Build RAMS for drainage works

Drainage RAMS get rejected when they gloss over confined-space entry, buried services and biological hazards. Riskora builds a structured RAMS with excavation controls, CAT-and-Genny checks, gas monitoring, rescue plan and reinstatement method. 100+ industries supported.

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.

Example UK (RAMS) front cover produced by Riskora
Try the new compact mode. Same document, just more compact

Full version

Preview first. No card needed. Download when you're happy.

Already have a RAMS? Upload and rebuild it
  • Free to start
  • No signup to preview
  • Done in ~60 seconds

Riskora structures your brief into a site-specific RAMS for drainage works — hazards, controls, PPE, permits, method steps and emergency arrangements. Not a generic template.

  • UK · IE · US · CA · AU · NZ
  • RAMS · SWMS · JHA · JSA · COSHH · Task Analysis · Toolbox Talks
  • Site-specific — not a blank template
  • First document free · No card required
You're probably here because…
  • Water company or main contractor wants a RAMS before access.
  • Confined-space entry needed and last RAMS had no rescue plan.
  • Buried services near the dig — no CAT scan referenced.
  • Weil's disease / biological hazard controls missing from previous submission.
What to paste into the box
  • Scope of works for the drainage works
  • A client email, PQQ note or RFI
  • A site manager's WhatsApp or text message
  • Pre-start meeting notes or programme
  • A previous RAMS to update or improve
  • Drawings, permits or site rules to align with
Inside the document

Inside a Riskora RAMS for drainage works

Every section is built around the actual task — not boilerplate. These are the task-specific items Riskora drops in by default for drainage works, ready for you to refine and sign off.

Task-specific hazards

Confined-space entry into manholes and chambers · Toxic / flammable gases (H2S, CH4, low O2) · Strike on buried services (gas, elec, water, comms) · Excavation collapse and side instability · Biological exposure — sewage, Weil's disease · Water ingress and flash flooding · Manual handling of pipes, covers, benching

Controls matched to each hazard

Service search + CAT & Genny before any dig · 4-gas continuous monitoring + tripod rescue · Battered sides or proprietary trench support · Type-5 suit, nitrile gloves, wash-down station · Weil's disease information cards issued to crew · Pumping / diversion plan for live flows · Reinstatement to NRSWA / SROH spec

Likely PPE

Type-5 disposable coveralls · Chemical gloves · Face shield / goggles · S5 boots · 4-gas monitor · Full harness for CSE

Permits & hold points

Excavation permit · Confined-space entry permit · Highway opening (S50/S58 as applicable) · Water discharge consent

Emergency arrangements

Named rescue attendant with tripod & winch · Nearest A&E route + Weil's disease card · Spill kit + interceptor · Escalation to water authority

Method steps & sign-off

Numbered method sequence with responsible person, briefing register, and competent reviewer sign-off before work starts.

Example output

A site-ready RAMS for drainage works

See how Riskora structures hazards, controls, PPE, permits and method steps into a single document specifically for drainage works — edit anything before you issue it.

Build this RAMS free
Not a blank template

Not a generic Drainage Works template

Most "RAMS for drainage works" templates online are blank docs you still have to fill in, or AI prose with no structure. Riskora reads your brief and writes the right sections — hazards, controls, PPE, permits, method steps, emergency arrangements and sign-off — built for the actual task on the actual site.

Inside the document

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.

Build this RAMS free
Before & after

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.

Before

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.
After

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.
Build this RAMS free
How it works

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.

  1. 1
    Paste 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.

  2. 2
    Riskora structures the document

    Riskora turns your brief into hazards, controls, method steps, PPE, emergency arrangements and COSHH prompts.

  3. 3
    Review, edit and download

    You stay in control of every section. Tweak anything, then download a clean PDF or share a link.

  4. 4
    Brief the team and record sign-off

    Brief operatives, capture their sign-off and keep a full audit trail of who signed which version.

Build this RAMS free
Built for site reality

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.

Build this RAMS free
  • 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.
Start in seconds

Start your drainage works RAMS now

Describe the job details, site message or scope of works. Riskora builds the rest around the task.

Preview first. No card needed. Download when you're happy.

Already have a RAMS? Upload and rebuild it
FAQ

Questions for this exact situation

Any chamber deeper than the operative can safely step into, or where atmosphere may be contaminated, is treated as a confined space under the 1997 Regs. Riskora asks the confined-space questions up front and includes a rescue plan in the output when the answer is yes.

In the highway you'll need an S50/S58 or NRSWA notice; on private land you'll usually need an internal excavation permit. Riskora references both and prompts you to attach service plans.

The RAMS references HSG47, mandates CAT & Genny scanning immediately before the dig, and requires hand-dig to 500mm around known services.

Yes — biological exposure controls, wash-down, first aid arrangements and an issued Weil's disease information card are built into the emergency section.

Yes — your first RAMS is free, no card.

Riskora helps structure a site-specific safety document. It does not replace competent review, site supervision, client requirements or legal duties. Always check the final document before issue.

Keep exploring

Related Riskora pages