Groundworks is the early-phase package that sets up everything that follows on a construction site. It combines excavation, foundations, drainage and earthmoving — and because it is heavy-plant-dominated, it accounts for a disproportionate share of plant-pedestrian fatalities. The HSE's published fatal-injury statistics consistently show vehicle-pedestrian interactions and trench collapse as the leading causes of groundworker death. A groundworks RAMS that does not have a named plant traffic management plan is incomplete.
The HSE's HSG144 (Safe use of vehicles on construction sites) and CITB's Plant Safety Group guidance both put plant-pedestrian segregation at the top of the priority order. The RAMS must include a site traffic management plan: vehicle routes, pedestrian routes, segregation method (barriers, banksmen, signal lights), refuelling area, parking area, and reversing controls. Most groundworks fatalities involve a reversing vehicle striking a pedestrian — the RAMS should explicitly cover banksman use, reversing alarms, and the design of the site so reversing is minimised.
For any plant operating within 6m of a member of the public, the segregation has to be a physical barrier — line marking is not enough. For sites with a school or busy footway adjacent, the controls escalate further (timing of work, hoarding height, gated access).
Drainage work routinely involves entry into manholes, gullies and culverts — all confined spaces under the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/1713). The RAMS must name the entry procedure, the atmospheric monitoring (oxygen, LEL, H2S — sewer connections present a real H2S risk), the continuous-attendance requirement and the rescue plan. The rescue plan must not depend on fire-and-rescue arrival times alone.
For new-build drainage connection into an adopted sewer, the contractor will normally need a Section 50 / Section 106 agreement with the water company — the RAMS should reference the approval and any conditions on the work.
Strip, trench-fill, pile-cap and raft foundations all involve temporary works that often get overlooked in the RAMS. Trench-fill foundations in made ground require trench support; piling rigs need a temporary working platform certified to BR470 (Working platforms for tracked plant); pile-cap reinforcement requires controls against impalement (mushroom caps on protruding bar). The temporary works coordinator under BS 5975 should be named for any foundation work beyond a basic strip footing.
For any work on or near existing structures, party-wall awards under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply — the RAMS should reference the award and any conditions on the work (surveys, monitoring, working hours).
Most UK urban groundworks happen on brownfield. The RAMS should assume contaminated land until proven otherwise and reference the Phase 1 desktop study and Phase 2 intrusive investigation. Common contaminants — hydrocarbons, heavy metals, asbestos in demolition fill, made-ground methane — each have specific PPE and decontamination requirements. The RAMS should name the contaminants of concern from the site investigation and the controls for each, not list generic 'contaminants' once.
Each hazard paired with the UK regulation or HSE guidance document that applies.
Plant strikes on operatives or public
HSG144 + HSWA s.3
Excavation collapse
CDM 2015 + HSG150
Buried services strike
HSG47
Confined-space entry in manholes, gullies, culverts
CSR 1997 + L101
Contaminated ground exposure
COSHH 2002 + CAR 2012
Reinforcement impalement injury
CDM 2015
Manual handling of pipes, kerbs and segmental components
MHOR 1992
Hand-arm vibration from breakers and compaction plant
Vibration at Work Regs 2005
Patterns we see when principal contractors send groundworks RAMS back for re-work.
The legal framework a groundworks RAMS operates inside — all links point to the official source.
SI 2015/51
The primary law covering all construction work including groundworks.
HSG144 (2nd ed)
HSE's primary guidance on plant-pedestrian segregation. Cite by reference.
HSG47 (3rd ed)
Service location SLOC method — relevant to every groundworks RAMS.
BS 5975:2019+A1:2023
The temporary works coordinator role applies across most groundworks projects.
BR470 (BRE)
The standard for piling platform design — referenced in the RAMS for any piling work.
Not as a matter of black-letter law, but in practice yes for any plant reversing in an area where pedestrians could be present. HSG144 is explicit that reversing should be eliminated by design where possible (one-way routes, drive-through layouts), and where it cannot, a banksman or comparable control (reversing camera with audible alarm and exclusion zone) is the expected control.
Usually no — basic strip footings under 1m depth in firm ground sit below the threshold. The TWC role kicks in for any temporary works that, if they failed, would cause significant injury or damage: piling platforms, sheet piling, ground anchors, deep excavations, cofferdams. BS 5975 is the standard the industry has converged on — referencing it in the RAMS demonstrates competence.
Oxygen, lower explosive limit (LEL) for methane / hydrocarbons, and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) at minimum. For confirmed-foul or combined sewers, also carbon monoxide. The monitor must be a four-gas type, calibrated within the last 6 months, and bumped-tested before entry. Atmospheric monitoring is continuous during entry, not just at the start.
CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) cards are the universal currency on UK sites — every operative should hold one at the appropriate grade. For plant operators, CPCS (Construction Plant Competence Scheme) cards are the dominant standard. The RAMS should name the card grade for each role — not just 'competent operator'.
It is not a statutory requirement, but most principal contractors operate a permit-to-dig system on any site with multiple contractors or known buried services. The RAMS should describe the interface: who issues the permit, what evidence is required (CAT scan, service drawings), and what triggers permit re-issue (change of location, new service discovered).
City-specific local context — council, HSE office and local building stock notes — for groundworks contractors.
Riskora prompts for the council permits, building stock and access constraints that apply wherever the job is — these are the groundworks details principal contractors check first in each city.
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Final RAMS must be reviewed and approved by a competent person before use.