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Roofing · United Kingdom

Method statement for roof repairs

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

You must assess the risks of roof repairs 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 a roof edge, falling through a fragile roof or skylight, disturbing asbestos and electric shock from live wiring.

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RAMS example: roof repairs

This is a complete RAMS for roof repairs, 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)
Roof repair and leak repair · Roofing · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check the roof type and condition from the ground, looking for brittle sheets, skylights and asbestos
  • Falling through a fragile roof or skylight
  • Disturbing asbestos
Workers, People below, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Work from underneath or from a MEWP so nobody stands on the fragile roof. Eliminate
  • Cover or guard every skylight and fragile sheet with a fixed, marked cover or mesh before work starts. Isolate
  • Use safety nets or a boarded platform under the work, and staging or crawl boards to spread the load on fragile surfaces. Control (engineering)
  • Use fall arrest on rated anchors when working near fragile areas. Control (engineering)
  • Treat all roof sheets as fragile until a competent person confirms they are not. Old fibre cement and plastic sheets are fragile. Control (procedures)
  • Put "Fragile roof" signs at every roof access point. Control (procedures)
  • Never walk on sheets between purlins or along skylights. Stay on boards or staging. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a full body harness clipped to a rated anchor. 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)
2Set up a secured ladder and edge protection or a harness and anchor
  • Falling from a ladder
  • Falling from a roof edge
Workers, People belowVery high (20)
  • 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)
  • Keep three points of contact and your belt buckle between the stiles. Do not overreach. Control (procedures)
  • Do not work off the top three rungs of a leaning ladder. On a stepladder, do not stand on the top two steps (top three on swing-back or double-sided steps) unless there is a suitable handhold. Control (procedures)
  • Check the ladder before each use: feet, rungs, stiles and locks. Control (procedures)
  • Wear non-slip safety boots with clean soles. PPE
  • Do what you can from the ground or from a scaffold at the gutter line, for example pre-assemble parts on the ground. Eliminate
  • Install edge protection or guardrails on all open roof edges before work starts. Isolate
  • Use a perimeter scaffold with handrails and toe boards along the eaves where practical. Control (engineering)
  • Where guardrails cannot be fitted, use fall restraint on certified roof anchors so workers cannot reach the edge. Control (engineering)
  • Use one safe, controlled access point and keep others off the roof. Control (procedures)
  • Stop roof work in strong wind or rain, and when the roof is wet, icy or covered in dust or frost. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a harness clipped to a rated anchor when using restraint or fall arrest, and soft-soled non-slip boots. PPE
Medium (8)
3Go into the roof space to find the leak, watching for live cables and weak ceiling joists
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Falling through a floor opening or void
  • Heat stress
  • Bites and stings
Workers, Occupants, VisitorsVery high (15)
  • Isolate the power before any work. Do not work live. Eliminate
  • Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Isolate
  • Prove dead at the point of work with an approved voltage indicator (GS38), and prove the tester before and after. Control (engineering)
  • Only competent, qualified electricians do electrical work, following a safe isolation procedure. Control (procedures)
  • Cover every hole and penetration with a fixed, secured cover marked "HOLE" or "DANGER". Isolate
  • Put guardrails with toe boards around stairwells, lift shafts, voids and open edges. Isolate
  • Install stairs early and fit temporary handrails as soon as they go in. Control (engineering)
  • Never remove a cover or guardrail without approval. Put it back straight away. 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)
  • Check work areas before starting, and get pest control to remove nests. Eliminate
  • Look before you reach into dark spaces. Control (procedures)
  • Ask owners to keep pets away from the work area. Control (procedures)
  • Know who has allergies and keep their medication, such as an adrenaline auto-injector, close by. Control (procedures)
Medium (8)
4Replace cracked tiles, sheets or flashings and seal joints
  • Cuts from sharp edges
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Slips and trips
Workers, Occupants, Visitors, PublicMedium (9)
  • Deburr or cover sharp edges, and fit edge protectors on exposed sheet metal. Control (engineering)
  • Use knives with retractable or self-retracting blades. Control (engineering)
  • Cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear. Control (procedures)
  • Put used blades in a blade bin or sharps container. Control (procedures)
  • Use two people to handle large sheets of metal or glass. Control (procedures)
  • 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)
  • Store chemicals away from heat, food and drink, and keep products that react with each other apart. 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)
Medium (6)
5Use heat for flashings only with a hot work permit and a fire extinguisher at hand
  • Fire from hot works
  • Burns from hot surfaces
Workers, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Use cold work methods where you can, such as bolting, press fittings or cutting with a saw instead of a torch. Eliminate
  • Move anything that can burn at least 10 metres away, or cover it with fire blankets. Isolate
  • Use fire-resistant screens to stop sparks reaching people or gaps in walls and floors. Control (engineering)
  • Get a hot work permit before starting. Control (procedures)
  • Keep a charged fire extinguisher and fire blanket at the work spot. Control (procedures)
  • Keep a fire watch during the work and for at least 60 minutes after you finish. Control (procedures)
  • Check for smouldering behind walls, in ceilings and under floors before you leave. Control (procedures)
  • Wear flame-resistant clothing, welding gloves and eye or face protection. PPE
  • Isolate heating systems and let parts cool before you touch them. Eliminate
  • Fit guards or insulation on hot pipes and equipment. Control (engineering)
  • Mark hot items with chalk or a "HOT" sign so others know. Control (procedures)
  • Keep a first aid kit and cool running water nearby for burns. Control (procedures)
  • Wear heat-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE
Medium (5)
6Clean up debris, check gutters are clear and remove the ladder
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
  • Falling tools and materials
Workers, Visitors, Public, People belowHigh (12)
  • 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
  • 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)
  • Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. PPE
Medium (8)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Check the roof type and condition from the ground, looking for brittle sheets, skylights and asbestos
  2. Set up a secured ladder and edge protection or a harness and anchor
  3. Go into the roof space to find the leak, watching for live cables and weak ceiling joists
  4. Replace cracked tiles, sheets or flashings and seal joints
  5. Use heat for flashings only with a hot work permit and a fire extinguisher at hand
  6. Clean up debris, check gutters are clear and remove the ladder

PPE

Safety bootsFull body harness and lanyardRigger glovesSafety glassesSun protection (sunscreen and neck cover)Safety helmetHalf-mask respirator (P3 filters)CoverallsCut-resistant glovesChemical-resistant glovesSafety gogglesWelding gauntletsFace shield

Plant and equipment

Extension ladderHand toolsPropane gas torch

Permits and plans

Roof access permitWork at height permitHot works permit (fire watch at least 60 minutes after)

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 roof repairs

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 roof repairs

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

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check the roof type and condition from the ground, looking for brittle sheets, skylights and asbestos
  2. Set up a secured ladder and edge protection or a harness and anchor
  3. Go into the roof space to find the leak, watching for live cables and weak ceiling joists
  4. Replace cracked tiles, sheets or flashings and seal joints
  5. Use heat for flashings only with a hot work permit and a fire extinguisher at hand
  6. Clean up debris, check gutters are clear and remove the ladder

Hazards to watch on roof repairs

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

Step 3Bites and stingsSpiders, wasps, bees, ticks and dogs bite or sting workers in roof spaces, under floors and in gardens.
Step 1Falling through a fragile roof or skylightA worker steps on a skylight, clear sheet or old fibre cement roof and falls through to the floor below.
Step 5Burns from hot surfacesTouching hot pipes, tools, bitumen, solder or freshly welded metal burns the skin.
Step 5Fire from hot worksSparks and heat from welding, grinding or flame torches set fire to timber, insulation, rubbish or fuel nearby.
Step 2Falling from a roof edgeA worker slips or walks off the edge of a roof or gutter line and falls to the ground.
Step 3Heat stressHard work in hot weather or hot roof spaces causes heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can kill.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on roof repairs: 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 at height, anywhere a fall could hurt them?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?
  • Will you use a MEWP (scissor lift or cherry picker)?
  • Will you sand, scrape, burn off or cut old paint in a building from before 1992?

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 roof repairs?

You must assess the risks of roof repairs 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 roof repairs?

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

More roofing RAMS

RAMSRe-Roofing11 stepsRAMSRoof Tile Replacement9 stepsRAMSMetal Roof Sheeting7 stepsRAMSGutter Replacement9 stepsRAMSSkylight Installation6 stepsRAMSFlat Roofing6 stepsRAMSFascia and Soffit Replacement5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

DemolitionSoft StripAlso involves disturbing asbestosElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestosBricklayingBrickworkAlso involves falling from a ladderScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves falling tools and materials

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkLadder SafetyToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkAsbestos AwarenessToolbox talkHeat Stress

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

Sources