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RAMS by job · UK

MEWP works RAMS

Use MEWPs with ground assessment, exclusion below and operator competence.

Create this RAMSUpload an existing RAMS

Typical scope

  • Site and client named
  • Critical isolations/access first
  • People at risk identified
  • Emergency arrangements
  • Permit interfaces
  • Clean handover

Use MEWPs with ground assessment, exclusion below and operator competence. Change the access, occupancy and services and the controls should change with them.

Quick answer

A mewp method statement is a site-specific risk assessment and method statement for that task. It should name the site, the people at risk, the critical controls (often isolation, access or segregation), and the order of work — not a generic trade paragraph.

Primary topic: mewp method statement. UK contractors — review every document before you issue it. SafeForJob does not replace competent judgement or HSE guidance.

What usually goes wrong

These are the operational gaps that make generic Word RAMS fail on the next site.

  • Copied from last site

    Client and site names, access routes and permits still describe the previous job.

  • Sequence wrong

    Critical controls happen after the risk is already present.

  • Interfaces missing

    Other trades, the public or building users are not briefed in the method.

Example

MEWP operations on a live site

Built from one job description. You review and adjust every item before issuing it.

Job description

Use MEWPs with ground assessment, exclusion below and operator competence. Include access equipment, who else is on site, and how you leave the area safe at the end of the shift.

Activities identified

  • General site work
  • Working at height (MEWP)

Method (6 steps)

  1. 1.Arrive and sign in. Arrive at Example UK site, report to the Example client Ltd site contact, sign in and complete any site induction.
  2. 2.Brief the team. Brief all operatives on this RAMS, the COSHH assessments and the emergency arrangements. Record attendance.
  3. 3.Set up exclusion zone below. Establish an exclusion zone below the work area with barriers and signage before any work at height starts.
  4. 4.Set up the MEWP. Check ground conditions, position the MEWP, deploy outriggers on spreader plates and complete pre-use checks.
  5. 5.Clear up and remove waste. Clear the work area, remove waste from site (including recovered refrigerant and hazardous waste) and leave the area safe.
  6. 6.Hand over and sign out. Hand over to the Example client Ltd site contact, report anything outstanding and sign out.

Main risks (2 in total)

Fall from height (MEWP)

Residual Medium

Who: Operatives, people below

  • MEWP used instead of ladders for access to the work area
  • Operator holds a valid IPAF (or equivalent) licence for the machine category
  • Pre-use checks completed and recorded; thorough examination (LOLER) in date
  • Ground conditions checked; outriggers on spreader plates where required
  • Ground-level rescue plan in place and a trained person at ground level
  • Full-body harness with short work-restraint lanyard clipped to the basket anchor (boom MEWPs)

Falling objects

Residual Low

Who: People below, other trades, public

  • Exclusion zone set up below the work area with barriers and signage
  • Tools tethered when working at height; materials kept away from edges
  • Banksman or second person controls the area during lifts and removals
  • Hard hats worn in the exclusion zone
Start from this kind of job

What to get right on this document

Make the critical control obvious

If isolation, service location or edge protection is the difference between safe and unsafe, put it early in the method.

Write the occupancy

Occupied homes, retail, healthcare and warehouses each need different public-interface controls.

Close the job out

Testing, reinstatement, waste and handover belong in the document, not in someone's head.

Quick answer

A mewp method statement is a site-specific risk assessment and method statement for that task. It should name the site, the people at risk, the critical controls (often isolation, access or segregation), and the order of work — not a generic trade paragraph.

What good looks like on a UK site

Use MEWPs with ground assessment, exclusion below and operator competence. Change the access, occupancy and services and the controls should change with them. Name the site, the people at risk, and the sequence that keeps them safe. Generic paragraphs that could apply anywhere are the first thing a principal contractor rejects.

How SafeForJob helps

  • Describe the job in plain English and get suggested activities, risks and method steps
  • Edit every line before you download or issue
  • Reuse a previous RAMS and catch old client or site names
  • Attach or create COSHH assessments where hazardous substances appear

What this page is not

This page is not HSE approval, legal advice or a substitute for competent judgement. It helps you draft a clearer mewp method statement document for a named job. You remain responsible for reviewing and issuing it.

Related reading

See what a RAMS is, the free RAMS generator, and HSE guidance on managing risks.

Related pages

All rams by job · RAMS by trade · Free RAMS generator

Questions

What should a mewp method statement include?
Job description, site, hazards and who is affected, controls, step-by-step method, and emergency arrangements — specific to this location.
Can I reuse last month's RAMS?
Reuse the structure, but update site names, access, occupancy and anything that would look stale to a client.
Is this legally approved?
No. It is a drafting aid. You review and issue the document under your competence and contract duties.

Primary sources