RAMS for Tree Surgeons and Arborists: A Practical UK Guide
Tree surgery is one of the higher-risk trades in the UK. You're combining work at height, chainsaws, heavy falling loads, and often public proximity — sometimes all at once. A well-written RAMS isn't just a paperwork exercise; it's the document that shows your team, your client, and an enforcing authority that you've actually thought the job through.
What Is a RAMS and When Do You Need One?
A RAMS is a Risk Assessment combined with a Method Statement — two documents that work together. The risk assessment identifies the hazards and their likelihood and severity; the method statement explains, in sequence, exactly how the work will be carried out safely.
Your legal duty to carry out a risk assessment comes from Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. If you employ five or more people, you must record it in writing. In practice, any professional arborist working for a client should record their assessment regardless of team size — it demonstrates competence and forms the basis of briefing your crew.
Method statements are not a statutory requirement in themselves, but they are expected on most commercial and local authority contracts, and they're essential for high-risk arboricultural work.
The Main Hazards Tree Surgeons Must Cover
Don't use a generic template and forget to tailor it. Arboricultural work has specific, significant hazards:
- Falling from height — climbing, MEWP use, or working from a platform
- Falling objects — limbs, logs, tools, and dropped debris
- Chainsaw use — cuts, kickback, entanglement
- Struck-by risks — felled sections, rigging failure, swinging loads
- Overhead power lines — contact or flashover
- Unstable trees — decay, root failure, wind
- Traffic and public — roadside work, public open spaces
- Noise and vibration — prolonged chainsaw and chipper use
- Manual handling — moving logs, chipping operations
Work at height must be assessed under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, which require you to avoid working at height where reasonably practicable, then prevent falls, then minimise the consequences. For arborists, genuine elimination is rarely possible, so the focus falls on robust fall prevention systems: appropriate climbing techniques and equipment, correct anchor selection, and competent supervision.
Writing the Risk Assessment
Use the standard hierarchy of controls — don't jump straight to PPE:
| Hierarchy | Arboricultural example |
|---|---|
| Eliminate | Remove the need to climb by felling at ground level where safe |
| Substitute | Use a MEWP instead of free climbing for isolated accessible trees |
| Engineering | Rigging systems to control the descent of limbs; exclusion zones |
| Administrative | Safe systems of work, briefings, spotter roles, traffic management |
| PPE | Chainsaw-protective clothing, helmet with visor, hearing protection |
For each significant hazard, record: what the hazard is, who is at risk, what controls are in place, the residual risk rating, and who is responsible.
Writing the Method Statement
The method statement is the sequential, task-specific "how we will do it" document. For a typical arboricultural job it should cover:
- Site set-up — exclusion zones, signage, public protection, contact with the client or landowner
- Tree assessment — visual check for decay, hung limbs (widow-makers), lean, and proximity to services before any climbing begins
- Overhead line clearance — confirm safe distances; contact the network operator if in doubt; do not assume insulation is effective
- Equipment checks — pre-use checks on chainsaw, climbing harness, ropes, carabiners, and any MEWP
- Climbing and aerial operations — anchor selection, working line setup, communication signals with ground crew
- Rigging and lowering — sequence for removing limbs, load limits, ground crew positioning
- Felling or dismantling — cutting sequence, hinge and strap technique, escape routes
- Chipping and clearance — chipper setup, infeed discipline, no loose clothing
- Emergencies — rescue plan for a stranded or incapacitated climber (required under Work at Height Regulations 2005), first aid arrangements, nearest hospital
The emergency rescue plan is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. Every climber in the tree needs a competent person capable of performing a suspended casualty rescue if things go wrong.
Chainsaw and PPE Requirements
Chainsaw operators must be competent — typically evidenced by NPTC (Lantra Awards) chainsaw certificates relevant to the task (CS30/CS31 for ground work; CS38 for chainsaw use from a rope and harness). Competence is not optional; an employer cannot send an unqualified person to use a chainsaw.
PPE for chainsaw use must meet current standards for chainsaw-protective trousers, boots, gloves, and a helmet with integrated visor and hearing protection. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, PPE must be suitable, maintained, and actually worn.
Noise and Vibration
Prolonged use of chainsaws and brush chippers exposes operators to significant noise and hand-arm vibration (HAV). Assess exposure against the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. Record daily exposure, rotate tasks to limit vibration exposure, and carry out health surveillance if HAV exposure regularly approaches or exceeds the exposure action value.
Before You Submit Your RAMS
- Have it reviewed by a competent person before the job starts
- Brief every person on site — a RAMS no one has read is worthless
- Date and version it; update it if the scope of work or site conditions change significantly
- Keep a signed record that operatives have been briefed
A thorough, site-specific RAMS for arboricultural work demonstrates the professional standard the industry requires — and gives your team a clear, safe framework to follow from the first cut to the final chip.