When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and paving & surfacing teams carrying out kerbing & edgings — typically because a principal contractor or client has asked for a risk assessment and method statement before work can start. It covers the recognised groundworks & excavation 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
Set kerbs and edgings — heavy manual handling and traffic interface.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task: Obtain services drawings, carry out CAT/Genny scan and mark up all underground services. Issue Permit to Dig and conduct toolbox talk covering traffic management, manual handling and COSHH.
- 2Traffic and site set-up: Install and verify Chapter 8 traffic management scheme (or site hoarding/barriers). Establish operative exclusion zones, plant routes and pedestrian access paths.
- 3Excavation of kerb channel: Machine-excavate the kerb channel to formation level using mini-excavator; hand-dig within 500 mm of any marked service. Check excavation depth and width against design drawings.
- 4Sub-base preparation and compaction: Lay and compact granular sub-base to specified depth using plate compactor; operatives to wear hearing protection and PPE during compaction. Check level with datum pins.
- 5Kerb delivery and positioning: Ensure HIAB/crane delivers kerb packs as close to the laying line as possible. Position packs on firm, level ground away from excavation edges.
- 6Bedding mortar preparation: Mix or use pre-batched bedding mortar in accordance with COSHH assessment. Lay mortar bed to correct width, depth and crossfall per design. Operatives to wear waterproof gloves, barrier cream applied pre-task.
- 7Kerb setting: Lift kerbs using mechanical clamp or two-person team lift with tongs; place on mortar bed and tap to line and level using rubber mallet. Cut kerbs on-site only where pre-cut units are unavailable — use wet-cut disc saw with M/H-class vacuum extraction; RPE required.
- 8Haunching: Place and compact in-situ concrete haunch to rear of kerbs in lifts; compact using a poker vibrator. Maintain skin protection from wet concrete.
- 9Check and reinstatement: Check line, level and crossfall against datum. Backfill and compact behind kerb; clean working area of mortar waste, broken units and tools. Inspect traffic management before removal.
- 10Close-out: Remove traffic management in sequence, completing works zone clearing before allowing full traffic flow. Complete daily vibration and noise exposure records; report any near-misses or service strikes.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Manual handling — heavy kerb units
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Use a kerb-laying clamp attachment on a mini-excavator or telehandler to place kerbs mechanically, eliminating manual lifting where site conditions allow.
- › Where mechanical methods are not practicable, conduct a manual handling risk assessment and use a minimum two-person lift with agreed lift signals. Avoid twisting; use kerb-lifting tongs to maintain grip.
- › Ensure kerb packs are delivered and positioned by vehicle-mounted crane/HIAB as close to the laying line as possible to minimise carry distance.
- › Provide correctly-fitted work gloves to improve grip and reduce strain; brief operatives on correct posture and safe lifting technique before starting.
Struck by plant
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Establish clearly marked exclusion zones around operating plant. Appoint a trained banksman to control all plant movements near the working area.
- › Prepare a site-specific traffic management plan separating plant routes from pedestrian operative routes; include one-way systems where space permits.
- › All operatives within the plant operating area must wear Class 2/3 high-visibility vest or jacket at all times.
Interface with live traffic
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Design and implement a Traffic Management scheme compliant with Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual (lane closures, road closures or contraflow as appropriate) installed by trained and certificated operatives (LANTRA or equivalent).
- › Use road-rated water-filled barriers or vehicle impact attenuators to create a positive physical barrier between live traffic and the work zone where risk assessment demands it.
- › Brief all operatives on the traffic management layout, emergency evacuation route (opposite side to live traffic), and the action to take if a vehicle incursion occurs.
- › All workers in the highway environment must wear minimum Class 3 high-visibility clothing at all times.
Slips, trips, and falls on uneven ground
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Keep the working area clear of surplus mortar, broken kerb pieces and tools. Designate a waste receptacle adjacent to the work area and clear debris at regular intervals.
- › Mark open channels and excavations with hazard tape or temporary barriers when unattended to prevent others falling in.
- › Operatives must wear steel-toecap, midsole-protected footwear with slip-resistant soles appropriate to wet and muddy surfaces.
Hand-arm vibration (HAV)
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Provide anti-vibration gloves (EN ISO 10819) as a supplementary measure where exposure cannot be reduced sufficiently by other means.
- › Operatives regularly exposed above the EAV must be enrolled in a health surveillance programme including pre-employment baseline and annual review by an occupational health professional.
- › Specify tools with the lowest vibration magnitude available for the task; check manufacturer's stated vibration data and prefer hydraulic breakers over pneumatic where output is equivalent.
- › Calculate daily vibration exposure (EAV 2.5 m/s² A(8), ELV 5 m/s²) and rotate operatives to keep individual exposure below the Exposure Action Value; maintain vibration exposure records.
Dust inhalation — concrete and mortar
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Order kerbs pre-cut to dimension by the supplier to eliminate on-site cutting where practicable.
- › Where on-site cutting is unavoidable, use a disc cutter with integral water suppression (wet cutting) or a dust-shrouded saw connected to an M-class or H-class vacuum to capture dust at source.
- › Provide and enforce use of correctly face-fit tested FFP3 disposable masks or reusable half-mask respirators with P3 filters when dust cannot be fully controlled at source.
Skin contact with cement (dermatitis and chemical burns)
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Carry out a COSHH assessment referencing the product Safety Data Sheet; communicate findings and precautions to all operatives before use.
- › Provide pre-work barrier cream, in-work washing facilities with running water, and post-work moisturising cream. Operatives must wash hands and exposed skin immediately after contact.
- › Operatives must wear chemical-resistant (nitrile or neoprene) waterproof gloves and long sleeves when handling fresh cement or mortar.
Underground services strike
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Obtain statutory undertakers' drawings and carry out a cable avoidance tool (CAT) and Genny survey before any excavation. Mark up services on the ground and drawings.
- › Once services are located, excavate within 500 mm of the marked line by hand using insulated tools; do not use excavator bucket in this zone.
- › Operate a Permit to Dig authorisation system requiring sign-off by a competent person before excavation commences and after any service is exposed.
Noise — cutting and compaction equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Specify quieter plant and tools at procurement stage; prefer hydraulic compactors or electric cut-off saws where noise output data is lower.
- › Designate and sign Hearing Protection Zones around cutting and compaction operations; restrict access by non-essential personnel.
- › Provide EN352-rated hearing protection (minimum SNR suitable to reduce exposure below 80 dB(A) at the ear) for operatives and banksman within the noise zone.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ RPE per the COSHH assessment
- ✓ Chemical-resistant gloves
Competence
- ✓ NRSWA operative and supervisor accreditation for any work in or on the highway
- ✓ 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
- › Excavator and dumper as specified
- › Trench support system (boxes, sheets, props)
- › CAT and Genny (service avoidance)
- › Ladder access for excavations
- › Gas detector for confined areas
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Service avoidance: drawings reviewed, CAT/Genny sweep, permit to dig
- ✓ Excavation support method and inspection regime
- ✓ Plant/pedestrian segregation around the dig
- ✓ 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 kerbing & edgings 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 kerbing & edgings, 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 kerbing & edgings?
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3 are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. 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.