RAMS for Basement Construction (UK)
By the Riskora Editorial Team · Reviewed against our editorial standards · Last reviewed
Generate basement RAMS structured for the highest-risk groundworks in UK construction — covering BS 5975 temporary works regimes, BS 8102 waterproofing strategy, BS 1377 ground conditions, Party Wall etc. Act 1996 monitoring, and confined space working under L101.
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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Basements Stack the Highest Concentration of Construction Duties
Few activities pull together as many regulations as a basement. BS 5975:2019 governs the temporary works procedure — there must be a Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC), Temporary Works Designer (TWD), and a documented design check appropriate to the design risk class. BS 8102:2022 sets out the waterproofing strategy (Type A barrier, Type B structurally integral, Type C drained). The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 imposes notice periods of 1 or 2 months depending on the works, and movement monitoring of neighbouring structures is the norm. Confined space working in deep excavations triggers the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 and HSE document L101. Add CDM 2015 duties, HSG47 service avoidance during initial digs, and the Control of Pollution Act 1974 for dewatering discharge consents — and a 'basement RAMS' that doesn't reference any of these will be returned for rework. Without knowing who actually needs a RAMS, many small firms either over-document or under-document their work.
BS 5975 provides guidance on temporary works procedures for deep excavations. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 governs work affecting shared boundaries. CDM 2015 requires that basement construction is properly planned with competent supervision.
How Riskora Helps
Riskora generates basement RAMS aligned with BS 5975, BS 8102 and Party Wall Act duties. The builder prompts for TWC and TWD references, design check category, propping/sheet pile/secant wall strategy, sequence of underpinning bays (typically 1-3-5 / 2-4-6 hit-and-miss), dewatering plan with discharge consent, monitoring regime (precise levelling, crack monitors, total station targets), and confined space rescue plan under L101. For more complex projects, you may also need a standalone risk assessment or method statement.
Who it's for
- Specialist basement contractors building new basements
- Residential developers converting cellars to habitable spaces
- Underpinning contractors working on basement extensions
- Structural engineers managing deep excavation adjacent to party walls
Understand the Fundamentals
Before you generate your document, these guides cover the knowledge that underpins every good RAMS, risk assessment, and method statement.
What Is a RAMS Document?
Understand the two components of a RAMS and why they're required before work begins on site.
How to Write a RAMS Document
A step-by-step guide to structuring your RAMS from project details through to sign-off.
UK Legal Requirements for Risk Assessments
What the law requires under MHSWR 1999 and CDM 2015, and what 'suitable and sufficient' means.
Who Needs a RAMS?
Find out whether your work requires a RAMS and who is responsible for producing one.
How to Write a RAMS (UK Guide)
A practical walkthrough of writing RAMS from scratch, covering structure, common mistakes, and what reviewers look for.
Method Statement Requirements (UK)
What UK regulations require in a method statement and how to ensure yours meets the standard.
Key Risks and Considerations
- •Ground collapse — excavation wall failure or surcharge loading
- •Adjacent structure damage — ground movement affecting neighbouring buildings
- •Flooding — groundwater ingress or surface water drainage failure
- •Confined working — limited access and egress in deep excavations
- •Falling objects — materials and equipment falling into the excavation
- •Temporary works failure — propping or sheet pile inadequacy
Key Features
- Deep excavation hazard presets
- Temporary works sections
- Party wall monitoring steps
- Dewatering procedures
- Confined working controls
- Download to PDF
Example Structure (UK Standard)
- Project Details and Basement Design
- Temporary Works Design Reference
- Risk Assessment — Collapse, Adjacent Structures, Flooding, Confined Space
- Method Statement — Excavation Sequence, Propping, Construction
- Party Wall Monitoring Procedures
- Dewatering Arrangements
- PPE Requirements
- Emergency Procedures
- Sign-Off
Common Questions Before Getting Started
Will this take long?
Under 5 minutes. Select your trade, pick hazards, download.
Is it complicated?
No training needed. The guided builder walks you through every step.
Do I need experience?
If you know what work you're doing, you can use Riskora.
Is it free to try?
Yes. The Free plan needs no card — generate, review and download one free PDF. Upgrade any time for branding, DOCX, sign-off and higher limits.
Create your RAMS in under 5 minutes
No onboarding or setup needed — start generating documents instantly
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All documents generated by Riskora should be reviewed by a competent person before use on site. Riskora provides structured templates — professional judgement is always required.
What your RAMS actually contains
Riskora builds a structured, client-facing document — not a generic AI paragraph. Every section is shaped around your job, your site and your team.
Hazards
Task-specific hazards for the job, captured row by row — not a generic list pulled from an old RAMS.
Controls
Control measures mapped to each hazard with residual risk scoring after controls are applied.
PPE
PPE requirements tied to the activity and site, ready to brief to the team.
Method steps
Step-by-step method statement structured around how the work is actually sequenced on site.
Emergency arrangements
First aid, rescue plan, emergency contacts and site-specific escalation routes.
COSHH prompts
Substance prompts when the work involves chemicals, dusts, fumes or sealants — flagged early, not missed at review.
Sign-off
Operative sign-off captured against the document — names, dates and acknowledgement of the brief.
Version history
Every change tracked so you can show what was issued, when, and which version the team signed.
Approval status
Clear approval state on every document — draft, in review, approved, issued — visible across the team.
Audit trail
Who created it, who reviewed it, who signed it. A complete trail you can hand to a principal contractor or auditor.
From copied-and-pasted to site-specific
The reason RAMS get rejected is rarely the format — it's that the document is obviously generic. Riskora rebuilds it around this job, this site and this task.
Generic template copied from an old job.
- • Hazards and controls that don't match this site or task.
- • Method steps written for a different sequence of work.
- • No emergency arrangements specific to the location.
- • Client flags it as generic and asks for a rewrite.
Site-specific document structured around this job, site and task.
- • Hazards captured from the actual scope you pasted in.
- • Method steps sequenced for how the work runs on site.
- • Emergency arrangements and rescue plan tied to the location.
- • Approved internally, briefed to the team, signed off and stored.
From job details to signed-off document
A four-step workflow used by contractors, consultants and safety teams to turn informal job details into client-ready safety paperwork.
- 1Paste job details
Drop in a client email, a WhatsApp from the site manager, a scope of works or a tender note. Anything that describes the job.
- 2Riskora structures the document
Riskora turns your brief into hazards, controls, method steps, PPE, emergency arrangements and COSHH prompts.
- 3Review, edit and download
You stay in control of every section. Tweak anything, then download a clean PDF or share a link.
- 4Brief the team and record sign-off
Brief operatives, capture their sign-off and keep a full audit trail of who signed which version.
Built by people who've written this paperwork on real sites
Riskora is built by a founder with hands-on site and document experience — designed for contractors, consultants and safety teams who need to issue, brief and prove safety paperwork without losing a day to admin.
- Built for contractors, consultants and teams
Solo trades, principal contractors and in-house safety teams all run on the same workflow. - Supports multiple countries
UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, US and Canada — wording and document types match the local standard. - Not just documents
Sign-off, approvals, version history and an audit trail — the management workflow around the paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No training. No complex setup. Just select your trade and go.
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References & Further Reading
Primary UK sources covering the legal and practical framework behind RAMS, risk assessments and method statements.
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Final RAMS must be reviewed and approved by a competent person before use.
Riskora is an assistive document preparation tool. All documents generated must be reviewed, verified, and approved by a competent person before use on site. Riskora does not replace professional safety judgment, and no output should be treated as a legal compliance guarantee.