Floor Screeding RAMS: what contractors should include.

Floor-screeding RAMS should explain how the specified screed will be delivered or mixed, moved, placed, compacted or worked, levelled, finished, cured and protected without uncontrolled exposure to cement, dust, machinery, hoses, heavy materials, repetitive kneeling or other trades. They should identify the actual floor build-up, product, areas, thickness information, plant, materials, workforce, sequence, hold points and change arrangements.

Under CDM 2015, contractors must plan, manage and monitor their work, provide appropriate supervision and instructions, coordinate with other duty holders and protect anyone affected by the activity. A generic list of screeding hazards does not show how the proposed system will be installed in the actual rooms.

The RAMS should align with the relevant parts of the Construction Phase Plan, current floor drawings and specification, manufacturers' information, delivery and pumping arrangements, COSHH assessments, inspection plan and follow-on programme.

Define exactly what the floor-screeding scope includes

State whether the work covers traditional sand/cement screed, a proprietary bagged screed, bonded, unbonded or floating construction, local falls, bays, thresholds, movement details and any approved reinforcement or fibres. Record the rooms, floor build-up, design levels, specified thickness information and interfaces with doors, stairs, drainage and finishes.

Identify how material reaches the floor: ready mixed, mixed at a designated station, supplied in bags, pumped from outside or moved by mechanical aid. The method and controls will differ for bag handling, a forced-action mixer, a screed pump, delivery hoses, buckets, barrows or another arrangement.

Separate activities that need their own design, product or specialist assessment. A routine sand/cement or proprietary-screed method should not automatically cover structural toppings, industrial resin floors, power-floated concrete, specialist flowing or calcium-sulphate systems, large pumping operations, substrate repairs, asbestos disturbance or underfloor-heating commissioning.

What information is needed before screeding starts?

Obtain and confirm, where relevant:

• the current floor plans, levels, room schedule, build-up, screed specification, thickness information and finish or tolerance requirements;
• whether the screed is bonded, unbonded or floating and the approved substrate preparation, primer, membrane, insulation, edge-strip and joint details;
• underfloor-heating layouts, pressure-test or commissioning status, fixing restrictions and who releases the system before it is covered;
• product data, current safety data, mixing ratios, working time, temperature limits, curing method and manufacturer's installation instructions;
• the area-release criteria, substrate condition, contamination, moisture, services, penetrations, openings and protection of adjacent finishes;
• material quantities, bag and component weights, delivery route, unloading point, storage and mechanical handling arrangements;
• the mixer, pump, hose route, power supply, guards, cleaning method, exclusion area and competent operators;
• water supply, washout location, spill control, welfare and emergency eyewash arrangements;
• ventilation, lighting, access, escape routes, shared work areas and interfaces with occupants or other trades;
• testing, inspection, hold points, curing, trafficking and loading restrictions; and
• the principal contractor's permits, site rules, programme, waste arrangements and handover requirements.

Do not invent screed thicknesses, mix proportions, drying periods, moisture criteria, joint positions or underfloor-heating procedures. Use the approved design, specification and current manufacturer's information, and raise conflicts before material is placed.

Write the method in the order the work will happen

A project-specific sequence may need to describe:

1. confirming approved information, product, room release, substrate, services, levels, access and environmental conditions;
2. establishing delivery, unloading, storage, mixing or pumping zones with vehicle, pedestrian and public interfaces controlled;
3. checking plant, guards, hoses, electrical supply, water, tools, extraction, spill equipment and welfare before use;
4. preparing and accepting the substrate, then installing approved primers, membranes, insulation, edge strips, joints or reinforcement in sequence;
5. setting datums, levels, bays or guides and recording the pre-placement hold point;
6. mixing or receiving the screed and moving it to the workface without uncontrolled dust, manual handling, spillage or hose movement;
7. placing, spreading, compacting or working, levelling and finishing the screed using the specified method;
8. checking levels, surface, joints, edges and interfaces while the work remains accessible;
9. cleaning tools and equipment in the designated area without unsafe intervention or uncontrolled cement washout;
10. applying the specified curing and protection arrangements and preventing premature access, trafficking or loading; and
11. recording inspections, test results, area status, defects, repairs and handover information.

Include hold points before the floor build-up is concealed, before placement begins and before the area is released to following trades. State who carries out each check and which drawing, specification or product instruction they use.

Critical controls to address in floor-screeding RAMS

Wet cement, skin contact and welfare

Wet screed containing cement can cause dermatitis and serious alkaline burns, especially where it is trapped against skin or inside boots or gloves. HSE specifically advises appropriate waterproof knee protection or knee boards for screeding, minimising kneeling time, and wearing trousers over boots so material cannot run inside.

The method should define how direct contact is reduced, which task-suitable waterproof gloves, clothing, footwear and eye protection are required, and how contaminated PPE is removed. Warm running water, soap, towels and emergency eyewash must be accessible; workers should not use solvents or rely on barrier cream instead of washing.

Use the current COSHH assessment to define training, skin checks or health surveillance where required. Stop work and obtain first aid promptly if cement enters the eyes, causes a burn or remains trapped against skin.

Cement powder, additives and construction dust

Bag opening and dry mixing can release cement and aggregate dust. Plan the process to avoid or reduce powder handling—for example, by using a suitable pre-mixed or wet-delivered system where the design and logistics allow. Position the mixing area to protect workers and others, use effective source controls, and load the mixer carefully.

Do not dry sweep settled dust. Use suitable vacuum or damp-cleaning methods. Product additives, primers, curing agents and cleaners need their own task-specific COSHH assessment based on current safety data and actual use; a safety data sheet by itself is not the assessment.

If the control assessment selects respiratory protective equipment, it should support effective source control, be suitable for the substance and wearer, and be managed with the required face fitting, maintenance and storage.

Manual handling and material movement

Assess actual bag, tool, hose and component weights, delivery distance, stairs, floor condition and repetition. HSE's construction guidance says handling assessment should consider holding loads away from the body, twisting, stooping, long carrying distances, repetitive work and time pressure.

Deliver materials close to the point of use where practicable, use pallets, trolleys, hoists, pumps or other suitable aids, and avoid storing bagged material where it can become wet, unstable or obstruct access. Handling training supports the controls but does not replace eliminating or reducing the risky operation.

Mixers, pumps, hoses and cleaning

Select equipment suitable for the product and output, install it on a stable base and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Guards and controls must remain effective, operators must be trained, and the work area should exclude people who are not involved.

Plan the hose route and secure or protect it where necessary so it cannot whip, move unexpectedly, trip people, block escape routes or be damaged by vehicles. Define communication between the pump and workface, emergency stop arrangements, controlled depressurisation and the response to a blockage.

Never reach into a mixer, pump or guarded area to clear, clean or adjust it while energy can be reintroduced. Isolate the equipment and follow the approved safe-stop and maintenance procedure. Keep washout within the designated containment and away from drains.

Electricity, water and trailing services

Wet work increases the importance of suitable electrical equipment and protected supplies. Define the site voltage and supply arrangement, inspection status, cable and connector protection, and how damaged equipment is removed from use. An RCD is a secondary protection measure, not a substitute for suitable equipment and safe working.

Route leads, water hoses and pump lines to avoid doorways, sharp edges, standing water and uncontrolled crossings. Where a crossing cannot be avoided, use a planned and suitable protection method that does not create another trip or access hazard.

Kneeling, repetitive work and working posture

Screeding can involve prolonged kneeling, forceful hand work, reaching and repetitive finishing. Use longer-handled tools and standing methods where the product and finish allow, organise the work so people can change posture, and provide suitable waterproof knee boards or pads for unavoidable kneeling on wet cement.

Plan realistic bay sizes, staffing, breaks and rotation without disrupting quality-critical work. Report pain, numbness, skin symptoms or other early signs rather than normalising them as part of the trade.

Slips, access and protection of fresh work

Spillage, wet screed, hoses, tools and damaged packaging can obstruct routes and cause slips or trips. Define a clean route into and out of the work area, maintain lighting, remove waste as work progresses and keep emergency access available.

Once placed, segregate the area and display clear restrictions based on the approved curing and loading information. Coordinate doors, thresholds and escape routes so workers are not trapped beyond fresh screed or forced to cross it. Do not allow following trades, stored materials or access equipment onto the floor before release.

How should screeding RAMS be briefed and reviewed?

The supervisor should brief the people doing the work on the actual floor build-up, product, delivery or pumping method, sequence, COSHH controls, plant, hose route, hold points, curing arrangements and stop-work conditions. Check understanding at the workface rather than only collecting signatures.

Review the RAMS when the screed product or system changes, the substrate or build-up differs from the drawing, underfloor heating has not been released, access or pumping arrangements change, ventilation or temperature falls outside the product limits, controls are not effective, or an incident or near miss exposes a gap.

The contractor remains responsible for planning, managing and monitoring the work. A principal contractor's review or acceptance does not transfer that duty.

Can a floor-screeding RAMS template be used?

A relevant template can provide a structured starting point, but it cannot know the project's floor build-up, screed type, product data, substrate, thickness, underfloor heating, mixing or pumping arrangement, access, environment, curing requirements or principal contractor rules.

The IMERI H&S Partners Floor Screeding – Sand/Cement or Proprietary Screed RAMS template is currently available as a digital product. Its scope must be checked against the intended work. A competent person must assess the actual project, adapt the hazards, sequence and controls, coordinate it with current design and product information, and brief the workforce before use.

Buying or downloading a template does not make it approved, suitable for the project or ready to issue. It does not replace the screed specification, manufacturer's instructions, COSHH assessments, underfloor-heating release, inspection plan or principal contractor review.

When is project-specific RAMS support useful?

Support may be useful where several screed systems are used, the floor build-up or underfloor heating is complex, pumping and delivery routes cross shared areas, the project is occupied, ventilation or access is restricted, large quantities create handling issues, or review comments show that the proposed method is incomplete.

For projects in Watford, Hertfordshire, London and the South East, send the floor drawings, screed specification, product data, areas and thickness information, floor build-up, substrate and underfloor-heating status, delivery or pumping plan, access, programme and principal contractor requirements. IMERI H&S Partners can then confirm an appropriate scope for project-specific RAMS support.