What is RAMS software?
RAMS commonly refers to risk assessments and method statements used together. The risk assessment identifies hazards, the people who might be affected and the controls that should be in place. The method statement communicates how the work will be completed safely, step by step.
RAMS software provides a structured digital workflow for creating, maintaining and sharing these documents. Rather than editing a Word or PDF file each time, you work through a guided process, keep records organised by site and produce consistent outputs.
Software supports the process. It does not replace competent judgement, a suitable risk assessment or the responsibility for safe working practices — the person or business carrying out the work still owns those decisions.
Read our full guide to RAMS for UK trades for a fuller breakdown of what the documents are and why UK sites expect them.
Why use RAMS software instead of Word or PDF templates?
Static templates are a reasonable starting point. They become harder to manage when RAMS need to be produced regularly, kept up to date and shared with the right people.
Static RAMS templates
- Useful as a basic starting point
- Often copied from previous jobs
- Require repeated manual editing
- Can contain outdated information
- Become difficult to organise across sites
- Make version control harder
- Can make sign-off difficult to track
RAMS software
- Uses a structured creation workflow
- Helps keep documents job-specific
- Stores records in one organised location
- Makes updates easier to manage
- Supports digital sign-off and sharing
- Produces consistent PDF records
- Can support repeatable site-document processes
What should good RAMS software help you do?
If you are choosing RAMS software for the first time, or moving off Word and PDF templates, these are the practical capabilities worth checking against your day-to-day workflow.
Record site and job details
Good RAMS software should make it easy to capture the project, work location, planned dates, people involved and scope of work — the basic context that every downstream section relies on.
Identify task-specific hazards
Relevant hazards depend on the actual task, environment, equipment and people who may be affected. The software should help you record hazards that reflect the job in front of you, not a generic list copied from an unrelated activity.
Document suitable control measures
Controls should relate directly to the identified hazards and the conditions of the job. The software should give you space to describe practical control measures rather than push you into vague, one-size-fits-all statements.
Define the method of work
The method statement should communicate a logical, understandable way of completing the work safely. Look for software that supports a clear sequence of steps the team can actually follow on site.
Review and update documents
RAMS may need to be reviewed when the task, site, team, equipment or working conditions change. Software should make updates straightforward without forcing you to rebuild the document from scratch.
Collect and record sign-off
Sign-off can help show that a document has been shared with and acknowledged by the relevant people. A signature on its own does not prove understanding — the software should support recording who signed what, when, alongside proper communication of the content.
Export and share records
The ability to produce a clean PDF you can send to a client, principal contractor, site manager or team member is a practical, everyday need. Consistent, tidy exports save time and look more professional.
Keep documents organised
Storing records by site or job — rather than scattered across folders, drives and message threads — makes documents much easier to retrieve when a client, auditor or team member asks for them.
How creating RAMS in Graftly works
Graftly follows a straightforward, guided workflow so you can produce a site-specific RAMS without starting from a blank template.
Add the site and job details
Set up the site, work location, dates and scope so the document reflects the actual job.
Select or add relevant hazards
Work through the hazards that apply to the specific task, environment and people involved.
Review and document control measures
Record practical control measures tied to the hazards you have identified for this job.
Build the method of work
Describe the sequence of work, equipment, people and any site-specific arrangements clearly.
Review the completed document
Check the content is suitable for the site conditions and reflects how the work will actually be done.
Collect sign-off and share the record
Issue the document to the team and record acknowledgement from workers or subcontractors involved.
Export and retain a clean PDF
Produce a tidy PDF to send to clients, principal contractors or site managers, and keep it stored against the site.
Create site-specific RAMS, not generic paperwork
Copying an old RAMS document and reissuing it without a proper review can leave irrelevant, missing or outdated information in the record. A document that does not reflect the actual task or site conditions may create false confidence and fail to communicate the controls needed for the work.
A RAMS should reflect the actual:
- Work being carried out
- Site conditions
- Hazards
- People who may be affected
- Tools, plant and substances involved
- Control measures
- Sequence of work
Software can provide structure and consistency, but the user still has to review the content and make sure it is suitable for the job. A guided workflow makes that easier by prompting for the right information — it does not replace the review itself.
RAMS software for different trades
The document structure is usually similar from one job to the next. The hazards, control measures and method of work vary significantly between trades and even between individual jobs, so the actual content should always reflect what is happening on site.
Builders and general contractors
Changing site conditions, several activities in progress, access arrangements, plant on site, manual handling and coordination with other trades all need to be reflected in the RAMS.
Roofers
Work at height, roof access, fragile surfaces, falling materials and weather conditions typically drive the risk profile and dictate the control measures.
RAMS guidance for roofing work →Electricians
Electrical isolation, live services, access equipment, tools and work carried out near other contractors are common considerations for an electrical RAMS.
Plumbers and heating engineers
Hot works, water systems, manual handling, confined working areas and exposure to substances where relevant will often shape the method statement.
Groundworkers and landscapers
Excavation, underground services, machinery, moving vehicles and ground conditions will normally sit at the centre of the risk assessment.
Maintenance and facilities teams
Occupied premises, members of the public, access restrictions and coordination with the client are typical factors that need to be documented properly.
RAMS software for sole traders, small contractors and teams
What you need from RAMS software depends on the size of your business and how often you produce site documents.
Sole traders
- Creating professional records without starting from a blank page
- Keeping documents together in one place
- Reusing appropriate business and site information
Small contractors
- Producing RAMS consistently across several jobs
- Sharing records with workers and clients
- Managing sign-off from the team and subcontractors
Growing teams
- Maintaining consistent document workflows across the business
- Keeping site records organised and retrievable
- Reducing reliance on files held by a single individual
Graftly is designed around the workflows of UK trades and smaller contractors, not enterprise health and safety departments — the goal is practical, everyday site documentation.
RAMS templates and RAMS software can work together
Templates are still useful when you want to:
- Understand what a RAMS document should contain
- Review examples of how sections are structured
- Support occasional or simple documentation needs
- Provide a starting point before moving to something more repeatable
Software tends to become more useful when:
- RAMS are created regularly
- Several jobs are active at the same time
- Documents need to be reviewed or updated frequently
- Sign-off needs to be recorded properly
- Records need to be retrieved later on request
- Consistent outputs across the business matter
If you want a template to work from, view the free UK method statement template guide or the free UK risk assessment template.
What makes Graftly different?
Graftly is built around the workflows of UK trades and smaller contractors rather than large enterprise health and safety departments. That shapes both what is included and what is deliberately left out.
Create your next RAMS in Graftly
Build, review, sign and store site-specific documents through one practical workflow.
RAMS software FAQs
What does RAMS stand for?
RAMS commonly stands for risk assessments and method statements. The two documents are usually created together for a task or activity to identify the hazards involved and describe how the work will be carried out safely.
Is RAMS software a legal requirement in the UK?
Using a particular software product is not itself a legal requirement. UK employers and contractors have duties to assess and control workplace risks under health and safety law, and method statements are commonly used to plan and communicate safe working methods. Software can help you meet those responsibilities, but the responsibility itself remains with the business carrying out the work.
What is the difference between a risk assessment and a method statement?
A risk assessment identifies hazards, who may be affected and the controls that should be in place. A method statement describes how the work will be carried out safely — the sequence, people, equipment and control measures — in a way the team can follow.
Can I create RAMS on a mobile phone?
Yes. Graftly uses a mobile-first workflow designed for creating and managing site documents on a phone or tablet, as well as on a desktop.
Can I use a RAMS template instead of software?
A suitable template may be enough for occasional or simple documentation. Software becomes more useful when you produce RAMS regularly, work across several sites, need to keep documents organised, or want to record sign-off and share cleaner PDF records.
Can workers sign RAMS digitally?
Graftly supports sign-off and sharing so you can record that a document has been issued and acknowledged. A digital signature on its own does not prove someone has understood the content — the RAMS should still be communicated to the people doing the work.
Can Graftly export RAMS as a PDF?
Yes. Completed documents can be exported as clean PDF records to share with clients, principal contractors, site managers or team members.
Do subcontractors need to provide RAMS?
It depends on the work, the risks involved, the project arrangements and what the client or principal contractor asks for. Many main contractors will request RAMS from subcontractors before allowing them on site, particularly for higher-risk activities.
How often should RAMS be reviewed?
RAMS should be reviewed whenever they may no longer reflect the work being done — for example when the task, site, team, equipment, substances, sequence of work or working conditions change.
Does RAMS software guarantee compliance?
No. Software provides structure and record-keeping support, but the user remains responsible for making sure the assessment, controls and method of work are suitable for the job.