Demolition RAMS — Risk Assessment & Method Statement (UK)

Free UK demolition RAMS covering soft-strip, mechanical demolition and structural take-down — risk assessment and method statement in one document. Aligned with BS 6187:2011, CDM 2015 and the HSE's demolition topic pages.

UK (RAMS) example document — Two-Storey Rear Extension — 14 Birchwood Lane, Reading. Client: Mr & Mrs A. Whitfield (Private Client). Site: 14 Birchwood Lane, Reading, RG1 5JT. Scope: Construction of a two-storey rear extension (6.4m × 4.2m) to an existing semi-detached dwelling. Works comprise breaking out of existing rear elevation, trench-fill foundations to 1.0m, traditional cavity blockwork to first floor, pre-stressed concrete lintels, timber roof structure with natural slate finish, plus alterations to existing rear wall to form structural opening with rolled steel joist (RSJ 203×102 UB23). Works programmed over 9 weeks with a peak site team of 6 operatives. Hazards assessed: Manual handling — blocks, lintels, plasterboard, Working at height — independent scaffold & roof structure, Buried services strike during excavation, Collapse of excavation / trench wall, Hand-arm vibration (HAVS) — breaking out, drilling, Silica dust — cutting blocks, brick, concrete, Vehicle/pedestrian segregation — narrow domestic street.

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Built around recognised UK RAMS structure — hazards, controls, sequence, PPE and sign-off. Ready for competent-person review.

Demolition is the highest-consequence work in construction: a single sequencing error can bring down a structure on top of a crew or onto a public footpath. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 explicitly call out demolition as work that must be 'arranged so that it is carried out in such a manner as to prevent danger or, where this is not practicable, to reduce danger to as low a level as is reasonably practicable'. That means a written, structure-specific method statement based on a pre-demolition refurbishment/demolition survey — not a generic 'demolition' template. The NFDC (National Federation of Demolition Contractors) Demolition Information Sheets are the trade-body reference and underpin the structure of this template.

When is it required?

BS 6187:2011 (Code of practice for full and partial demolition) and CDM 2015 reg. 20 require a demolition method statement for every demolition project, however small. The HSE expects it to be (1) based on a refurbishment/demolition survey (R&D survey) to identify asbestos and other hazardous materials, (2) signed by a competent demolition engineer or supervisor (CCDO Gold or equivalent), and (3) accompanied by a temporary works design where any element of the structure will be left in an unstable state during the works. For licensable asbestos removal within the demolition sequence, an additional licensed plan of work is required and notified to HSE 14 days in advance.

What a good one looks like

A strong demolition MS opens with the R&D survey reference and a structural assessment summary. It defines the sequence (services isolation → soft-strip → asbestos removal → structural take-down → groundworks make-good), names the plant (e.g. '50-tonne high-reach excavator with selector grab, max reach 28 m'), the operator competence (CPCS A59), the exclusion zone (typically 1.5 × the height of the structure), the dust suppression (water cannon, misting bowsers), and the public-protection measures (hoarding, banksman, road closures). Each step references the temporary-works design that supports it. Generic 'pull it down with care' clauses are an immediate red flag.

Demolition hazards & controls

The site-specific hazards a demolition MS must address, with the controls that take residual risk to an acceptable level.

HazardPersons at riskControlsResidual
Premature/uncontrolled structural collapseOperatives, publicPre-demolition structural assessment by chartered engineer; sequence designed to BS 6187; temporary works design where partial demolition is required; exclusion zone 1.5 × structure height; banksman in continuous contact with operatorLow
Asbestos releaseOperatives, neighboursR&D survey completed before any work; licensed contractor for AIB, sprayed coatings and lagging; encapsulation/removal sequenced before mechanical demolition; air monitoring per CAR 2012Low
Falls from structure during soft-stripSoft-strip operativesEdge protection installed before any opening of external envelope; MEWP for high-level strip; fall arrest as last resort onlyLow
Buried/live services strikePlant operators, publicAll services isolated and certified disconnected before mechanical demolition; CAT-and-genny survey of slab/footings before reduced-level dig; permit-to-dig for any sub-slab worksLow
Falling material outside the exclusion zonePublic, adjacent propertiesHoarding to BS 5975; pedestrian fan/tunnel where overhang exists; full road closure (TM plan) where structure is taller than the closure distance; banksman + spotterLow
Respirable silica & nuisance dustOperatives, neighboursWater suppression at point of impact; misting bowser for general site; FFP3 RPE for operatives within 10m of impact zone; dust monitor with action levelsMedium
Noise & vibration on neighbouring propertiesPublic, neighboursSection 61 consent agreed with LA; noise limits in the consent; vibration monitor on listed/sensitive structures; hours-of-work restrictions enforcedMedium
Hot works (oxy-acetylene cutting steel)OperativesHot works permit; combustibles removed within 10m; fire watch 60 min after stop; oxy-acetylene set checked daily; flashback arrestors fittedMedium

Step-by-step sequence

  1. 1

    1. Pre-start (R&D survey, services isolation, hoarding)

    Refurbishment/demolition survey complete and reviewed. Gas, electricity, water, telecoms confirmed disconnected and certified. Site hoarded to BS 5975. Pre-condition survey of neighbouring properties.

  2. 2

    2. Asbestos & hazardous material removal

    Licensed contractor removes AIB, sprayed coatings, lagging under CAR 2012. Air-monitoring clearance certificate before mechanical demolition starts.

  3. 3

    3. Soft-strip

    Non-load-bearing internal removal: partitions, fittings, M&E. Materials segregated for recycling. Edge protection retained throughout.

  4. 4

    4. Top-down or progressive collapse (whichever is engineered)

    High-reach excavator with selector grab works floor-by-floor from the top. Banksman in continuous contact. Exclusion zone enforced.

  5. 5

    5. Slab & substructure

    Slab broken with breaker attachment after services re-checked with CAT-and-genny. Foundations grubbed out per spec.

  6. 6

    6. Site clearance & make-good

    Arisings segregated for recycling (NFDC routinely achieves >95%). Site levelled to specified formation level. Pre-condition photos re-taken.

  7. 7

    7. Handover

    Demolition complete certificate issued. All temporary works dismantled. Final dust monitor + noise records appended to the O&M file.

Worked example

Real example — 6-storey 1960s office, partial demolition retaining facade (Bristol)

A NFDC member is partially demolishing a 6-storey 1960s office block in central Bristol while retaining the listed Portland-stone facade. The MS opens with the R&D survey (asbestos AIB in two riser shafts, sprayed coating on the underside of the 5th floor slab — both licensable, to be removed under separate plan-of-work). A chartered structural engineer has designed the facade retention scheme (raking shores + perimeter bracing) and the demolition sequence (top-down, floor-by-floor, retaining the facade tied back to a scaffold-mounted truss). The MS names the plant (Liebherr R 956 high-reach with selector grab, 28 m reach), the operator (CPCS A59, 12 years' experience), the banksman, and the exclusion zone (50 m clear of the rear elevation, 25 m to the facade side with road closure under a TMO). Dust is controlled with two water cannons mounted on the high-reach and a misting bowser at slab level; the action level on the boundary dust monitor is 250 µg/m³ PM10 over 15 minutes, at which work stops. Section 61 consent has been agreed with Bristol City Council restricting work to 08:00–18:00 weekdays, with vibration monitors on the two listed neighbours. The MS runs to 18 pages and is signed by the demolition contracts manager, the engineer and the asbestos coordinator.

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Common mistakes that get a demolition MS rejected

  • ·Starting mechanical demolition before the R&D survey is complete (the single most common HSE prosecution)
  • ·No structural engineer sign-off on the sequence for partial demolition
  • ·Exclusion zone smaller than 1.5 × structure height
  • ·Treating soft-strip as 'low risk' and skipping edge protection
  • ·Generic dust controls without naming the suppression equipment and dust-monitor action levels
  • ·No Section 61 consent on noise-sensitive sites

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a refurbishment and demolition survey?

Yes — for every demolition or major refurbishment of any building. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require it, and starting demolition without one is one of the HSE's most common prosecutions in this sector.

Who must sign the demolition method statement?

A competent demolition supervisor or engineer — typically CCDO Gold (Demolition Supervisor) or higher, with documented experience of the type of structure. Where partial demolition is involved, a chartered structural engineer must sign the supporting temporary works design.

How big should the exclusion zone be?

BS 6187 recommends a minimum of 1.5 × the height of the structure for top-down work, increasing where falling debris could deflect. On constrained urban sites the answer is usually a full road/footpath closure under a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order.

Is a Section 61 consent always needed?

No — only on noise-sensitive sites where the Control of Pollution Act 1974 applies. But where the local authority is likely to receive complaints, a pre-agreed Section 61 protects the contractor against a later notice.

What's the relationship between the demolition MS and the CDM Construction Phase Plan?

The CPP is the umbrella document for the project; the demolition MS is the trade-specific document for the demolition phase. The MS sits within the CPP and is referenced from it. Both must be in place before work starts.

How is asbestos handled in the demolition sequence?

All asbestos-containing materials identified in the R&D survey are removed under a separate plan of work (licensable types) before mechanical demolition begins. Clearance air-monitoring certificates must be in place before any mechanical impact starts.

References & further reading

Related method statements & RAMS

Method Statement: Asbestos Removal
RAMS for Demolition
Method Statement: Excavation

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Regulatory context, common mistakes and a worked example

UK demolition is one of the most heavily-regulated activities on a construction site. The method statement is the document the principal designer, principal contractor and demolition surveyor will all check before mobilisation.

Regulation and guidance referenced

  • CDM 2015 Regulation 20 — Construction phase plan and pre-construction information (HSE)

    The demolition method statement is the operational expression of the construction phase plan — it must reference the PCI and the structural pre-demolition survey.

  • BS 6187:2011 — Code of practice for full and partial demolition (BSI)

    Defines the sequence: refurbishment and asset reclaim → soft strip → structural demolition. Method statements should cite which BS 6187 method (top-down, deliberate collapse, push/pull, balling, wire rope) is used and why.

  • HSG150 — Health and safety in construction (HSE)

    Sets the baseline competence, supervision and welfare expectations the demolition method statement must satisfy.

  • Regulation 6 CAR 2012 — Asbestos identification before refurbishment / demolition (HSE)

    Refurbishment and demolition survey must be in place — the method statement should name the survey reference and date.

Common mistakes that get this document rejected

  • No structural pre-demolition survey reference

    Without a named structural engineer's survey and sequence, the document fails CDM 2015 information transfer and BS 6187. Principal contractors will reject on this alone.

  • Asbestos R&D survey not cited

    Even with a survey done, the method statement has to reference the survey number, date and any positive locations with their planned removal method before structural works.

  • Exclusion zones described in words only

    Drop zones, exclusion zones and pedestrian routes need a marked drawing or marked-up site plan — narrative descriptions are routinely rejected.

Worked example

Scenario: Partial demolition of a two-storey end-of-terrace shop to enable a new build behind a retained façade.

What went wrong: Initial method statement was rejected for missing the temporary works design for the façade retention, no sequence reference to BS 6187, and the asbestos R&D survey referenced as 'on file' rather than by survey number.

The fix: Rebuilt with named TWD reference, BS 6187 top-down sequence with hand demolition floor-by-floor down to slab, R&D survey number and positive locations called out, drop zones on a marked site plan, and dust/noise controls per HSG150.

Outcome: Accepted on second submission. Method statement issued with the construction phase plan and copied to the demolition surveyor.

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