RAMS vs COSHH Assessment — What's the Difference?
By the Riskora Editorial Team · Reviewed against our editorial standards · Last reviewed
RAMS and COSHH assessments both deal with workplace safety, but they cover different things and exist under different regulations. Here's a clear explanation of what each document does, when you need them, and how they relate to each other.
COSHH Assessment example document — COSHH Assessment — Flat-Roof Re-cover, 22 Cromwell Road. Client: Bristol City Council Housing — Repairs Team. Site: 22 Cromwell Road, Bristol, BS6 5EX. Scope: Substance-led COSHH assessment for the hazardous substances used during the flat-roof strip and torch-on re-cover: bitumen primer, LPG for the torch, and cementitious repair mortar. Covers exposure routes, persons exposed, the hierarchy of control, PPE/RPE, storage, spill and first-aid response, waste disposal and review.
Full version
Takes less than 5 minutes
No card required · 1 free PDF · Upgrade any time (completely free)
What is the difference between RAMS and COSHH?
RAMS (Risk Assessment Method Statement) covers general workplace hazards and describes safe work procedures for a specific task or project. COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) assessments specifically cover risks from hazardous substances — chemicals, dust, fumes, and biological agents. You may need both: RAMS for the overall work, plus a COSHH assessment if hazardous substances are involved.
Confusing RAMS and COSHH Creates Compliance Gaps
Some contractors include substance hazards in their RAMS and assume that's sufficient. It isn't. COSHH assessments have specific requirements under the COSHH Regulations 2002 — including exposure limits, health surveillance triggers, and specific control hierarchies — that a general risk assessment doesn't cover. Understanding the complete guide to RAMS in the UK helps frame why proper documentation matters.
How Riskora Helps
Riskora generates RAMS with integrated hazard identification that flags when COSHH-relevant substances are present in your work type. While Riskora focuses on the RAMS document itself, the hazard library includes substance exposure risks and appropriate control measures. You can also use our standalone risk assessment builder or method statement tool.
Who it's for
- Construction work involving dust (cutting, grinding)
- Painting and decorating
- Adhesive and sealant application
- Demolition with potential asbestos
- Welding and hot works
- Cleaning with chemical products
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?
The complete guide to RAMS — what they contain, who needs them, and why they matter.
How to Write a RAMS Document
Step-by-step guidance on structuring a professional RAMS document.
UK Legal Requirements
What UK law requires for risk assessments and safety documentation.
RAMS vs Risk Assessment
Clarify when you need a full RAMS versus a standalone risk assessment.
RAMS vs Risk Assessment — Key Differences
When you need a full RAMS versus a standalone risk assessment, and how the two documents work together.
Risk Assessment Legal Requirements (UK)
The legal framework behind risk assessments in the UK — what the law requires and what 'suitable and sufficient' means.
Do I need COSHH as well as RAMS?
Yes, if your work involves exposure to hazardous substances. RAMS cover general work hazards (falls, struck-by, manual handling). COSHH specifically assesses substance exposure risks — silica dust, solvents, adhesives, cement, paints. The two documents are complementary, not interchangeable.
What substances need a COSHH assessment?
Any substance that could harm health through inhalation, skin contact, ingestion, or injection — including construction dust (silica, wood, MDF), cement, paints and solvents, adhesives, cleaning chemicals, welding fumes, and asbestos. If a substance has a hazard warning on its packaging, it likely needs a COSHH assessment.
Key Risks and Considerations
- •Treating RAMS as a substitute for COSHH assessments
- •Missing substance hazards in general risk assessments
- •Not identifying COSHH-relevant materials before work starts
- •Failing to implement substance-specific controls
Key Features
- RAMS generation with substance hazard flags
- Pre-loaded controls for dust and chemical exposure
- PPE requirements for substance work
- Professional document formatting
- Under 5 minutes to generate
- Integrated hazard identification
Example Structure (UK Standard)
- RAMS covers:
- • Falls from height, struck by objects, manual handling
- • Work sequence and method statement
- • General site safety and emergency procedures
- COSHH covers:
- • Specific hazardous substance identification
- • Exposure routes (inhalation, skin, ingestion)
- • Workplace exposure limits (WELs)
- • Control hierarchy for substance exposure
- • Health surveillance requirements
- • Emergency procedures for substance exposure
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
Try Riskora FreeNo card required · 1 free PDF · Upgrade any time (completely free)
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
Ready? It takes less than 5 minutes.
No training. No complex setup. Just select your trade and go.
Start Your RAMS Now — It's FreeNo card required · 1 free PDF · Upgrade for branding, DOCX, sign-off and audit trails (completely free)
References & Further Reading
Primary UK sources covering the legal and practical framework behind RAMS, risk assessments and method statements.
Create your vs coshh assessment RAMS free — preview before sign-up
Generate a preview first. Sign up only when you want to save, edit or export.
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.