The Hidden Costs of Generic Risk Assessments

Generic Risk Assessments and Method Statements are easy to find and use. However, without being tailored to the specific construction site and task they can be a liability.

Many SMEs begin with generic RAMS templates for routine tasks, but simply copying an example and adding a company name “would not satisfy the law and would not protect your employees”; true compliance demands RAMS tailored to each unique site HSE.

In this post, we look at the differences between a generic and site-specific RAMS, the risks of relying on generic templates and good practice for creating your own site-specific Risk Assessments and Method Statments.

Key Takeaways

• Generic RAMS templates are only a starting point. Without site-specific detail, they leave you exposed to safety gaps and enforcement action.

  
  

• Tailoring RAMS to each location through site surveys and bespoke controls can prevent incidents and save six-figure fines.

  
  

• Simple process improvements (focused site surveys, precise controls, regular reviews and team consultation) make your RAMS both compliant and practical.

  
  

• Investing minutes up front to customise RAMS can save days of downtime, legal costs, and most importantly, protect your workforce.

Generic assessments do not capture the unique hazards of your site

Generic vs Site-Specific RAMS

Scope and Purpose

• Generic RAMS cover common hazards and controls applicable across multiple projects (e.g., general excavation, standard scaffolding erection).

  
  

• Site-Specific RAMS are bespoke documents reflecting the exact conditions, layout, and risks of a single site, such as adjacent live power lines or fragile roof lights.

  
  

Hazards Identified

• Generic templates list routine hazards (e.g., slips, trips, manual handling).

  
  

• Site-specific RAMS add unique hazards uncovered during a site survey, ​for example, asbestos-containing materials in an older building or uneven ground levels around a basement extension.

  
  

Controls and Details

• Generic RAMS offer broad control measures (e.g., “use PPE”).

  
  

• Site-specific RAMS specify exact controls and sequences (e.g., “install temporary guardrails 2 m from the roof edge, as site survey on 12 May 2025 showed rooflights at 4 m height”) and include diagrams where needed HSE.

  
  

Examples of Differences

• Roof Work: A generic fall-from-height RAMS mentions “use safety harness”; a site-specific version notes “harness anchor point at steel beam mid-bay, 5 m from the gable,” references rooflight locations, and shows access routes on a site plan HSE.

  
  

• Site Induction: While a generic induction template lists basic PPE and emergency procedures, a site-specific induction highlights local hazards, for example, "live overhead cables on the east boundary and uneven ground beside the loading bay".

  
  

• Asbestos Management: A standard RAMS may omit asbestos entirely; a site-specific RAMS for refurbishment must integrate findings from an asbestos survey, detailing the location of ACMs, monitoring schedules, and emergency procedures HSE.

  
  

Compliance and Legal Duties

Under CDM 2015, contractors must plan, manage, and monitor risks, ensuring all documentation, including RAMS, reflects actual site conditions HSE. HSE expects method statements to be revised if site circumstances change markedly (e.g., demolition sequence alters), so a one-off generic document is insufficient HSE. Furthermore, the Construction Phase Plan must set out site-specific arrangements, including risk assessments and method statements tailored to each work package HSE.

Study: Where Generic RAMS Templates Cost Money

Case Study 1: Morspan Construction Limited

In April 2020, Morspan Construction was prosecuted after a fatal incident during the lifting and turning of steel beams at a rural farm site - resources.hse.gov.uk.

• Breach: Inadequate risk assessment and safe system of work for lifting operations, plus insufficient information, instruction and supervision.

  
  

• Cost: A total fine of £50 000 plus prosecution costs of £11,018.34 over £61,000 out of pocket because their RAMS had not been tailored to the specific lifting scenario or site layout - resources.hse.gov.uk.

  
  

Case Study 2: McTaggart Construction Limited

In February 2022, McTaggart Construction pleaded guilty after a contractor was thrown from a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) when its boom encroached over a live road, causing serious injuries.

• Breach: No risk assessment, lifting plan, work-at-height plan or segregation measures for the live roadway.

  
  

• Cost: A fine of £215,000, more than four times the Morspan penalty, because their generic RAMS had not identified the unique traffic-route hazard or included site-specific controls - resources.hse.gov.uk.

  
  

These examples show that relying on off-the-shelf RAMS templates can leave critical site hazards unaddressed, leading to tragic incidents and six-figure fines.

Benefits of Site-Specific RAMS

• Improved Safety: Falls from height remain the leading cause of fatal construction accidents (50 in 2023/24) HSE; tailoring RAMS to each site helps target these hazards precisely.

  
  

• Reduced Incidents: Slips, trips, and falls on the same level account for 31 % of non-fatal injuries HSE; a site-specific approach ensures uneven surfaces or trailing cables are addressed before work begins.

  
  

• Client Confidence & Compliance: Detailed RAMS demonstrate professionalism to clients and principal contractors, meeting HSE audit expectations.

  
  

Creating Site-Specific RAMS: Practical Steps

1. Site Survey: Conduct a walk-round to log unique conditions (e.g., overhead services, public access points).

   
   

2. Hazard Identification: List any new risks not covered in your generic template such as contaminated soil or adjacent live carriageways.

   
   

3. RAMS Update: Remove irrelevant generic hazards and insert site-specific ones. Use HSE’s five-step approach to record significant findings in writing (hazards, affected parties, control measures, responsible persons, review dates) HSE.

   
   

4. Review & Sign-Off: Have a competent person check the final RAMS.

   
   

5. Team Briefing: Share the site-specific RAMS through a toolbox talk or digital app and keep a copy on-site.

   
   

A call-out for your next toolbox talk

• Conduct a thorough site survey first: note overhead services, ground conditions and traffic routes (site-specific induction required under CDM 2015 Schedule 3) HSE.

  
  

• Remove irrelevant generic hazards and replace them with those unique to your site, HSE stresses you must “think about the specific hazards and controls your business needs” HSE.

  
  

• Specify exact control measures (e.g. anchor points, exclusion zones, pedestrian barriers) rather than generic “use PPE” statements HSE.

  
  

• Review and update RAMS whenever conditions change, as HSE guidance advises reviewing controls if new risks emerge HSE.

  
  

• Involve your team in consultation, workers often spot site-specific issues that templates miss HSE.

  
  

Role of Software and AI Tools

Modern RAMS software centralises templates, prompts for site-specific details, and can auto-generate diagrams, reducing manual editing.

At RAMSGen we are using Artificial Intelligence to assimilate the construction site picture directly into the RAMS creation. Meaning each RAMS is made bespoke for that activity and site from the start.

Conclusion

Generic RAMS templates are a useful starting point, but to meet UK legal duties and truly safeguard workers, every document must be tailored to the unique risks of each site. By following a structured site-survey and update process, and leveraging modern RAMS software, particularly AI tools, SME builders can produce thorough, compliant, and practical site-specific RAMS in minutes.