When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and landscaping & tree surgery teams carrying out soft landscaping & planting — 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
Soft landscaping, turfing and planting with manual handling and substances.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task planning: Review site investigation data, obtain services drawings, conduct CAT and genny sweep of work area, and mark all identified underground services before any cultivation or digging commences.
- 2COSHH and risk assessment review: Brief all operatives on the task-specific RAMS including COSHH assessments for all chemicals, growing media and soil conditions. Confirm operator certifications for plant and pesticide application.
- 3Site setup and access control: Erect exclusion barriers, signage and welfare facilities. Establish plant travel routes segregated from pedestrian access. Confirm first-aid arrangements and emergency contacts.
- 4Ground preparation: Using appropriate plant (operated by certified operative with exclusion zone in place) or hand tools, cultivate, rotavate or dig the planting area. Hand-dig within tolerance zones of identified services.
- 5Soil improvement and chemical application (if required): Apply fertilisers, soil conditioners or herbicides in accordance with the COSHH assessment, product SDS and operator certification. Use full chemical PPE and maintain public/colleague exclusion during application.
- 6Material delivery and placement: Direct delivery vehicles to agreed location. Use mechanical handling aids (wheelbarrows, sack trucks, dumpers) to move turf rolls, plants and growing media to point of use. Apply team-lift protocols for heavy items.
- 7Turfing and planting: Lay turf or plant specimens using correct manual handling techniques and hand tools. Damp down dry compost before handling. Wear appropriate gloves and dust mask when handling growing media.
- 8Finishing, edging and mulching: Apply mulch or bark to suppress weeds. Ensure all turf edges and planting beds are firmed. Collect and dispose of waste materials, packaging and any identified sharps using safe handling procedures.
- 9End-of-day housekeeping and inspection: Remove all tools, plant materials and trip hazards from the work area. Clean and store chemical application equipment safely. Inspect and record condition of any plant used. Ensure barriers and signage remain in place if works are incomplete.
- 10Post-task debrief: Record any near misses, incidents or findings (contaminated material, services anomalies) in the site register. Update RAMS as required and communicate findings to the responsible person.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Manual handling — heavy loads
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Arrange delivery of materials as close as possible to the point of use to minimise carrying distances. Use bulk-bag deliveries placed by vehicle crane or telehandler where practicable.
- › Use sack trucks, wheelbarrows, pallet trucks or compact dumpers to move heavy soil, turf rolls and plants across site.
- › Conduct team lifts for awkward or heavy items. Ensure all operatives have received manual handling awareness training including correct posture and lift techniques.
- › Provide and wear supportive work boots with ankle protection. Consider back-support belts for prolonged repetitive lifting tasks following individual assessment.
Dermal and inhalation exposure to soil and composts
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Carry out a COSHH assessment for all composts, growing media and soil amendments used on site prior to task commencement.
- › Dampen loose compost or bark before handling to suppress dust. Open bags in open, ventilated areas and avoid shaking out contents unnecessarily.
- › Provide welfare facilities with running water, soap and towels. Operatives must wash hands before eating, drinking or smoking. No food or drink near working areas.
- › Wear FFP2 dust mask when handling dry compost or bark. Wear nitrile gloves to prevent skin contact with soil micro-organisms and any irritants.
Pesticide and herbicide exposure
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Evaluate whether manual or mechanical weed removal can replace chemical herbicide application. Use physical mulching to suppress weeds instead of chemicals.
- › Where chemicals must be used, select the least harmful effective product with lower volatile organic content or hazard classification.
- › Complete a COSHH assessment for all chemicals. Pesticide applicators must hold a valid PA1/PA6 (or equivalent) certificate of competence. Follow SDS instructions for mixing and application.
- › Wear chemical-resistant nitrile gloves, eye protection (goggles), chemical-resistant apron and appropriate RPE as specified in the product SDS.
Slips, trips, and falls on uneven ground
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Ensure working areas are raked level before commencing planting. Maintain clear walkways and store materials in designated areas away from foot traffic routes.
- › Use barriers or signage to identify freshly cultivated, soft or uneven ground areas, particularly near public access routes.
- › Wear safety boots with slip-resistant, mud-shedding soles suitable for outdoor ground conditions.
Plant and equipment — compact machinery
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Only trained, competent and, where required, certificated operators (e.g. CPCS/NPORS) may operate plant. Conduct daily pre-use checks and record findings.
- › Establish and maintain a minimum 2 m exclusion zone around operating machinery. Use a banksman where visibility is restricted.
- › Plan site logistics to separate plant travel routes from pedestrian walkways using physical barriers, signage or one-way systems.
- › All personnel working in the vicinity of moving plant must wear high-visibility vests or jackets.
Underground services strike
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Obtain up-to-date services drawings from utilities and use a calibrated cable avoidance tool (CAT) and genny to locate buried services before any digging commences.
- › Mark all identified services on the ground with spray paint or stakes. Maintain minimum safe dig distances and hand-dig only within the tolerance zone.
- › Implement a permit-to-dig system. Competent person must authorise all excavation and cultivation activities following services checks.
Sharps and biological hazards in soil
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Review available site investigation data and visually inspect the area for evidence of contamination, sharps or animal activity before commencing work.
- › Provide clearly labelled sharps containers on site. Any found needles or sharps must be collected using appropriate tools (not bare hands) and disposed of safely.
- › Ensure operatives wash hands and any cuts thoroughly. All cuts must be covered with waterproof dressings. Check tetanus vaccination status of all operatives. Report any needle-stick injuries immediately.
- › Wear puncture-resistant gardening gloves or cut-resistant lined gloves when handling soil and removing ground debris.
Hand-arm vibration from tools
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Where practicable, substitute hand-powered or lower-vibration alternatives (e.g. manual digging for small planting areas rather than powered cultivators).
- › Calculate daily vibration exposure using tool manufacturer ELV data. Rotate operatives on vibrating tools to keep exposure below the Exposure Action Value (2.5 m/s²) and prevent reaching the Exposure Limit Value (5 m/s²).
- › Provide anti-vibration gloves where residual risk remains. Enrol operatives using vibrating tools regularly in a HAVs health surveillance programme.
Public interface — struck by or trip hazard
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Erect Heras fencing, pedestrian barriers or hoarding to exclude the public from the active work zone before commencing any cultivation, planting or chemical application.
- › Display clear, multilingual warning signs at all access points indicating hazards and exclusion zones. Notify adjacent occupiers of works programme.
- › Where public pedestrian routes cannot be closed, provide a trained banksman or traffic marshal to manage safe passage during high-risk activities.
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 per the COSHH assessment
- ✓ Chemical-resistant gloves
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
Competence
- ✓ NPTC/City & Guilds chainsaw and tree-work certificates of competence (CS30/31/38 or equivalent units) for the specific operation
- ✓ 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 soft landscaping & planting 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 soft landscaping & planting, 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 soft landscaping & planting?
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, COSHH 2002, reg 7 — prevention or control of exposure, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment are the main ones, alongside PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), 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 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.