Who's writing this: we make RamsDocs, so read this as a vendor comparison — but every number below is either a competitor's published price (linked in Sources) or the output of a like-for-like test we ran on 3 June 2026, where the same boiler-installation job spec went through every builder we could access. Check our work against the sources.
We publish a free RAMS template library and make RAMS software, so we have skin on both sides of this question. The honest answer: a free template is genuinely enough in some situations, and pretending otherwise would be the kind of scare-marketing this industry has too much of.
When a free template is genuinely enough
- You know your trade's hazards cold and write well. A template is just structure; if you can fill in real, site-specific hazards, sequencing and controls, the result is a perfectly good RAMS. Thousands of competent contractors do exactly this.
- Low-risk, repetitive work with a stable method. If your jobs genuinely vary only by address and date, a well-built master document carefully updated per job can serve — provided "carefully updated" actually happens and the document stays under 12 months old for accreditation purposes.
- You need structure, not content. Our what to include in a RAMS template guide plus a blank template covers the skeleton.
Where the free template quietly gets expensive
The template's cost isn't the download — it's the failure modes:
- The copy-paste trap. Last job's document with a new site name is the single most reported reason principal contractors reject RAMS and SSIP assessors send evidence back. The rejection costs a delayed start; on a job with four operatives, one lost Monday is hundreds of pounds.
- The evening tax. Writing a proper site-specific RAMS from a blank template takes a competent person an evening. Quoting the next job is usually worth more than that evening.
- The blind spots. A blank template doesn't know that your occupied-premises job needs public segregation, or that the hot works trigger a fire-watch requirement. Software that asks about the job catches what the blank page doesn't.
The decision in one table
| Your situation | Honest recommendation |
|---|---|
| Competent writer, stable low-risk work | Free template — ours are here |
| Client/PC has rejected your RAMS before | Software — the failure mode is exactly what generation fixes |
| Accreditation assessment coming up (CHAS, SafeContractor, SMAS) | Job-specific documents under 12 months old — see RAMS for CHAS |
| One-off unusual job outside your routine | Software or a consultant — unfamiliar hazards are where blank templates bite |
| High volume, every week | Software with no document cap — compare options in best RAMS software UK |
What "software" costs if you do need it
Verified June 2026: RamsDocs is free during early access; HSEDocs sells editable Word documents at £8.99; swiftRMS is £49/month unlimited; HandsHQ individual plans run £44–£190/month with monthly document caps; RAMs App's annual Unlimited is £449 +VAT/year; HASpod membership is £799 +VAT/year. Full comparison here.
The cheapest correct answer is still: if a free template plus your competence produces documents your clients accept, keep doing that — and bookmark the software for the job where it doesn't.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a free RAMS template legally acceptable?
Yes — the law (and CDM 2015) cares that your risk assessment is suitable and sufficient and your method safe, not what tool produced the document. The risk with free templates is practical: generic, under-edited documents are the most common reason RAMS get rejected by principal contractors and accreditation assessors.
Why do principal contractors reject template RAMS?
Because they can tell. Wrong site references, hazards that don't match the job, controls that say 'wear PPE and take care' — the markers of an unedited template. The fix is genuine site-specific editing, whether you do it by hand in Word or have software draft it from the job details.
When should I move from templates to software?
Three reliable triggers: a rejection has already cost you a delayed start; an SSIP accreditation assessment needs job-specific documents less than 12 months old; or you're producing RAMS weekly and the evening editing time costs more than the tooling.
Are RamsDocs' own templates free?
Yes — the template library is free to browse and use, and the report builder that turns a template into a site-specific document for your job is also free during early access.
Sources & Verification
Facts on this page were checked against the linked sources on 6 June 2026. Pricing and features change — verify against the live source before relying on a number.
RamsDocs helps draft structured RAMS from your job details. It does not replace competent-person review, site-specific judgement or your legal duties.