When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and fencing teams carrying out fence & gate removal — 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
Strip out and remove existing fencing and gates — manual handling and dust/old-coating exposure.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task planning: Review drawings and utility records. Carry out CAT and genny scan along the full fence line. Mark all identified services. Complete COSHH assessment for coatings and preservative treatments. Obtain and brief team on the method statement and risk assessment.
- 2Establish exclusion zone: Erect temporary barriers or Heras fencing on the public-facing side of the work area. Place warning signs. Brief any banksman. Obtain traffic management if adjacent to highway.
- 3Confirm PPE issued and in use: Ensure all operatives are wearing minimum required PPE (safety boots, helmet, hi-vis, gloves, eye protection) before any removal commences. Issue RPE where COSHH assessment requires.
- 4Remove gates first: Disconnect hinges and latches methodically. Support gates throughout — use at least two operatives or mechanical lift. Lay flat or load directly onto the transport vehicle.
- 5Strip infill panels: Remove fixings and rails in a controlled sequence, always maintaining support until the panel is fully free. Stack removed panels immediately in the designated area or load directly to skip/vehicle.
- 6Extract fence posts: Use mechanical post puller where available. Where services are in proximity hand-dig to expose the post base first. Extract posts vertically. Cap any exposed holes temporarily to prevent trip hazard.
- 7Handle coated or treated materials: Damp down painted or treated surfaces before handling. Use RPE when dust is generated. Segregate any materials suspected of containing hazardous coatings for appropriate disposal.
- 8Progressive clean-up: Clear debris, wire off-cuts and fixings continuously throughout the work. Remove trip hazards from the working corridor before progressing to the next section.
- 9Load out and waste segregation: Sort removed materials into metal, timber and contaminated waste streams. Load waste into appropriately labelled skips. Ensure hazardous waste (e.g. CCA-treated timber, lead-painted metal) is consigned via a licensed waste carrier.
- 10Final site inspection: Walk the cleared boundary line to confirm all posts have been removed or made safe, no protruding fixings or open holes remain, exclusion barriers are intact, and the site is left in a safe condition.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Use trolleys, sack trucks, pallet trucks, or mini-telehandlers to move heavy items where layout permits, avoiding manual lifting.
- › Conduct a manual handling task assessment before work begins. Use two-person team lifts for all items over 25 kg or that are awkward in shape. Brief all operatives on safe lifting technique.
- › Dismantle large panels into smaller sections before moving to reduce individual load weights.
- › Wear heavy-duty rigger gloves to improve grip, protect against cuts and reduce hand fatigue during manual handling.
Struck by falling or swinging panel
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Plan the removal sequence so panels are always supported before fixings are released. Never leave a partially detached panel unattended.
- › Erect barriers or tape and signage to create an exclusion zone around the work area preventing unauthorised access during panel and post removal.
- › Wear a safety helmet to protect against impact from falling or swinging components.
Cuts and lacerations from sharp edges
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Inspect fencing materials before removal to identify barbed wire, broken mesh, sharp cut ends or exposed fixings and plan handling method accordingly.
- › Wear cut-resistant gloves (EN 388 rated, minimum Level C cut resistance) when handling metal fencing, wire or broken edges.
- › Use purpose-made wire handling tools or long-handled grabs when handling barbed or razor wire to keep hands away from the wire.
Dust and old coating inhalation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Carry out a COSHH assessment before work. Test or assume presence of lead-based paint on older metalwork. Identify any preservative treatments on timber. Assess exposure risk and establish appropriate controls.
- › Dampen down painted surfaces and timber before cutting or breaking to reduce airborne dust and paint particle release.
- › Where possible, remove panels and posts intact without cutting or grinding to reduce generation of hazardous dust and fumes.
- › Where dust or paint particles cannot be adequately suppressed, wear a suitable RPE (minimum FFP2 for general dust; FFP3 or half-mask with P3 filter where lead paint is suspected).
Underground services strike
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Within 500 mm of any identified or suspected service, expose by careful hand excavation only — no mechanical augering or digging tools.
- › Obtain utility drawings and use a calibrated cable avoidance tool (CAT) and genny to locate and mark buried services along the fence line before any post extraction.
- › Use a purpose-made post puller attachment to extract posts in a controlled vertical direction rather than rocking or levering which can cause unpredictable ground disturbance.
Slips, trips and falls on site
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Wear steel-toe-capped, mid-sole-protection, slip-resistant safety boots (ISO 20345 S1P or S3 in wet/muddy conditions).
- › Remove and stack or skip-load fencing materials progressively as work proceeds. Never allow debris to accumulate in the working corridor.
- › Identify and clearly mark a dedicated area for stacking removed materials and a separate skip location close to the work area to keep the working route clear.
Interface with public and traffic
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Erect temporary hoarding, solid barriers or Heras fencing on the public-side before removal commences to prevent debris reaching the public and maintain site security.
- › Where working adjacent to a highway, implement a traffic management scheme (e.g. Chapter 8 cones and signs) approved by the relevant highway authority.
- › Post clear warning signage around the work area. Designate a banksman to monitor public proximity when mechanical plant is in use near boundaries.
Noise and vibration from power tools
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Provide and enforce use of SNR-rated hearing protection (ear defenders or plugs) when operative noise exposure exceeds 80 dB(A) or where hearing protection zones are designated.
- › Use mechanical leverage, post pullers or excavator attachments to remove posts rather than breaking or cutting with disc cutters or hammer drills wherever possible.
- › Rotate operatives using vibrating power tools and track daily vibration exposure (HAV) to remain within Exposure Action Values. Record tool usage times.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
Competence
- ✓ NRSWA operative accreditation for any work in or on the highway; CAT & Genny competence for buried-service detection (HSG47)
- ✓ 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 fence & gate removal 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 fence & gate removal, 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 fence & gate removal?
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) are the main ones, alongside Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3, Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. 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.