Concrete placement RAMS: what contractors should include.

Concrete placement RAMS should connect the approved design and pour information to the delivery, placing, compaction, finishing and curing sequence. They should identify who authorises the pour, how the work area and any temporary works are released, how vehicles and people are separated, how wet-cement exposure is controlled and what stops the pour if conditions change.

HSE states that contractors must plan, manage and monitor their work and control risks to workers and anyone else affected. The RAMS should therefore be usable by the pour supervisor and workforce, not a generic list of concrete hazards.

They do not replace drawings, concrete specifications, temporary-works designs, supplier information, lifting plans, pump documentation, COSHH assessments, permits or the project's Construction Phase Plan. The method should identify and coordinate with each document that applies.

What information is needed before writing concrete RAMS?

Define the actual pour before choosing controls. Obtain and confirm, where relevant:

• the current drawings, concrete specification, required finish and any testing or quality requirements;
• the pour location, dimensions, volume, intended sequence, planned rate and delivery window;
• the placing method—for example direct chute, barrow, skip or pump—and who controls it;
• formwork, falsework, shutters, stop ends, working platforms and temporary-work information;
• reinforcement, cast-in items, services, joints and areas that must remain accessible during the pour;
• ground-bearing capacity, vehicle routes, turning or reversing arrangements and washout location;
• edges, openings, excavations, restricted areas, overhead lines and adjacent work;
• the concrete supplier's safety data and the project COSHH assessment;
• workforce numbers, competence, supervision, communication and emergency arrangements; and
• weather, lighting, curing, protection and contingency arrangements for delay or rejected loads.

A product name or delivery ticket does not establish that the workface, temporary works or placing equipment are ready. Record missing information and obtain it before the relevant hold point is released.

Write the method in the order the pour will happen

A project-specific sequence for a small or routine pour may need to cover:

1. checking the approved drawings, specification, RAMS, COSHH information and pour plan;
2. inspecting the base, reinforcement, shutters, cast-in items, access and exclusion zones;
3. releasing any temporary works and recording permission to pour;
4. briefing the workforce and checking PPE, welfare, eyewash, tools, lighting and communications;
5. receiving and marshalling delivery vehicles along the agreed route;
6. checking the delivery information and accepting or rejecting the load through the agreed quality process;
7. positioning the chute, barrows, skip or pump system without compromising access or edge protection;
8. placing and distributing concrete in the approved sequence and at the agreed rate;
9. compacting, levelling and finishing without overloading one area or exposing people to avoidable wet-concrete contact;
10. curing and protecting the concrete and restricting access to the completed area; and
11. cleaning tools and equipment and using the designated washout and waste arrangements.

Name the person coordinating the pour and explain how instructions will pass between the supervisor, delivery driver, plant operator and placing team. Hand signals and radios should be agreed before vehicle or plant movements begin.

Which hold points should appear in the method?

The RAMS should distinguish routine checks from points where work cannot continue without recorded release. Depending on the job, hold points may include:

• approved design and concrete specification available;
• formwork or falsework inspected against its design and authorised for loading;
• reinforcement, cover, cast-in items, joints and services checked;
• access, edge protection, delivery route, lighting and exclusion zones confirmed;
• placing equipment, electrical supply and any pump or lifting arrangements checked;
• pre-pour inspection and permit or checklist signed by the authorised person;
• approval before changing the placing sequence, rate, work area or equipment; and
• post-pour protection and any restrictions on striking, loading or access confirmed.

A checklist should not become a substitute for competence. It should identify who makes each decision, what they inspect and what evidence is retained.

Critical controls for concrete placement RAMS

Formwork, falsework and pour loading

HSE says temporary structures must be designed, installed and maintained to withstand foreseeable loads and used only for their intended purpose. It specifically identifies falsework for above-ground concrete pours as temporary works that need to be planned and managed.

Follow the approved design, manufacturer information and temporary-works procedure. Confirm inspection and release before loading, maintain bracing and ties, and do not change the pour rate, sequence or local loading without the required review. If movement, leakage, distortion, unusual noise or loss of support is observed, stop placing, clear the danger area and escalate through the agreed temporary-works route.

Ready-mix deliveries and site traffic

HSE requires construction sites to be organised so vehicles and pedestrians can move safely. Plan the mixer's route, arrival control, standing position, turning or reversing, public-road interface and departure before booking the load. Separate pedestrians where possible and use a trained, authorised signaller where vehicle movements require one.

Check that the standing area and access route can carry the vehicle and that chutes can be used without trapping people or blocking safe access. Drivers should receive the site rules and remain within the agreed safe area.

Pumps, hoses, skips and overhead services

If concrete is pumped or lifted, the RAMS must coordinate with the competent supplier or operator's documentation, equipment checks, exclusion zones, communications and emergency arrangements. Secure and route lines so they do not create uncontrolled movement, pressure or trip hazards, and keep people clear of discharge and hose danger areas.

HSE says work near overhead electrical lines must be carefully planned and controlled; contact is not necessary for danger because close approach can cause flashover. Check the site and access route before positioning booms or high plant. Obtain line-owner information and the required clearance and controls rather than assuming a generic distance.

Wet cement, concrete burns and welfare

HSE warns that cement-based products, including concrete, can cause dermatitis and serious burns. Wet cement trapped against skin can rapidly cause injury, and eye exposure can cause chemical burns. The COSHH assessment and method should minimise contact and specify suitable waterproof gloves, boots and clothing, with trousers worn over boots where needed to prevent concrete entering them.

Provide suitable washing and eyewash arrangements and make the response clear: contaminated clothing must be removed safely and wet concrete washed from skin promptly. Do not allow kneeling in wet concrete; use suitable tools, waterproof knee protection or boards where the task requires low-level finishing.

Vibration, noise and electrical equipment

Concrete pokers are among the tools HSE identifies as presenting hand-arm vibration risk. Select suitable maintained equipment, obtain vibration information, assess daily exposure, limit trigger time and rotate work only as part of a properly planned exposure-control programme. Brief workers on early symptoms and the reporting route.

Protect leads and connections from water and mechanical damage, use the project's specified supply and protection arrangements, and keep electrical equipment out of pooled water. Noise controls and hearing protection should follow the task assessment rather than being added automatically without considering exposure.

Edges, openings, slips and manual handling

Maintain collective edge protection and protect openings throughout the pour. Do not remove rails or covers merely to improve access without an authorised alternative. Plan hose, cable, barrow and tool routes so they do not obstruct escape or create avoidable trips. Use mechanical aids and sensible load sizes for barrows, screed rails and finishing equipment, taking account of gradients and the changing work surface.

What should stop or change the pour?

Concrete placement creates time pressure, but programme pressure does not override the agreed controls. State who can stop the work and what happens if:

• the workface, temporary works, reinforcement or access has not been released;
• the load, placing method, volume, sequence or pour rate differs from the plan;
• a vehicle cannot use the agreed route or standing area;
• a pump, hose, chute, vibrator, lighting or electrical supply becomes unsafe;
• formwork moves, leaks excessively, distorts or shows signs of distress;
• edge protection, an exclusion zone or pedestrian segregation is compromised;
• weather, visibility, groundwater or site conditions fall outside the agreed limits;
• a person suffers a concrete splash, burn, eye exposure or other injury; or
• a delay risks a cold joint, rejected load or unsafe continuation.

The revised method, design information or authorisation should be communicated before restarting. A supervisor's verbal instruction should not be used to bypass a design, temporary-works or plant-safety requirement.

Can a concrete RAMS template be used?

A template can provide a useful starting structure, but it is not automatically approved or ready for site. A competent person must assess and adapt it to the concrete specification, pour location, drawings, temporary works, access, delivery and placing method, workforce, weather and principal contractor requirements, then brief the people carrying out the work.

The IMERI H&S Partners catalogue currently lists a Concrete Placement – Small / Routine Pours RAMS template. The verified product title defines a limited activity scope. It does not by itself confirm coverage for pumping, large structural pours, suspended slabs, complex falsework, lifting operations, post-tensioning, work beside railways or highways, or other specialist conditions.

Review the RAMS shop information before purchasing. If the real pour extends beyond the listed scope, obtain the additional designs, assessments, permits, supplier documentation and specialist method information that the project requires.

When project-specific RAMS support is useful

Consultancy support can help when delivery logistics are constrained, temporary-work interfaces need coordinating, the placing method changes, the principal contractor has raised comments or the contractor needs clear hold points linking several technical documents.

IMERI H&S Partners provides project-specific RAMS and method statement support for contractors in Watford, Hertfordshire, London and the South East. Send the drawings, concrete and pour information, delivery and placing method, temporary-work details, access plan, equipment, workforce and principal contractor requirements for an appropriate scope and quotation.