Method Statement for Roofing Works — UK
Free UK roofing method statement template aligned with HSE 'Fragile surfaces' (HSG33) and NFRC SR9 guidance. Covers pitched, flat and sheeted roofs with the controls a principal contractor actually looks for.
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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- Site-specific draft
- Roofing hazards baked in
- Ready for competent-person review
Built around recognised UK method statement structure — hazards, controls, sequence, PPE and sign-off. Ready for competent-person review.
Roofing is the single most fatal trade in UK construction. The HSE's fatal injury statistics consistently show roof workers — particularly those on fragile surfaces and short-duration repairs — over-represented. Most fatalities involve no fall-arrest planning at all, not a failure of the equipment. A defensible roofing method statement names the type of roof, the access method, the edge protection, the fragile-surface controls and the rescue plan. This page sets out what each section should contain, gives a real Wakefield warehouse example, and links to a free template you can edit for your next job.
When is it required?
Any work on a roof above 2m, or any work on a fragile surface regardless of height, requires a written method statement and risk assessment under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and CDM 2015. The HSE expect the document to be in place before access, briefed to every operative, and re-issued whenever the access method changes. NFRC SR9 (the Roofing Industry Site Procedures) is the trade-body baseline. Insurance brokers for roofing contractors increasingly refuse cover on jobs where the method statement is generic or missing — particularly on fibre-cement, GRP and old asbestos rooflight installations.
What a good one looks like
A defensible roofing MS identifies whether the roof is pitched, flat or sheeted, names the deck material (felt, GRP, single-ply, fibre-cement, slate, tile), states the age and condition (where known), and treats every rooflight as fragile until proven otherwise. It specifies the access (MEWP, scaffold, fixed ladder + crawl boards), the collective fall protection (edge protection, netting, airbags), and only then the personal fall arrest as a backup. It includes a written rescue plan — suspension trauma is fatal within 20 minutes — and names a competent rescue lead. Generic 'use harness and lanyard' clauses are the hallmark of a roofing MS that will fail audit.
Roofing hazards & controls
The site-specific hazards a roofing MS must address, with the controls that take residual risk to an acceptable level.
| Hazard | Persons at risk | Controls | Residual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falls from edge of roof (pitched and flat) | Roofers, labourers | Continuous edge protection (double guardrail + toeboard) to all eaves and verges; scaffold extended ≥950 mm above eaves; no work without edge protection in place | Low |
| Falls through fragile surfaces (rooflights, fibre-cement, asbestos) | Roofers, surveyors | All rooflights treated as fragile until proven otherwise; staging boards (min 600 mm wide) on every roof crossing; rooflight covers installed before access; HSG33 followed | Low |
| Falls from access ladders | Anyone accessing the roof | Ladder secured top and bottom; 1m above stepping point; angle 75°; only used for access (not work); MEWP preferred for any access >3m | Low |
| Falling tools & materials | Public, trades below | Brick guards, debris netting, kick-boards; pedestrian fan or full exclusion zone below working area; tools tethered on flat-roof edge work | Low |
| Manual handling — tiles, sheets, membrane rolls (20–50kg) | Roofers, labourers | Mechanical lift (telehandler/hoist) to roof level; two-person handling above 25kg; carry distances <10m; rest breaks for repeated lifts | Medium |
| Hot works (felt torching, single-ply welding) | Roofers, building occupants | Hot works permit; fire watch for 60 min after torching stops; CO₂ extinguisher within 5m; no torching within 1m of combustibles; LPG cylinders stored upright in vented cage | Medium |
| Weather — wind, ice, lightning | Roofers | Stop work in winds >23 mph for sheet handling, >17 mph for fragile-roof work; no roof work in lightning risk; ice/frost checks before access; wind-speed device on site | Low |
| Suspension trauma after fall arrest | Anyone using harness | Written rescue plan; rescue equipment on site (rescue pole, descender); MEWP or aerial platform available for emergency retrieval; max suspension time briefed as <10 min | Low |
Step-by-step sequence
- 1
1. Pre-mobilisation survey
Walk the roof from below + drone or MEWP inspection. Identify fragile elements, age of deck, condition of existing edge details. Photograph and append to MS.
- 2
2. Edge protection install
Scaffold to NASC TG20:21 with 950 mm above eaves, double guardrail and toeboard to verges. Handover signed before any roof work.
- 3
3. Rooflight protection
Cover or barrier every rooflight before access. Crawl boards staged across fragile bays.
- 4
4. Access
Tower scaffold or MEWP to roof level. No fixed ladder for >3m work access.
- 5
5. Strip / install in defined bays
Work outward from access point. Used materials lowered, never thrown. New materials lifted in bound packs.
- 6
6. Hot works (if applicable)
Hot works permit issued daily. Fire watch active during work and 60 min after. Extinguisher and rescue kit positioned at access.
- 7
7. Daily close-down
Loose materials secured; no temporary covers left unsecured; edge protection inspected before leaving; tools tallied off the roof.
- 8
8. Handover
Final inspection by competent person. Rooflights left protected if asked. O&M pack with as-built drawings, warranties, MS and rescue plan.
Real example — 1,400m² fibre-cement re-sheet, distribution warehouse (Wakefield)
A specialist roofing contractor in Wakefield is re-sheeting a 1980s fibre-cement industrial roof. Asbestos has been ruled out by a refurbishment survey, but the existing sheets are confirmed fragile under HSG33. The MS names the access method (full perimeter scaffold to TG20:21 with 950 mm above eaves), the staging (650 mm crawl boards lapping each purlin), the rooflight protection (over-sheeting before strip), the lift plan (telehandler delivering banded packs to a designated landing bay), and the sequence (strip + re-sheet bay by bay, working backwards from the far gable). Edge protection is installed and signed off before the first sheet is touched. Fall arrest (harness + retractable to a rated mansafe rail) is named as the secondary control behind the staging, with a written rescue plan: a MEWP is on site at all times during roof work, the rescue lead is named (the senior chargehand), and the maximum suspension time is briefed at 10 minutes. Hot works are not used (mechanically-fixed single-ply membrane on the gutter detail). The MS is 9 pages, signed by the contracts manager and the chargehand, and was accepted by the principal contractor first submission.
Or build a site-specific roofing MS in 5 minutes
The free template is a blank Word document. The Riskora builder ships with the roofing hazard library baked in — pick the preset, edit the site-specific bits, download a signed PDF.
Common mistakes that get a roofing MS rejected
- ·Treating every roof as 'flat — non-fragile' without surveying the rooflights
- ·Specifying harness + lanyard as the primary control instead of edge protection
- ·Forgetting the rescue plan — suspension trauma kills within ~20 minutes
- ·Hot works permit not re-issued daily (a single permit for a 3-week job is non-compliant)
- ·No wind-speed device on site, with a generic 'in adverse weather' clause
- ·Using a 'roofing' template for a fibre-cement re-sheet without naming the fragile material
Frequently asked questions
Is a roofing method statement legally required?
Yes — the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require a written plan for any work at height that is not 'low risk and short duration'. In practice, any roofing job needs a written MS, and any commercial PC will require one before allowing access.
How do I write a method statement for a fragile roof?
Follow HSG33. The MS must (1) confirm the fragile status via survey, (2) specify staging boards (min 600 mm wide) spanning the full route, (3) install rooflight covers before access, (4) specify edge protection at the eaves and verges, and (5) include a rescue plan. Harness-only is not acceptable on a fragile roof.
Do I need a rescue plan if I'm using a harness?
Yes — without exception. Suspension trauma can be fatal within 20 minutes. The plan must name who will perform the rescue, what equipment will be used, and how the casualty will be reached.
What's the difference between a domestic and a commercial roofing MS?
Structurally none — the law is the same. Practically, domestic jobs are often shorter and use a simpler tower scaffold; commercial work usually involves edge protection scaffolds, mechanical lifts and a hot-works permit system. The hazards section should reflect the actual access method, not boilerplate.
How often should the roofing MS be reviewed?
Re-briefed daily at the morning toolbox talk. Re-issued whenever the access method, the weather forecast, or the team composition changes. A fixed review date (e.g. weekly on a long-duration job) is good practice.
Does the NFRC SR9 require a method statement?
Yes — SR9 (Site Safety Procedures for Roofing) explicitly requires a written method statement and risk assessment before any roof work begins on a member's site.
References & further reading
Related method statements & RAMS
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Riskora is an assistive document preparation tool. Every method statement must be reviewed and signed by a competent person before use.