings and temporary sheeting or blows someone off balance at height
The team and people below
Agree a wind limit for this work and check the forecast before you start. Tie down or take in loose materials before you leave.
An unexpected layer or weak support fails when the roof is opened
Roofers and people below
Check a small area before committing to the strip. Do not alter the structure as part of this method.
Roof coverings, tools and waste falling onto people below
People below
Bring waste down by hand, in bags or by the chute. Never throw it. Keep the exclusion zone up until the last item is down.
Falling from a scaffold that has been altered; materials falling from the scaffold
Anyone working on the lift, where a guardrail, board or tie has been taken out to get the work done. Anyone passing or working underneath, including the public where the scaffold is over a footpath.
Never remove boards, ties, guardrails or bracing; ask the scaffolding contractor to alter it. Report damage or a missing tag and keep off until it is checked. Fit brick guards or netting where materials could fall on people below.
A load falls from the hoist onto someone below
People below the hoist
Secure the roof materials before the lift. One person controls the lift and everyone can hear them.
Debris, water or tools enter the area below the open roof
People in the building and people below
Keep people out of the drop area. Stop if the protection below is missing or damaged.
Loose roof materials fall or the remaining roof becomes unstable
Roofers and people below
Keep the edge protection and exclusion area in place. Do not leave loose tiles, slates or battens at the roof edge.
Rain enters the building or wind lifts temporary sheeting
Roofers and building occupants
Check the forecast before opening the roof. Stop if the temporary cover cannot be fixed securely.
Swallowing lead from dust on hands and clothing
The roofers handling the flashings
Keep food and drink away from the work. Take the overalls off before going to the van.
Roof waste falls or heavy materials cause injury during handling
Roofers, labourers and people below
Use the planned lifting aid and exclusion zone. Keep the route clear before each load moves.
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.
Strip and reroof, 22 Hawthorn Road, Stockport: whole roof
- Company
- Hollins & Reed Roofing Ltd
- Site and work area
- 22 Hawthorn Road, Stockport: whole roof
- Planned dates
- 12 to 16 October 2026
- In charge on site
- Dan Hollins
- Team
- Three roofers: Dan Hollins leads; Priya Shah and Sam Okoro strip and re-cover.
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.
- 2Plan the strip in sectionsWrite down the layers being removed, the order and the points where the team will stop and check. Brief who holds each piece, where it goes and how the area below stays protected.
- 3Check for asbestos before you disturb anythingCheck the asbestos survey covers exactly what you will disturb, to the full depth. Register only, or nothing: get a refurbishment survey or a sample first. Read what it says about the old roof covering, underlay and insulation. No survey, or a material you do not recognise: stop and get it checked.
- 4Find and isolate hidden servicesFind cables and pipes before you disturb anything: drawings, then a detector. Mark what you find. Not sure what is there? Turn the supply off, or do not start. Have cables and gas isolated by the right person and prove them dead before you start.
- 5Check the weather before you startDo not lift or fix roof coverings and temporary sheeting in strong wind. Stop in heavy rain, ice or lightning.
- 6Check the roof build-up before opening itConfirm the covering, underlay, battens and supports match the information for the job. Stop if the layer or support is different from what was expected.
- 7Stop things falling on people belowKeep people out of the area below the work so nobody walks under the roof coverings, tools and waste. Keep toe boards and guards in place on any platform, and lanyard tools where you can.
- 8Work from the scaffoldCheck the scaffold tag or handover shows an inspection within the last 7 days. Use only the lifts and access that were handed over. Keep materials within the loading the scaffold was built for. Keep off in high wind or ice, or when sheeting has come loose.
- 9Use the hoistCheck the hoist's thorough examination report is in date and it can take the weight. Keep people out from underneath while a load is up.
- 10Protect the area belowClose and segregate the area below, or put the planned temporary protection in place before stripping. Keep the protection in place until the section is closed and the waste is down.
- 11Strip one roof section at a timeWork in the agreed sequence and keep the remaining roof supported while each section is opened. Remove loose pieces before moving to the next section.
- 12Weatherproof each open sectionRe-cover the section the same day or fix the planned temporary sheeting before leaving it. Check the cover is secure and will not let rain into the building.
- 13Take off lead flashings with lead controlsHandle old lead flashings in gloves and disposable overalls. Wash your hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking.
- 14Lower and stack stripped materialsLower tiles, slates, battens and waste by the agreed route; never throw them from the roof. Stack reusable material safely and keep waste clear of edges and access routes.
- 15Clear 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 strip and reroof RAMS covers
Stripping the old covering in planned sections with the waste lowered, then laying the new covering. Not covered: roofs that may contain asbestos cement.
- Strip the whole roof
- Fit replacement covering
Suggested steps and hazards for strip and reroof
Suggested for strip the whole roof before any questions are answered.
Plan the strip in sections
- Write down the layers being removed, the order and the points where the team will stop and check.
- Brief who holds each piece, where it goes and how the area below stays protected.
Hazard
An unplanned strip destabilises the roof or exposes people to uncontrolled debris
Who might be harmed and how
Roofers, other trades and the public
Controls in place
- Use a written method from a competent person.
- Stop if the roof build-up differs from the method.
A clear strip order keeps the roof and the people below controlled as layers come off.
Check the weather before you start
- Do not lift or fix roof coverings and temporary sheeting in strong wind.
- Stop in heavy rain, ice or lightning.
- Rest in the shade in hot weather.
Hazard
Wind catches the roof coverings and temporary sheeting or blows someone off balance at height
Who might be harmed and how
The team and people below
Controls in place
- Agree a wind limit for this work and check the forecast before you start.
- Tie down or take in loose materials before you leave.
Wind is the main weather cause of falls and dropped loads in outside work at height.
HSE: Work at height Check the roof build-up before opening it
- Confirm the covering, underlay, battens and supports match the information for the job.
- Stop if the layer or support is different from what was expected.
Hazard
An unexpected layer or weak support fails when the roof is opened
Who might be harmed and how
Roofers and people below
Controls in place
- Check a small area before committing to the strip.
- Do not alter the structure as part of this method.
The first opening can reveal a different roof build-up or support that needs a new decision.
HSE: Roof work
What the builder asks about strip and reroof
Your answers decide which steps, hazards and controls it suggests.
The job
- What is being stripped from the roof?
- What replacement covering are you fitting?
Where
- What protection is ready below the open roof?
- Is the building older than the year 2000? Older buildings can have asbestos in them.
- What pipes or cables run in the roof and rafters where you strip or fix?
How it’s done
- What will you stand on to reach the work?
- How will the roof stay weather-tight each day?
- Are the underlay and battens specified?
- Are the eaves, verge and ridge details complete?
- Does the roof have valleys?
- How will the roof materials get to the work?
- Will you cut anything on site, and with what?
What your strip and reroof 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.