RAMS

[dobbslc]

The only thing I know about RAMS is that they are fitted to JCBs and the like

Oh Parm how can you forget?
Rum
Ales
Mead
Spirits

 

[Parm]

Oh Parm how can you forget?
Rum
Ales
Mead
Spirits

Thanks for reminding me. We shall sample some RAMS tonight in Dublin

 

[roofman]

Thanks for reminding me. We shall sample some RAMS tonight in Dublin

Dont forget the mantra when you get there... "sorry mate i have no change" using this you will be fully protected for Dublin night life.

 

[Onoff]

I write my "method statements" in the order I'll do whatever job.

Column 1 - Numbers

Column 2 - Task

Column 3 - Risk

Column 4 - Severity (Pre Control) High/Med/Low

Column 5 - Control

Column 6 - Severity (Post Control)
High/Med/Low

Column 7 - Comment (Dynamic)

Then I title it Risk Assessment & Method Statement.

In Column 7 I hand write anything I change as the job progresses.

 

[500e]

Don't forget to add cost to job total

 

[Onoff]

Anyone got a bog standard RA for "surveying works" as in going onto a roof and measuring stuff...with string lines and tape measures, squares etc possibly a cheap laser level.

I have found one online I can plagiarise if I even bother.

I've already done the survey, as directed by the client, no mention of them wanting an RA, now they've asked for one I wasn't even inducted, they wouldn't as I don't have a CSCS card.

For all I care it can be a template from the Kyoto Dangerous Toy & Lawnmower Company and I'll put my company name on it.

 

[brightspark]

its all one big con.you join chas in order to do work for councills etc and pay a firm to do all the method statements and rams for work carried out when in fact you know hardly anything about it apart from common seance apart from getting your cscs card to be on site that a monkey would pass

 

[Dapph2]

The whole point of writing these things is to make you think about how you're going to do the job, highlight the hazards and risks, and take steps to minimise harm.
Do it right, apply some thought eh?

Things like traffic , persons lifting weight limits , location of first aid and various lists of qualified people to do the task seem to be an ever increasing requirement from insurers and owners .. If anything goes wrong there will always be a litigated outcome if big money can be had by someone .
Remember this , even if a job was done 20 years by an unqualified chancer or someone cutting corners through ignorance or intent and it fails today killing someone you can bet your bottom dollar a lot of effort will be put into getting someone to carry the can & pay up .

Grenfell Tower fire - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Our Men's Shed has had a very very rude awaking in this respect our annual insurance . Now it take a couple of days to fill out the forms , then we get an in person visit from the insurers .. if they make any recommendations we have to show it is annotated and acted on asap which will involve another expensive visit from the insurers trained clerk . The premiums have also almost tripled

 

[Hitch]

I write up a fair few RAMS packages.

For rhe MS, I use a template whis is kind of specific to our type of works. then put relevant details in.
Details being, scope of works, location, emergency procedure, specific details for things like isolations... specialist equipment...specifics the customer may need to do... need a sign off page where all parties can sign to say they've read and agree to follow-customer, you, any employees etc.

RA again, list the risks, score them up... say how you'll reduce the risk... restore. Lots of templates/guides for these.

 

[Hitch]

The whole point of writing these things is to make you think about how you're going to do the job, highlight the hazards and risks, and take steps to minimise harm.
Do it right, apply some thought eh?

Totally agree...

Chat gpt... copy and paste....

See it a lot from lazy colleagues. Yes they're done fast... but half the time they end up so diluted or old specifics left in they're embarrassing.

 

[skotl]

One of the businesses I work with installs meeting pods into retail units, so the RAMS are quite straightforward. Then we got a contract with an international airport not far from me (not naming any names!) and the requirements in the RAMS went through the roof.

All quite straightforward, though, especially once you've done one - easy enough to copypasta to the next job. And, as said, it makes you think through the task and the hazards.
For the airport the RAMS also has to cover dealing and disposing of waste.

We've had what they call "The wombles" (not sure why) turn up mid-job to read the RAMS and then ask the guys about what it says for working at height, disposal, etc. to check that it's not simply a paperfilling exercise.

If anyone is still floundering I'm happy to send a real one over PM.

 

[addjunkie]

One of the businesses I work with installs meeting pods into retail units, so the RAMS are quite straightforward. Then we got a contract with an international airport not far from me (not naming any names!) and the requirements in the RAMS went through the roof.

All quite straightforward, though, especially once you've done one - easy enough to copypasta to the next job. And, as said, it makes you think through the task and the hazards.
For the airport the RAMS also has to cover dealing and disposing of waste.

We've had what they call "The wombles" (not sure why) turn up mid-job to read the RAMS and then ask the guys about what it says for working at height, disposal, etc. to check that it's not simply a paperfilling exercise.

If anyone is still floundering I'm happy to send a real one over PM.

Its quite simple as described above.

Work out how you intend to do the job in manageable steps, tools, equipment, specialist skills, procedures, isolations, rescue plans etc.
Then perform a risk assessment that matches the scope of work.

Its all about enforced communication making those involved in the task aware of the job, its risks and the controls to reduce the risk to ALARP.

I used to do this stuff for complex tasks like welding inside vessels that have contained hydrocarbons, on offshore installations. Ive also been the person accountable for approving such things as site controller for the permit to work system for the total site.

 

[skotl]

Its quite simple as described above.

Work out how you intend to do the job in manageable steps, tools, equipment, specialist skills, procedures, isolations, rescue plans etc.
Then perform a risk assessment that matches the scope of work.

Its all about enforced communication making those involved in the task aware of the job, its risks and the controls to reduce the risk to ALARP.

I used to do this stuff for complex tasks like welding inside vessels that have contained hydrocarbons, on offshore installations. Ive also been the person accountable for approving such things as site controller for the permit to work system for the total site.

I agree and disagree. It's quite simple once you've done a few, but it's very daunting if you've never done one. Especially when it keeps getting knocked back for vague reasons such as ("materials?" - true story).
TBH in hindsight I'd ask the customer to supply a previous RAMS for similar work - there's no reason for them not to supply it (delete the supplier if needed) and it helps the creator to understand exactly what is important to that customer.

 

[GRW]

I used to do loads of RAMS for heavy plant (diesel-electric generator) service, repair breakdown tasks.
In later tears they did have a subscription to a system where you built an MS in a modular fashion.....so over time I could add and save / edit templates of sections for regular repair tasks - which became generic templates that could be edited (as one client - Welsh Water would not accept "Generic" RAMS only site-specific.

One thing I'd say to be careful about is what you do and "omit" to mention in your MS.
Most of the "Managers" who read & sign off on these things seem to have no practical clue of what you need to do - and certain terms or phrases will open a can of worms and grief.
E.g. as is obvious - to Test the output of a generator it has to have the big mechanical bit (the engine) started and running - and be producing Live electrical output.....
..... but any mention (or clues that gave the reader to join the dots) that you'd be working on Live Equipment - would trigger instant meltdown and "you can't do that - it's dangerous!". (With anything else they were used to (drive motors, pumps, regular electrics - their conditioning is always Safe Isolation Procedures... so Live working freaked them).
So I'd just write the procedure and vaguely refer to such work as "and Test" or similar - or some Herbert would not sign off - and they'd want you to produce RAMS that implied you could measure, repair & test equipment using "The Force" or "Divine Intervention".
The trick IMO is to write a sensibly detailed and ordered RAMS that demonstrate safe working & that you know your job/task & how to do it properly.... without adding "Triggers" unnecessarily (& after all - the persons reading & signing off on your RAMS should have a reasonable understanding of what you're there to do anyway )