When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and cleaning teams carrying out external window cleaning — typically because a principal contractor or client has asked for a risk assessment and method statement before work can start. It covers the recognised site & general hazards for this task, with the controls a reviewer expects to see.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 9 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
External window cleaning from poles, ladders or access equipment.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task planning: Review the risk assessment and COSHH assessment, confirm weather forecast is suitable, identify overhead cables, check ground conditions and agree exclusion zone boundaries with site management.
- 2Site set-up: Erect physical barriers and/or Heras fencing to create an exclusion zone beneath and around the working area. Deploy wet floor and overhead work warning signs. Assign a banksman if public access cannot be fully prevented.
- 3Equipment inspection and selection: Select the most appropriate access method (ground-level water-fed poles preferred; MEWP or tower scaffold if poles are insufficient; ladder only as last resort). Inspect all equipment for defects and record findings before use.
- 4Access equipment erection/positioning: Position tower scaffold, MEWP or ladder on firm, level ground with spreader plates as required. Competent person to inspect tower scaffold assembly. Set ladder at correct 75° angle and secure at top or foot.
- 5PPE donning: All operatives to put on helmet, anti-slip safety footwear, safety spectacles and chemical-resistant gloves. Operative to fit and check safety harness where MEWP is in use.
- 6Chemical preparation: Mix or prepare cleaning solution in accordance with the SDS, using the minimum effective dilution. Label containers and ensure spill kit is accessible.
- 7Cleaning operation: Apply cleaning solution and clean windows working systematically across the facade. Tether all hand tools. Maintain three points of contact on ladder at all times. Do not overreach; reposition equipment as required.
- 8Water management: Direct runoff away from pedestrian routes using squeegees or absorbent matting. Refresh wet floor signage if runoff extends the wet area.
- 9Task completion and site clearance: Descend from access equipment safely, dismantle tower scaffold under competent supervision, store all chemicals correctly, remove barriers and signage, and conduct a final site inspection to confirm the area is left safe.
- 10Review: Supervisor to debrief operatives on any near-misses or issues encountered and update the risk assessment if conditions or methods changed during the task.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Fall from height
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Wear a full body harness with appropriate lanyard attached to a suitable anchor point when using a MEWP or where there is residual fall risk.
- › Assess whether water-fed pole systems (operated from ground level) can replace ladder or access equipment entirely for the task.
- › Where ground-level working is not practicable, use tower scaffold or MEWP with integral guardrails as the preferred collective protection measure before considering ladders.
- › Where a ladder is the last resort for short-duration, light-duty work: inspect for defects, set at 75° (1:4 ratio), secure at top or foot, and ensure three points of contact are maintained.
Falling objects striking persons below
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Establish a clearly demarcated exclusion zone beneath the work area using barriers and signage. Maintain for the full duration of overhead work.
- › All persons in the vicinity must wear a safety helmet rated to EN 397.
- › Attach all hand tools (squeegees, scrapers) to the operative or equipment using tool lanyards to prevent accidental drops.
- › Display appropriate warning signage at the perimeter and, where pedestrian traffic cannot be excluded, deploy a banksman to control access and warn the public.
Contact with overhead power lines
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Before commencing, visually survey and mark the location of all overhead cables within the working area. Contact the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) if cables cannot be identified or are within unsafe proximity.
- › Establish a minimum safe working distance from all identified overhead lines and communicate this exclusion zone to all operatives. Consult DNO for specific voltage-related distances.
- › Where poles must be used in proximity to electrical hazards, ensure poles are constructed of non-conductive materials (e.g. fibreglass) and are rated for the task.
Slipping on wet surfaces
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Direct runoff water away from pedestrian routes using squeegees, drainage channels or absorbent mats. Minimise overspray onto walkways.
- › Place wet floor warning signs at all access points to the working area and where runoff may affect adjacent surfaces.
- › Operatives must wear safety footwear with anti-slip soles (S1P or S3 rated) appropriate to the underfoot conditions.
COSHH — cleaning chemicals
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Specify cleaning agents with the lowest hazard classification capable of achieving the required standard (e.g. use pH-neutral detergents rather than strong acids/alkalis).
- › Obtain and review the Safety Data Sheet for each product. Complete a site-specific COSHH assessment before use. Communicate hazards and first-aid measures to all operatives.
- › Provide and enforce use of nitrile or other chemically resistant gloves and safety spectacles/goggles appropriate to the chemicals in use.
Manual handling of equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Use wheeled trolleys or carts for transport of water tanks and heavy pole systems. Specify lightweight modular scaffold or MEWP to reduce individual lift weights.
- › Conduct manual handling risk assessment. Plan two-person lifts for items exceeding recommended single-person limits. Brief operatives on correct technique.
Pedestrian and public interface
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Where possible, schedule external cleaning during low-footfall periods (e.g. early morning, weekends) or arrange temporary closure of affected footways with the relevant authority.
- › Erect physical barriers (Heras fencing, crowd barriers) to segregate the public from the work zone. Maintain a minimum clear pedestrian route width in compliance with local authority requirements.
- › Assign a designated site marshal to manage public access through or around the work zone when a fully segregated route cannot be provided.
Overturning or collapse of access equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Inspect ground conditions (level, load-bearing capacity, drainage) before positioning any access equipment. Use spreader plates or outrigger pads on soft ground.
- › Ensure tower scaffolds are erected and inspected by a competent person holding current PASMA (or equivalent) certification. Retain inspection records on site.
- › Display and enforce manufacturer's maximum working load and safe working envelope. Prohibit leaning out beyond guardrails or overreaching from the platform.
Adverse weather conditions
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Check weather forecasts before and during work. Define and communicate threshold conditions (e.g. wind speed >17 mph for tower scaffold, icy surfaces, thunder/lightning) at which work must be suspended.
- › Do not commence external height work in forecast high winds, ice or thunder. Reschedule to appropriate weather windows.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ Safety harness and lanyard where fall arrest is the selected control
- ✓ Insulated gloves where live work is unavoidable
- ✓ RPE per the COSHH assessment
- ✓ Chemical-resistant gloves
Competence
- ✓ 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
- › Welfare units and signage
- › Barriers, cones and pedestrian segregation
- › First-aid kits and eye-wash
- › Spill kits
- › Communication (radios / lone-worker device)
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Welfare provision matching CDM 2015 Schedule 2
- ✓ Traffic management and pedestrian routes
- ✓ Lone-working check-in arrangements where relevant
- ✓ 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 external window cleaning 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 external window cleaning, 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 external window cleaning?
Work at Height Regulations 2005, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment are the main ones, alongside Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and CDM 2015 apply to all construction work.
Does a RAMS 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.