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Painting · United Kingdom

Method statement for external painting

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from HSE guidance and CDM 2015 · How we write and check theseUpdated

You must assess the risks of external painting and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

RAMS cover the hazards, who could be harmed and how, the controls and the safe sequence of work, and the crew is briefed and signs. The main hazards are falling from height, MEWP tip-over or crush, scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold and disturbing asbestos.

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RAMS example: external painting

This is a complete RAMS for external painting, with 6 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS)
Exterior house painting · Painting · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check for power lines and set up barricades under the work
  • Contact with overhead power lines
  • Public entering the work area
  • Falling tools and materials
Workers, Plant operators, Public, Children, People belowHigh (12)
  • Ask the distribution network operator (DNO) to turn off, move or insulate the lines before work starts. Eliminate
  • Use non-conductive (fibreglass) ladders near any power lines. Reduce / substitute
  • Mark the safe distance with flags, tape or goal posts and keep all plant and people outside it. Isolate
  • Follow HSE GS6: barriers, goal posts under the lines and a permit for work near them. Control (procedures)
  • Use a dedicated spotter whenever plant moves or raises anything near lines. Control (procedures)
  • Treat all lines as live. If plant touches a line, stay in the cab and keep everyone well away. Control (procedures)
  • Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Isolate
  • Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for prams and wheelchairs. Isolate
  • Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Control (engineering)
  • Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorised entry". Control (procedures)
  • Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Control (procedures)
  • Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Isolate
  • Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Control (engineering)
  • Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Control (engineering)
  • Tether hand tools when working at height. Control (engineering)
  • Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
2Set up scaffold, MEWP or secured ladders on firm ground
  • Falling from height
  • Falling from a ladder
  • MEWP tip-over or crush
  • Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffold
Workers, People below, People nearby, PublicVery high (20)
  • Do the work from the ground where you can, for example pre-assemble on the ground or use extension poles. Eliminate
  • Install guardrails or edge protection on all open edges before work starts. Isolate
  • Use a scaffold, mobile tower or MEWP instead of working off a ladder. Control (engineering)
  • Where edge protection is not practical, use a fall restraint or fall arrest system on a rated anchor point. Control (engineering)
  • Use a podium step, mobile tower or MEWP for longer jobs instead of a straight ladder. Reduce / substitute
  • Use EN 131 professional ladders in good condition. Remove any damaged ladder from site. Control (engineering)
  • Set extension ladders at a 4 to 1 angle on firm, level ground, tied or footed, and reaching 1 metre above the landing. Control (engineering)
  • Use ladders only for short, light work (about 30 minutes in one spot). Do not carry heavy or awkward loads up a ladder. Control (procedures)
  • Check the ground before setting up. Use outriggers and spreader pads, and keep clear of trenches, pits and slopes. Control (engineering)
  • Use a platform with tilt alarm and secondary guarding (anti-entrapment) where there is an overhead crush risk. Control (engineering)
  • Use IPAF-trained operators for MEWPs, carrying their PAL card. Control (procedures)
  • Do a pre-start check each day. Keep a trained person on the ground who can lower the platform in an emergency. Control (procedures)
  • Never exceed the safe working load, climb on the rails or use a ladder in the basket. Control (procedures)
  • Scaffold is built, altered and taken down only by CISRS-carded scaffolders, to TG20 or a specific design. Control (engineering)
  • Fit guardrails, mid rails and toe boards on every working platform. Control (engineering)
  • Use mobile scaffolds only on firm, level ground with castors locked and outriggers fitted. Never move one with anyone on it. Control (engineering)
  • Mobile towers are built by PASMA-trained workers. Control (procedures)
  • Inspect the scaffold before first use, after any change or bad weather, and at least every 7 days. Record it on the tag and register. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
3Test for lead paint and asbestos sheeting before any prep
  • Lead paint dust and fumes
  • Disturbing asbestos
Workers, Residents, Children, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Test old paint for lead before you sand, scrape, cut or heat it. Eliminate
  • Use wet scraping, chemical strippers or shrouded tools with extraction instead of dry sanding. Never burn off lead paint with an open flame. Reduce / substitute
  • Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting and keep residents, children and pets out. Isolate
  • Clean up with an H-class vacuum and wet wipes. Never dry sweep. Control (engineering)
  • Wash hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking. Change out of dusty clothes before going home. Control (procedures)
  • Wear an FFP3 mask, disposable coveralls and gloves. PPE
  • Before work on any building built before 2000, check the refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey for the work area (HSE HSG264). If there is none, presume asbestos is present or have it sampled before you start. Eliminate
  • Seal off the work area and keep everyone else out. Isolate
  • If asbestos must be disturbed, keep it wet, use hand tools not power tools, and clean up with an H-class vacuum. Control (engineering)
  • Most asbestos insulation, coatings and insulating board need a licensed contractor. Notifiable non-licensed work is notified to HSE before it starts. Other work needs trained workers and controls. Control (procedures)
  • Stop work straight away if you find suspect asbestos. Do not touch it and tell your supervisor. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a fit-tested FFP3 mask (or better) and disposable type 5 coveralls. PPE
Medium (5)
4Wash down and scrape, keeping water away from power
  • High pressure water jetting
  • Electric shock from leads and power tools
  • Slips and trips
Workers, People nearby, Visitors, PublicHigh (12)
  • Set an exclusion zone around the jetting area. Isolate
  • Use a dead man's trigger that stops the jet when released, and check hoses and fittings before use. Control (engineering)
  • Only trained operators use high pressure jetting gear. Control (procedures)
  • Never point the lance at anyone or put a hand in front of it. Control (procedures)
  • Treat any jetting injury as serious and go to hospital, even if it looks small. Control (procedures)
  • Use battery-powered tools where you can. Reduce / substitute
  • Use 110V tools through a centre-tapped transformer, or battery tools. Use an RCD on any 230V supply. Control (engineering)
  • Keep leads off the ground and out of water, using lead stands or hooks. Control (engineering)
  • Check leads, plugs and tools before every use. Tag out and remove anything damaged. Control (procedures)
  • Keep tools and leads inspected and PAT tested on a regular schedule. Control (procedures)
  • Do not use tools in rain or wet areas unless they are rated for it. Control (procedures)
  • Plan walkways and keep them clear of materials, hoses and leads. Eliminate
  • Run leads and hoses overhead on hooks or stands, or along walls, not across walkways. Control (engineering)
  • Fill or cover holes, and lay boards or mats on muddy access paths. Control (engineering)
  • Clean up offcuts, packaging and spills as you go, not at the end of the day. Control (procedures)
  • Keep work areas, stairs and access paths well lit. Control (procedures)
Low (4)
5Paint or spray, watching wind drift
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Strong wind and storms
  • Sun exposure (UV)
  • Heat stress
Workers, Occupants, PublicHigh (12)
  • Choose the least harmful product that does the job, for example water-based instead of solvent-based. Reduce / substitute
  • Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, or use fans and extraction in closed rooms. Control (engineering)
  • Do a COSHH assessment and read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before use. Control (procedures)
  • Keep chemicals in labelled containers. Never decant into drink bottles. Control (procedures)
  • Check the forecast each morning and plan work at height and lifting around the weather. Eliminate
  • Tie down or weigh down loose sheets, panels, boards and rubbish at the end of each shift. Control (engineering)
  • Set wind limits for roof work, platforms and cranes, using the manufacturer's limits, and stop when they are reached. Control (procedures)
  • Stop work and get down in lightning. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back up. Control (procedures)
  • Plan outdoor work for early morning or late afternoon when UV is lower. Eliminate
  • Put shade covers over fixed work areas. Control (engineering)
  • Check the UV index each day. Use sun protection when it is 3 or higher. Control (procedures)
  • Check your skin regularly and see a doctor about any new or changing spots. Control (procedures)
  • Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Eliminate
  • Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in roof spaces. Control (engineering)
  • Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Control (procedures)
  • Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
6Clean up, dispose of waste paint properly and remove access
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Workers, VisitorsMedium (8)
  • Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Eliminate
  • Put skips and waste chutes close to the work. Control (engineering)
  • Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Control (procedures)
  • Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Control (procedures)
  • Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Control (procedures)
  • Use a registered waste carrier and keep waste transfer notes for at least 2 years. Keep hazardous waste such as asbestos separate, with consignment notes (special waste in Scotland). Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
Low (4)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Check for power lines and set up barricades under the work
  2. Set up scaffold, MEWP or secured ladders on firm ground
  3. Test for lead paint and asbestos sheeting before any prep
  4. Wash down and scrape, keeping water away from power
  5. Paint or spray, watching wind drift
  6. Clean up, dispose of waste paint properly and remove access

PPE

Safety bootsSafety glassesFFP3 dust maskChemical-resistant glovesSun protection (sunscreen and neck cover)Full body harness and lanyardHi-vis vestSafety helmetHalf-mask respirator (P3 filters)CoverallsRigger glovesFace shieldEar defendersSafety goggles

Plant and equipment

Extension ladderMobile access tower: PASMA certificateBoom MEWP: IPAF PAL card (3b)Pressure washer (jet wash)Airless paint sprayer

Permits and plans

Work at height permit

Emergency

Call 999. Add the nearest A&E, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this RAMS.

Free RAMS template for external painting

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this RAMS

Pre-start checklist for external painting

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check for power lines and set up barricades under the work
  2. Set up scaffold, MEWP or secured ladders on firm ground
  3. Test for lead paint and asbestos sheeting before any prep
  4. Wash down and scrape, keeping water away from power
  5. Paint or spray, watching wind drift
  6. Clean up, dispose of waste paint properly and remove access

Hazards to watch on external painting

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 4High pressure water jettingHigh pressure water cuts through skin and injects water and dirt into the body, or the hose whips.
Step 2MEWP tip-over or crushThe platform tips on soft or sloping ground, the worker is crushed against a beam or ceiling, or is thrown out of the basket.
Step 3Lead paint dust and fumesLead paint was common before the 1970s and was used in some buildings until 1992. Sanding, scraping or heating it releases dust or fumes that poison workers and families, especially children.
Step 2Scaffold collapse or fall from scaffoldA scaffold that is badly built, overloaded or altered collapses or tips, or a worker falls from an unguarded platform.
Step 5Sun exposure (UV)Long hours in the sun cause sunburn, eye damage and skin cancer.
Step 1Contact with overhead power linesA ladder, MEWP, crane, tipper or long length of material touches or gets close to an overhead line and electrocutes people.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on external painting: Very high before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United Kingdom 5 by 5 risk matrix (likely and fatal becomes unlikely and major injury).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Is there a fragile roof, skylight or clear roof sheet?
  • Will you cut, grind or drill concrete, brick, stone, tiles or fibre cement?
  • Will you use chemicals, solvents, glues, paints or fuels?
  • Will people be living or working in the building while you work?

Licences and legal requirements in United Kingdom

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

  • Mobile access tower: PASMA certificate
  • Boom MEWP: IPAF PAL card (3b)

Employers must assess the risks of their work and record the significant findings (required where you employ 5 or more people). On CDM projects, contractors give their RAMS to the principal contractor before starting, and brief the workers on it.

Rules that apply: HSE GS6 Avoiding danger from overhead power lines; CDM Regulations 2015; Work at Height Regulations 2005, regulation 10 (falling objects); Work at Height Regulations 2005; Work at Height Regulations 2005 and LOLER 1998; Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002; Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012; Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; COSHH Regulations 2002.

Why RAMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • The method statement is only a list of headings that repeats the risk table and never says how the work is done.
  • The method sequence does not match the risk assessment, for example the method strips the roof before the scaffold is handed over.
  • Residual risk is still High after controls with no extra measures or explanation.
  • It reads as copied: another firm, another address, or wording that does not fit UK sites. HSE warns that copying an example and adding your name does not satisfy the law.
  • Work on an older building with no reference to an asbestos survey.
  • Plant and access equipment listed with no inspection, thorough examination or competence evidence.
  • No briefing record, no revision history, or no named supervisor.

Questions

Do I need RAMS for external painting?

You must assess the risks of external painting and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

Who signs the RAMS?

The person who wrote it and the person who approved it sign and date it. Every worker signs the briefing register after it is explained to them, and the principal contractor reviews and accepts it before you start.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this RAMS, every revision and the signed briefing register with the site file for the length of the job, and keep a copy in your records afterwards.

What PPE is needed for external painting?

Usually Safety boots, Safety glasses, FFP3 dust mask, Chemical-resistant gloves, Sun protection (sunscreen and neck cover), Full body harness and lanyard, Hi-vis vest, Safety helmet, Half-mask respirator (P3 filters), Coveralls, Rigger gloves, Face shield, Ear defenders, Safety goggles. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More painting RAMS

RAMSInternal Painting and Decorating6 stepsRAMSLead Paint Removal10 stepsRAMSAirless Spraying6 stepsRAMSRoof Coating6 stepsRAMSJet Washing6 stepsRAMSResin Floor Coating5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

RoofingRe-RoofingAlso involves disturbing asbestosScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves contact with overhead power linesBricklayingBrickworkAlso involves scaffold collapse or fall from scaffoldDemolitionSoft StripAlso involves disturbing asbestosElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestos

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkLadder SafetyToolbox talkWorking at HeightToolbox talkScaffold SafetyToolbox talkOverhead Power Lines

Blank RAMS template: free RAMS templates. Also for other countries: Australia (SWMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)

Sources