What Is Method Statement In Construction?

What Is Method Statement In Construction
Method statements are documents that detail exactly how to carry out work safely. For ensuring building site health and safety, method statements are key. The purpose of method statements is to describe the safety precautions in a high-risk work environment to control risks identified in the risk assessment.

What is method of statement in project?

What is a method statement? – A method statement is a document that explains the correct procedures, safety precautions and work requirements of a project. Particularly high-risk projects that require careful management and planning often use method statements to outline how to complete specific components of a project safely and efficiently.

They allow managers, employees and clients to ensure jobs have the proper planning, resources and protections they need to be successful. Method statements are important because they detail exactly how to implement safety measures and help teams eliminate risks associated with a job. This is especially important when projects involve high-risk elements like dangerous equipment, hazardous materials or heights.

Method statements are an essential tool for mitigating risks and protecting site visitors, construction workers and project managers from harm. What Is Method Statement In Construction There are typically three types of method statements used on projects: tender method. work method, and safety method statements. There is also another type of method statement called a ‘submission method statement’, which is designed to sell the contractor’s competence and experience to a potential client.

What is a method statement example?

What is a method statement? – A method statement is a document that describes how to do a task safely. You can think of a method statement like a set of instructions or a plan for the work. Method statements are also known as safe systems of work, safe work method statements or SWMS for short.

  • And that’s because they describe the method (or system) of work.
  • It describes in a logical sequence exactly how a job is to be carried out in a safe manner and without risks to health.
  • It includes all the risks identified in the risk assessment and the measures needed to control those risks.
  • This allows the job to be properly planned and resourced.

A method statement will usually contain a lot of information about a task or activity such as:

The project The specific activity the method statement is for A description of the work Start date and duration of the task Hours of work Who the assessor is Who has key responsibilities The hazards associated with the task The hazards associated with the site and environment References to other documents such as risk assessments that apply to the task The planned work procedure, the sequence of work and control measures PPE requirements Management arrangements Monitoring arrangements First aid and welfare arrangements Emergency procedures

Your method statement doesn’t have to be a lengthy document, but it should contain all the information you need to communicate how to do the work safely. The information should be clear and concise. At times it can be helpful to include drawings or pictures in your method statement to explain something and reduce confusion. What Is Method Statement In Construction You might get asked for a method statement with a risk assessment, and clients will often ask for a copy of your ‘ RAMS ‘, which means risk assessments and method statements. Method statements are often used with risk assessments – but are not the same,

  1. Method statements are usually only necessary for higher risk work, in addition to the risk assessments.
  2. The risk assessment will focus on the hazards and controlling those hazards.
  3. The method statement will provide additional information to employees about how to do the work, what order to follow, and the precautions needed at each step.

Unlike risk assessments, method statements are not required by law explicitly, But they can help you comply with legal requirements, as they help provide information and instruction. While a method statement will usually be accompanied by one or more risk assessments, these documents are not the same.

  • For more information read about the difference between risk assessments and method statements,
  • Rather than repeating the information already in a risk assessment, a method statement enhances the information gathered for the risk assessment and goes further in planning the sequence for the activity.
  • For example, the risk assessment might say that supervision is required for the task.

The method statement will then go into further details about who will be the supervisor, their contact details and qualifications etc. Method statements can also help link all the documents relating to the task together. For example, it may reference a risk assessment, COSHH assessment, and permit to work for the activity.

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What a method statement is used for?

Method statements – The arrangements for carrying out demolition, dismantling or structural alteration must be recorded in writing before the work begins. This is usually achieved by means of a method statement that can be generated from a risk assessment.

  • While not required by law, method statements are also prepared for many other construction activities and are proven to be an effective and practical way to help plan, manage and monitor construction work.
  • They can take account of risks identified by the risk assessment and communicate the safe system of work to those carrying it out, especially for higher-risk complex or unusual work (e.g.

steel and formwork erection, demolition or the use of hazardous substances). A method statement draws together the information compiled about the various hazards and the ways in which they are to be controlled for any particular job from the conclusions of the risk assessments.

  • A method statement also takes account of a company’s health and safety organisation and training procedures and may include arrangements to deal with serious or imminent danger.
  • The method statement describes in a logical sequence exactly how a job is to be carried out in a way that secures health and safety and includes all the control measures.

This will allow the job to be properly planned with the appropriate health and safety resources needed for it. It can also provide information for other contractors working at the site about any effects the work will have on them and help the principal contractor develop the construction phase plan for the project.

If a similar operation is repeated, the statement will be similar from job to job. However, if circumstances change markedly e.g. with demolition, the statement should be revised for each job. The method statement is an effective way of providing information to employees about how they expect the work to be carried out and the precautions that should be taken.

The most effective method statements often include diagrams to make it clear how work should be carried out. Checking that the working methods set out in the statement are actually put into practice on site can also be a useful monitoring tool. When reviewing the risk assessments, information from monitoring previous jobs, accident records and investigations can help to decide if adequate precautions are being applied.

What is a method statement and why is it useful in construction?

What is a Method Statement? – A Method Statement is a document that sets out the way in which work that involves potential hazards will be carried out in the construction industry. The statement must be completed prior to the commencement of It will display the processes to be carried out during the works.

Is method statement part of the contract?

Confidentiality of Method Statement – Method statement submitted as a part of tender submission may hide some of the major steps and detailing to keep contractor’s technical know-how confidential. In such cases, it will only be an extract of actual method statement that submitted, if they become success in the tender process.

What is the difference between method statement and procedure?

Difference between Procedures and Methods

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Routine steps to carry out activities in an organization are known as Procedures. They are established for repetitive activities. They describe the manner in which an activity is to be performed. Procedures are generally rigid and do not have any scope for creativity.

It removes ambiguity in work and makes the work structured and unified. The prescribed process in which a particular task or activity is performed as per the objective is known as Method. It provides standardized steps to perform a task. Methods avoid confusion and ambiguity and vary from task to task.

Selection of the proper method saves time, and effort and increases efficiency.

Basis Procedures Methods
Meaning Procedures are routine steps to carry out activities in an organization. Methods are prescribed processes in which a particular task or activity is performed as per the objective.
Scope They have a wider scope as it lays down the sequence of all the activities to be performed by an organization. They have a comparatively narrower scope as it is confined to one step of the procedure.
Flexibility They are more rigid as compared to method. They are more flexible than procedures.
Aim Their main purpose is to develop steps for completing a task or activity. Their main purpose is to standardize the way of completing a task or activity.
Example Procedures for importing and exporting goods by an organization. There are different methods of training available to train the employees.

Difference between Procedures and Methods

What is a method statement template?

What is a method statement? – A method statement is a crucial management document. It details the steps workers must take to conduct a specific job safely. It benefits those who physically carry through the work in the construction sector. What Is Method Statement In Construction The primary purpose of a method statement is to:

  • Describe the safety precautions to prepare for risks identified in the risk assessment.
  • Provide information about the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to use during any project.
  • Assess the workers to control any hazard and mitigate the risks.
  • Keep the workers safe on an ongoing task.

The method statement document identifies the potential risks that may arise during a particular task. Furthermore, a method statement can increase the awareness of the necessary precautions. It can also mitigate those risks and ensure workplace safety.

Who approves a method statement?

Procedure for use – A work method statement is prepared for each task on a particular worksite, the group of work method statements are then packaged and is typically submitted at the beginning of a project for approval by the client or their representative.

What is the difference between risk assessment and method statement?

What’s The Difference Between Risk Assessments & Method Statements? What Is Method Statement In Construction Risk Assessments and Method Statements are often mentioned within the same breath, as the two reports tend to be carried out side by side. However they are differing documents that analyse different health and safety elements of the working environment.

What does HSE stand for in construction?

Health and safety in the construction industry.

What is a method statement also known as?

Actually a method statement in construction is no different from those in other industries. All method statements are written AFTER a risk assessment has been carried out. They can go by different names, such as safety or work method statements or a plan of work.

What are the advantages of a method statement?

Method statements are widely used in construction as a means of controlling specific health and safety risks that have been identified (perhaps following the preparation of a risk assessment ), such as lifting operations, demolition or dismantling, working at height, installing equipment, the use of plant, and so on.

Significant health and safety risks have been identified. The co- operation of workers has been ensured. Safe, co-ordinated systems of work have been put in place, Workers have been involved in the process.

Method statements are not a requirement of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, however they are identified by the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) as being one way of satisfying the requirements of the regulations and as an effective means of assessing risks, managing risks, collecting workers ‘ views and briefing workers,

The fact that method statements are not a requirement of the CDM Regulations is evidence of the HSE’s intention that implementation of the requirements of the CDM Regulations should not be a paper exercise, where the filling out of a standard template is sufficient, but that it should be an integral and fundamental part of the construction process,

The format in which method statements are prepared, reviewed and used should be set out at the outset of a project, perhaps within the Project Execution Plan (PEP), ensuring not only that the method statement is produced by a competent person, but that it is peer-reviewed as part of the quality assurance (QA) system prior to its use.

Where they are prepared, method statements need be no longer than is necessary for them to be effective. They are for the benefit of those carrying out the work and so should be clear, not over-complicated, and illustrated where necessary. Method statements should be written by a competent person who is familiar with the process being described and may need to be agreed between the client, principal contractor and contractor,

The HSE suggests that those preparing method statements should consider:

Is there a safer way of doing this task? Will workers actually implement the controls as planned? Do controls make the job difficult or inconvenient? Are there small changes that will improve the intended method? How will controls work in adverse conditions ? Will workers require additional briefing or instructions ?

The contents of a method statement will vary with the work process being described, however, it may contain:

Details of the organisation in control of the activity, Details of the individual responsible for the activity, A description of the activity, A description of how the work will be managed. The location of the activity, its boundaries, means of access and how it is segregated from other activities, Plant and equipment required. The procedure for changing the proposed method of work if necessary. A step by step description of the activities to be undertaken. Precautions necessary to protect workers, and other people that could be affected, including personal protective equipment and ventilation requirements. Training procedures. The need for specially-trained operators for certain activities, Emergency procedures, including the location of emergency equipment, The handling and storage of materials and pollution prevention procedures. Temporary works designs, The method for safeguarding existing structures,

For more information, see How to write a method statement, Together, risk assessments and method statements are sometimes described as ‘ RAMS ‘. RAMS may be required by third parties to demonstrate that health and safety has been properly considered and that the requirements of the CDM regulations have been satisfied.

CDM, Construction management statement, Contractor, Deleterious materials, Demolition, Health and safety, How to write a method statement, Injuries on construction sites, Interface risk in construction, Method of procedure, Permit to work, Personal protective equipment, Principal contractor, Project execution plan, Project risk, Reporting accidents and injuries on construction sites, Risk assessment, Risk assessments and method statements, Risk feedback, Risk management, Temporary works, Standard operating procedure,

HSE: Managing health and safety in construction, HSE: Administration HSE: Assessing all work at height, Safety Services Direct: Method statements HSE Engaging your workers in risk management,

What is a risk and method statement?

What Are RAMS? – RAMS stands for Risk Assessment Method Statement — an important health and safety document that is completed to identify the steps to be undertaken to carry out a specific activity or task in a safe manner. RAMS can be utilised in conjunction with the risk assessment process.

  • Risk assessments are used to record hazards identified in the workplace, assess the likelihood and severity of risks and to plan adequate control measures to eliminate or reduce those risks.
  • Method statements — also referred to as a “Safe System of Work” — build on the information outlined in risk assessments, expanding on hazard identification and management and control measures.

They detail how specific activities can be carried out safely — describing control measures and safety precautions and how these can be implemented/what control equipment should be used. Unlike risk assessments, which review the whole workplace for hazards, method statements are written for specific, high-risk work activities such as working from a height or using dangerous equipment.

What is a risk assessment in construction?

Risk assessments provide a systematic approach to the control and elimination of accidents at work. They are an essential basic ingredient of any workplace safety system and comprise the: identification of risks. determination of appropriate control measures to eliminate the risks or reduce them to a minimum.

What means risk assessment?

COVID-19 Risk Assessments – COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of risk assessment in the workplace. During the pandemic employers should make every reasonable effort to enable staff to work from home in the first instance. If this is not possible, then before workers can return to their normal workplace employers should undertake a risk assessment to make it ‘COVID–secure’ COVID-19 may cause you harm so employers must therefore put in place measures to prevent its spread.

  1. A risk assessment is the process of  identifying  what hazards currently exist or may appear in the workplace.
  2. A risk assessment defines which workplace hazards are likely to cause harm to employees and visitors.
  3. Employers must keep their COVID assessments under constant review taking into account changes to government guidance, technological developments such as vaccines, and our improved understanding of how the disease is transmitted (including the emergence of new variants).

Employers must identify all those for whom they have a duty of care, whether they are staff or service-users who are classed as being either at most or moderate risk from COVID-19. The most comprehensive data yet on inequalities in COVID-19 risks and outcomes at population level has now been published by Public Health England.

Our Risk Assessment Guide for Safety Reps contains detailed guidance on COVID-19 assessments. COVID-19 Risk Assessment Checklist for Safety Reps Information for UNISON members working in the NHS This confirms disproportionate rates of COVID-19 diagnosis and deaths for Black people. We are concerned about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black workers.

We have developed a template risk assessment for Black and other vulnerable workers. Our sector-based risk assessment advice also includes guidance on taking account of the increased risk to Black staff. An increasing number of employers have put in place specific processes to assess risks for Black workers.

risks are addressed effectively and meaningfully appropriate action is taken to support staff to work safely employers properly listen to the issues and concerns staff have about their circumstances

Employers should consider all groups at risk through COVID-19.

Who provides the method statement in construction?

When is a Method Statement required? – Many large construction firms require a Method Statement from any sub-contractors they engage. A client may also request a Method Statement from their main contractor or sub-contractors. While it is not a specified legal requirement, it helps to fulfil the obligation to show that all measures possible are being taken to ensure the safety, health and welfare of all associated with the project.

How do you write a methods section for a project?

Abstract – The methods section of a research paper provides the information by which a study’s validity is judged. Therefore, it requires a clear and precise description of how an experiment was done, and the rationale for why specific experimental procedures were chosen.

The methods section should describe what was done to answer the research question, describe how it was done, justify the experimental design, and explain how the results were analyzed. Scientific writing is direct and orderly. Therefore, the methods section structure should: describe the materials used in the study, explain how the materials were prepared for the study, describe the research protocol, explain how measurements were made and what calculations were performed, and state which statistical tests were done to analyze the data.

Once all elements of the methods section are written, subsequent drafts should focus on how to present those elements as clearly and logically as possibly. The description of preparations, measurements, and the protocol should be organized chronologically.