How to Write a Method Statement: A Practical Guide for Construction

Method statements are one of the most requested documents on any UK construction site, yet they are also one of the most poorly written. Too many method statements are generic templates pulled from the internet, barely modified, and filed away without anyone reading them. A good method statement is specific, practical, and genuinely useful as a working document. This guide shows you how to write one properly.

What Is a Method Statement?

A method statement is a document that describes how a specific piece of work will be carried out safely. It sits alongside the risk assessment as part of the RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) package. While the risk assessment identifies the hazards and evaluates the risks, the method statement describes the practical steps, sequence, and controls that will be used to carry out the work.

Method statements are not a legal requirement in themselves. There is no regulation that says you must produce one. However, under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and CDM 2015, you must plan and manage work safely. A method statement is the most practical way to demonstrate that you have done so, and most principal contractors will not allow work to begin without one.

What to Include in a Method Statement

1. Document information

Start with the administrative details: project name, location, subcontractor name, activity description, document reference number, revision number, date, and the name and signature of the person who prepared it. This sounds basic, but many method statements lack even these fundamentals, making them impossible to trace or version-control.

2. Scope of works

Describe clearly what work the method statement covers. Be specific. "Brickwork" is too vague. "External facing brickwork to ground and first floor elevations, including cavity wall construction with full-fill insulation, wall ties, and DPC installation" tells the reader exactly what is covered.

3. Sequence of operations

This is the core of the method statement. Describe the work step by step, in the order it will be carried out. Each step should be clear enough that someone unfamiliar with the work could follow the logic. Include:

• Preparatory works (setting out, material delivery, access arrangements)
• Main activity steps in sequence
• Quality hold points and inspection stages
• Clean-up and handover procedures

4. Resources required

• Personnel - number of operatives, qualifications required (CSCS, CPCS, PASMA, etc.)
• Plant and equipment - list all plant, tools, and equipment needed
• Materials - key materials and any specific storage requirements

5. Health and safety controls

Reference the associated risk assessment and describe the specific control measures for each significant hazard. These should be practical and specific to the task, not generic statements like "operatives will be careful." Examples of proper controls:

• "Edge protection will be installed to all open edges above 2 metres before brickwork commences"
• "A banksman with a valid CPCS card will be in attendance for all crane lifts"
• "Silica dust will be controlled using wet cutting methods and local exhaust ventilation"

6. Emergency procedures

Describe what to do if something goes wrong. This should be specific to the activity, not just a reference to the general site emergency plan. For example, a method statement for working over water should describe the rescue arrangements, not just say "see site emergency plan."

7. Environmental controls

Cover dust suppression, noise management, waste disposal, and any measures to protect ecology or watercourses. These are increasingly scrutinised, particularly on sites with environmental management plans or BREEAM requirements.

Common Mistakes That Undermine Method Statements

Generic templates with no site-specific detail

The most common problem. A method statement for brickwork on a three-storey building in central London should look very different from one for a single-storey extension in a rural village. If your method statement could apply to any project anywhere, it is not specific enough.

Too long and detailed

A 40-page method statement for a straightforward activity will not be read by anyone. Keep it proportionate to the risk. A simple task might need two or three pages. A complex lifting operation or demolition sequence might legitimately need ten or more. But do not pad it out with generic waffle.

No worker involvement

The people who will actually carry out the work should be involved in writing the method statement. They know the practical realities that office-based planners may miss. Walk the work area with the supervisor and discuss the sequence before committing it to paper.

Not updated when circumstances change

A method statement written before the work starts may become outdated if site conditions change, the sequence is altered, or additional hazards are identified. Treat it as a living document and revise it when necessary.

Making Method Statements Work in Practice

The real test of a method statement is whether it changes behaviour on site. To achieve that:

1. Brief the workforce - do not just hand over the document. Walk through the key points with the operatives who will be doing the work. Use the method statement as the basis for a toolbox talk
2. Keep it accessible - a method statement filed in the site office is useless if the work is happening 200 metres away. Make copies available at the work face, or use digital tools that operatives can access on their phones
3. Monitor compliance - check that the work is actually being carried out in accordance with the method statement. If it is not, either the method statement needs updating or the operatives need re-briefing
4. Review after completion - capture lessons learned. What worked well? What would you change? This feeds into better method statements for future projects

A method statement that sits in a drawer is a liability, not a safeguard. The only method statement worth having is one that the people doing the work have read, understood, and are actually following.