When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and fencing teams carrying out roadside & highway fencing — 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
- ✓ 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
Install fencing in or near the highway with traffic management and public segregation.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-works planning: obtain utility records, carry out CAT and Genny scan, review highway authority requirements, and design and agree traffic management scheme with relevant authority. Ensure permit-to-dig issued.
- 2Mobilise to site and install traffic management (signs, cones, lane closure or contraflow) in accordance with the approved Chapter 8 scheme before any operative enters the working area. Position vehicle-mounted attenuator shadow vehicle.
- 3Erect continuous pedestrian barriers and provide signed alternative pedestrian diversion route before breaking ground or obstructing any existing path.
- 4Conduct pre-start briefing: confirm traffic management is in place, exclusion zones, emergency procedures, service locations and individual task allocations. Complete relevant checklists.
- 5Excavate or drive fence post positions using confirmed safe methods. Where services are present within 500 mm, hand-dig trial holes first. Cover or barrier all open holes when not actively working.
- 6Handle, position and set fence posts mechanically where practicable. Where manual handling is unavoidable, apply team-lift procedures. Concrete or backfill posts as specified, ensuring alignment.
- 7Fix rails, panels, wire or pales to posts using appropriate fixings. Carry out any on-site cutting using dust-suppressed power tools; operatives to wear appropriate PPE. Rotate operatives using vibrating tools to manage HAV exposure.
- 8Inspect completed fencing section for stability, correct installation and any sharp edges or projections. Rectify defects before proceeding.
- 9Clear all arisings, tools, materials and spoil from the carriageway and footway. Remove pedestrian barriers only after confirming public route is reinstated and safe.
- 10Strike traffic management in the correct sequence (remove in reverse order to installation) once all works are complete and the carriageway/footway is safe for normal use. Conduct final site check and report completion.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Vehicle strike
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Design and implement a formal traffic management scheme (lane closure, contraflow or signed diversion) in accordance with Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual before any work begins. Scheme must be designed by a competent person.
- › Position a vehicle-mounted attenuator (VMA) or suitable shadow vehicle with attenuator between live traffic and the workforce at all times during active work.
- › Brief all operatives on the traffic management layout, exclusion zones and emergency procedures before starting work. Repeat at each new location.
- › All personnel on or near the highway to wear Class 3 high-visibility clothing at all times.
Struck by plant
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Establish a clearly marked exclusion zone equal to the plant's maximum reach plus 1 m. No persons other than the operator to be within this zone during operation.
- › Deploy a trained, competent banksman to control plant movements, particularly when reversing or working close to the public or workforce.
- › Verify all plant operators hold current relevant CPCS or equivalent certification before commencing operations.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Ensure all operatives have received manual handling training covering safe lifting technique, load assessment, and recognition of when mechanical aids must be used.
- › Use sack trucks, pallet trucks, or mini-hoists to move bulk bags and materials to the work area rather than manual carrying.
- › 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.
Noise and vibration exposure
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Provide and enforce use of hearing protection (minimum SNR rated to attenuate exposure below 80 dB(A) at the ear) where noise cannot be controlled below the EAV by other means.
- › Substitute traditional post drivers with hydraulic or low-vibration alternatives where practicable to reduce HAV magnitude at source.
- › Rotate operatives on vibrating tools to keep individual daily HAV exposure below the Exposure Action Value (2.5 m/s² A(8)) and daily noise exposure below 80 dB(A) action level where possible.
- › Provide anti-vibration gloves rated to EN ISO 10819 for use when operating vibrating tools. Note: gloves are supplementary and do not replace exposure time controls.
Public safety — pedestrian segregation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Install continuous, interlocked pedestrian barriers (crowd barriers or Heras fencing with tarpaulin where required) to form a physical separation between the public and work activities throughout the works.
- › Provide a clearly signed, safe alternative pedestrian route with adequate width (minimum 1.2 m), level surface and lighting if applicable, before closing any existing footpath.
- › Erect adequate warning and directional signage at approaches to the works. Provide lighting on barriers and signs where works continue in low-light conditions.
Underground services strike
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Obtain utility records (CAT scan and Genny sweep) for the entire line of works before any post-driving or excavation. Mark up all known services on a site drawing.
- › Excavate trial holes by hand in all areas of uncertainty or where services are indicated, to confirm exact position and depth before mechanical post-driving.
- › Implement a permit-to-dig system signed off by a competent person before any ground disturbance commences.
Slips, trips and falls on highway
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Keep the work zone clear of loose tools, excess materials and arisings at all times. Store materials in designated areas within the traffic management zone, not on the carriageway.
- › Where post holes are excavated, install temporary covers or barriers immediately around open holes when not being actively worked.
- › All operatives to wear steel-toecap, midsole-protected, ankle-supporting safety boots (S3 rated) with slip-resistant soles suitable for highway surfaces.
Dust from cutting and grinding
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Specify and order posts and rails pre-cut to required lengths to eliminate on-site cutting operations where practicable.
- › Use angle grinders and cut-off saws fitted with dust suppression shrouds and extraction, or wet cutting methods, to capture dust at source.
- › Where dust suppression cannot fully control exposure, provide and use FFP3 disposable respirators or half-mask with P3 filter.
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
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
- › 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 roadside & highway fencing 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 roadside & highway fencing, 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 roadside & highway fencing?
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3, PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are the main ones, alongside Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). 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.