When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and asbestos teams carrying out asbestos encapsulation — typically because a principal contractor or client has asked for a risk assessment and method statement before work can start. It covers the recognised demolition & strip-out hazards for this task, with the controls a reviewer expects to see.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 8 task-specific hazards scored on a 5×5 matrix (initial → residual)
- ✓ Specific control measures for each hazard, in hierarchy-of-control order
- ✓ A 10-step method statement (sequence of works)
- ✓ PPE, plant/equipment, permits and competence requirements
- ✓ Emergency arrangements and operative briefing / sign-off section
Scope of works
Encapsulate/seal non-licensed ACMs in situ to manage them safely.
Sequence of works
- 1PLAN AND SURVEY: Review the current asbestos management/refurbishment survey. Confirm ACM type, location, condition and non-licensed status with a competent person. Obtain COSHH assessment and SDS for the chosen encapsulant product.
- 2NOTIFY AND ISOLATE: Inform the building duty holder and affected occupants. Establish and sign the exclusion zone. Restrict access to the work area and, where possible, schedule work outside occupied hours.
- 3SET UP WORK AREA: Lay non-slip floor protection. Erect access equipment (MEWP, podium, or scaffold as required and inspected). Ensure adequate ventilation is in place. Position waste bags and decontamination materials at the zone exit.
- 4DON PPE: All operatives to don Type 5/6 coverall, over-boots, FFP3/P3 respirator (face-fit verified), nitrile gloves, and eye protection before entering the work zone. Check all PPE for integrity.
- 5CONDITION ASSESSMENT: Visually inspect the ACM in situ. If the material is more deteriorated than the survey described, or if unexpected ACM is found, STOP work and seek competent reassessment before proceeding.
- 6APPLY ENCAPSULANT: Using a brush or low-pressure spray, apply encapsulant to the ACM surface in accordance with the product manufacturer's instructions and coverage rates. Avoid abrasion, sanding or drilling of the ACM surface. Apply additional coats if required and allow to cure between coats.
- 7CLEAN UP WORK ZONE: Collect all waste (used cloths, disposable PPE, packaging) using damp wipes. Double-bag waste in labelled asbestos waste sacks. Remove floor protection carefully, folding inward to contain any debris, and bag as asbestos waste.
- 8DECONTAMINATE: Remove coveralls and over-boots within the work zone and place directly into waste bags. Wipe down all reusable equipment and tools with damp cloths before removing from the zone. Wash hands and face thoroughly.
- 9INSPECT AND LABEL: Once encapsulant has cured, inspect the treated area to confirm full coverage and integrity. Apply asbestos-in-situ labels where appropriate. Update the building asbestos register to reflect the encapsulation status, date and product used.
- 10WASTE DISPOSAL AND RECORDS: Arrange collection and disposal of asbestos waste via a licensed waste carrier to a permitted facility. Retain waste transfer notes. Complete and file the task record including operatives' names, duration of exposure and encapsulant details.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Asbestos fibre release during encapsulation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Assess ACM condition before work. If the material is significantly damaged or friable, encapsulation may not be appropriate — escalate to licensed contractor. Do not sand, abrade or drill ACM surfaces.
- › Confirm ACM type, condition and fibre type via a current asbestos survey (management or refurbishment survey as appropriate) before proceeding. Ensure non-licensed status is verified by a competent person.
- › Apply encapsulant by brush or low-pressure spray to minimise fibre disturbance. Wet methods reduce airborne fibre generation.
- › Wear a close-fitting FFP3 disposable mask or half-mask with P3 filter as a minimum. Carry out a face fit test before use. Type and level of RPE must be confirmed by a competent person based on fibre type and activity.
Spread of asbestos contamination
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Establish a defined work zone using physical barriers and warning signage. Restrict access to essential workers only. In occupied buildings, consider polythene sheeting over adjacent floors and furnishings.
- › Remove disposable coveralls and over-boots within the work zone before leaving. Place used PPE into labelled, sealable polythene waste bags. Wipe down equipment with damp cloths before removal.
- › Double-bag all waste (cloths, PPE, packaging) in clearly labelled asbestos waste sacks. Dispose of as hazardous waste via a licensed carrier to a permitted waste site.
Inhalation of encapsulant fumes and dust
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Obtain and review the Safety Data Sheet for the encapsulant product. Complete a COSHH assessment to determine exposure risks and required controls before use.
- › Maximise natural ventilation by opening windows and doors where safe to do so. Use forced ventilation (fans exhausting to outside) if VOC levels may approach occupational exposure limits.
- › Where encapsulant performance requirements permit, select a water-based or low-VOC encapsulant to reduce fume exposure at source.
- › Wear chemical-splash goggles and nitrile gloves. If ventilation cannot adequately control vapour, use a half-mask respirator with combined P3/A1 filter.
Fall from height
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Where collective protection is not practicable, operatives must wear a harness with a lanyard attached to a suitable anchor point; restraint preferred over arrest.
- › Redesign installation sequence or use extended fixing tools to reduce the need to work at height where practicable.
- › Where working at height is unavoidable, prefer collective protection (e.g. mobile elevated work platform, independent scaffold) over personal fall protection, as required by the hierarchy of control.
- › Inspect all access equipment before each use. Only competent persons trained in the use of MEWPs, podium steps or stepladders (where lower-risk access is justified) should undertake work at height.
Slips, trips and falls at same level
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Wear footwear with slip-resistant soles rated for wet surfaces.
- › Keep the work area tidy. Route cables and hoses to minimise crossing of walkways. Use cable covers or tape down where crossing routes cannot be avoided.
- › Use non-slip dust sheets rather than plain polythene sheeting on floor surfaces. Clean up encapsulant spills immediately with damp cloths.
Public and occupant exposure to asbestos
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Establish a clearly signed exclusion zone around the work area. Inform building management and occupants before work starts. Lock or barrier doors giving access to the work area.
- › Where feasible, schedule encapsulation work outside occupied hours or when affected areas are vacated to minimise third-party exposure.
- › Notify the building owner/responsible duty holder before work. Ensure the site asbestos register is updated following completion to reflect encapsulation status of affected ACMs.
Misidentification of asbestos type or condition
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Ensure a current, accredited asbestos survey (UKAS-accredited analyst) has been completed and reviewed. Non-licensed status must be confirmed by a competent person; do not rely on visual assessment alone.
- › Operatives must stop work immediately if the ACM appears different from survey description, if unexpected ACM is discovered, or if significant fibre release occurs. A competent person must reassess before work resumes.
Manual handling of materials and equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Use trolleys or material hoists to move heavy containers of encapsulant. Decant into smaller, manageable containers for application.
- › Complete a manual handling assessment for overhead application tasks. Rotate workers on overhead application to limit sustained awkward postures.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ Disposable RPE (FFP3)
- ✓ Disposable coveralls (Type 5)
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ Safety harness and lanyard where fall arrest is the selected control
Competence
- ✓ Non-licensed / NNLW asbestos work ONLY — licensed work (e.g. AIB, lagging, sprayed coatings) must be done by an HSE-licensed contractor. Operatives need task-specific non-licensed asbestos training (beyond awareness); NNLW also needs medical surveillance, health records and notification to the enforcing authority
- ✓ Site induction completed; CSCS or equivalent where the site requires it
Schemes (CSCS, PASMA, IPAF…) evidence competence; they are not statutory requirements in themselves.
Plant & equipment
- › Hand strip tools and wrecking bars
- › Dust suppression equipment
- › Waste chutes and covered skips
- › Asbestos sample kits (analyst use only)
- › Temporary props where structure is affected
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Asbestos survey reviewed before any strip-out
- ✓ Structural stability checked before load-bearing removal
- ✓ Waste segregation and disposal route
- ✓ The document is site-specific — real address, access arrangements and dates, not a generic template
- ✓ Hazards match the actual task and the controls are specific (not “take care” and “use PPE”)
- ✓ Named supervisor and competent person, with operative sign-off space
- ✓ Emergency and rescue arrangements that work for this site
The report builder runs these as pre-submission checks before you download — or run an existing document through the free RAMS pre-submission checker.
Frequently asked questions
Who should write a asbestos encapsulation RAMS?
Someone competent to plan the work — usually the contractor doing the job or their supervisor. A template like this gives you the recognised hazards and controls for asbestos encapsulation, but the person signing it off must review it as the competent person and confirm it matches the actual site and method.
How long is the RAMS valid for?
Until something changes — there's no fixed expiry in law. Review it if the method, site conditions, equipment or people change, after any incident or near miss, and at sensible intervals on longer jobs. Date the review and re-brief the team.
What regulations apply to asbestos encapsulation?
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Work at Height Regulations 2005 are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and CDM 2015 apply to all construction work.
Does a method statement need to be site-specific?
Yes — this is the most common reason documents get sent back. Principal contractors reject generic copy-paste RAMS. Your document should name the site, access arrangements, dates, supervisor and any site-specific hazards. The RamsDocs builder fills these in for you and flags what's missing before you download.
Is this template free?
Yes — everything on RamsDocs is free during early access, including building a site-specific version of this RAMS and downloading the PDF. No card required.