How to Write a Method Statement

A method statement is often required to show how you or your company will safely carry out a specific
kind of task. They’re especially common in construction and other high-risk fields. It can feel daunting
to try and write one from scratch, but if you break down the information that is needed, you’ll find that
you can craft an effective method statement in no time!
Part 1
Creating the Header
1.

1
Title your document with the name of the project you’re working on. These documents don’t need
to be fancy—the more direct and simple the content, the easier it’ll be for the company receiving the
method statement to review it. At the top of a blank document, type, “Project name:” followed by the
needed detail.[1]
 If the project doesn’t have a name yet, simply use the company’s name that is
contracting you to do the work. For example, if Company XYZ is hiring you for a bathroom
remodel, type, “Project name: Company XYZ Bathroom Remodel.”
Tip: You can download and fill in a pre-made method statement template. Search online to find one
that fits your needs.
2.

2
Write a brief description of what the project entails. Craft a 2-4 sentence paragraph that states what
you will be doing. There’s no need to go into any hazard or safety details yet at this point. After the
project name, space down to a new line and type something like, “Project summary:” and then fill in
the rest.[2]
 For example, a project summary of a bathroom remodel could read like this:
“Demolishing and removing current bathroom fixtures, including floors and drywall. Will be
installing new floors, walls, fixtures, and details per contract with Company XYZ."
3.
3
Give your company’s details, as well as the address for the project. The site address is the address
where the actual work will be completed—go ahead and label it “Site address.” For your company’s
information, include the company name, address, main contact number, name of main supervisor, their
job title, and their contact number. For example, this part of the document might look something like
this:[3]

 Company Name: Company XYZ

 Company Address: 1234 XYZ Way
 Contact Number: 123-123-1234
 Main Contact: John Doe, general manager
 Main Contact Phone Number: 123-123-5678
 Site Address: 5678 ABC Road
 If there are multiple supervisors for a project, list all of them along with their phone
numbers. If someone is in charge of a specific part of a project, specify that on the method
statement.
4.
4
Provide the expected start and completion dates. If you’ve talked about this detail with the hiring
company already, give the dates you agreed upon. If it hasn’t yet been discussed, give your best
approximation of when you think the work will be completed.[4]
 For example, you could write, “Project Start Date: 11/01/2019; Projected Completion
Date: 03/01/2020.”
 Many times, these dates change based on various circumstances, like the weather or how
long it takes for certain materials to come in.
5.
5
List emergency information for the site location. Include the address of the closest hospital, where
the first-aid kit will be located, where the evacuation meeting spot is, and the name and number of who
is in charge of on-site first aid.[5]
 You could use the following format for this information, or feel free to organize it
however you see best: “Closest Hospital: 456 XYZ Way; First-Aid Kit: Located in the
general manager’s on-site office; Evacuation Spot: In front of drug store across the street;
First-Aid Coordinator: Jane Doe, 456-456-6789.” Put each piece of information on its own
line in the document.
 If you don’t know these details yet, fill in what you can. If you haven’t been to the
actual site location, you may not know where the best evacuation meeting spot will be or
where you’ll keep the first-aid kit.
Tip: As you go along filling out your method statement, keep a list of details you still need to work out.
That way, you’ll easily know what you need to find out and won’t have to keep looking back through
your paperwork.
Part 2
Providing Basic Safety Details
1.
1
Identify what kind of training your staff has completed. In high-risk fields, there are a lot of
different components that can pose a hazard, and workers often go through lots of different training,
from machine operations to basic first-aid. List any courses or certificates that your crew has completed
that relate to the project at hand.[6]
 This detail isn’t required but it’s nice to provide. The company hiring you to do work
will have more faith in your ability to operate safely if they know you’ve already taken steps
to help your crew handle specific hazards.
2.
2
Detail the equipment that will be used during the project. This can simply be listed as “Equipment
needed:” and may contain things like scaffolding, tractor-dozer, grader, or other various pieces of
machinery.[7]
 This is a helpful list for you to have, too. Later on, you can use it to identify potential
hazards when you’re writing out the safety precautions your team utilizes.
3.
3
Make a list of the personal protective equipment (PPE) that is required. PPE is super important in
keeping your workers safe, and you need to include everything that will be used in your method
statement. Here are some of the more common pieces of PPE that you may want to include:[8]
 Hard hats
 Safety boots
 High-visibility jackets
 Safety gloves
 Eye protection
 Hearing protection
 Respiratory protection
4.
4
Determine how waste will be disposed of to comply with regulations. Especially if you’ll be dealing
with any types of hazardous materials, you’ll need to identify how those will be handled. Consider
whether waste will be collected in a dumpster, how often it will be emptied, and if there are any
environmental impacts you need to take into consideration.[9]
 If your company has any qualifications for specific kinds of waste removal, this is a
great place to include them.
Part 3
Assessing the Risks
1.
1
Identify the potential hazards that will be present on the job site. This is best done in either a list or
column format. You could write a numbered list with each hazard explained, or use 2 columns, one that
describes the hazard and one that describes the safety procedures in place to deal with it.[10]
 This should be a step-by-step list that breaks down your work procedures and identifies
any potential hazards.
 For example, if your workers will be bolting steel platforms together, there is a risk that
they may hurt their neck or back while working.
 This could even be as simple as writing something like, “1. Unloading the truck; risk:
falling equipment, 2. Use of power tools; risk: personal injury.”
 Try to be as specific as possible. This part of the method statement will take the longest,
but it’s essential in showing that you understand the work you’re doing and how to handle
every possible scenario.
Tip: Have someone else in your field or from your crew read over this section. They may think of steps
or hazards that you overlooked.
2.
2
Detail how each hazard will be dealt with safely. For each step, you need to write about how each
potential hazard will be dealt with. For example, if your crew is putting up new walls and the risk is
that the walls could fall, your safety precaution is to never have just 1 person working on that task
alone.[11]
 You may also simply need to write things like, “Crew has received training on how to
properly lift as a team to avoid back and neck injuries.”
 If workers will be dealing with sharp objects, you could write something like, “Crew
members will be wearing safety gloves to protect them during the installation process.”
3.
3
Provide information for necessary permits that you’ve acquired. If you don’t have the right
permits, there is a legal and financial risk to both you and the company that hired you. Show that you
know what is needed to follow all regulations.[12]
 If you know the name of the permit but don’t have it yet, simply write that it hasn’t been
finalized yet. This can come in handy especially if you are bidding for a job and haven’t been
hired yet.
 4
Tell how the site’s security will be maintained. Will there be a gate around the worksite? Will there
be security personnel at the site after hours? Are there security cameras installed? This is your final
step in completing your method statement, so think through what kinds of security measures will be
needed to both keep the site safe and to keep trespassers out.[13]
 This could even detail who has keys to the equipment, who will be responsible for
shutting down the worksite every day, or what the hours of operation will be for the project.
Community Q&A
 Question

What kinds of things should I put in a method statement if I want to work with structural steel?
wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer

Apart from the basic contact information, you should include details about the process of working with
structural steel, the potential hazards for each part of that process, and how you will deal with the
potential risks. Outlining the safety precautions (like maintaining proper training or not working alone
when you shouldn't) is key in completing a method statement.
 Not Helpful 0Helpful 4

Unanswered Questions
 What kind of things should I put on the method statement if I want to do excavation?

Video
Tips
 Method statements are often referred to as a safety method statement, work method statement,
or plan of work. These terms all refer to the same document.

 Take your time writing your method statement. There is a lot of information that needs to be
covered, and you’ll be less likely to miss something if you don’t rush.

References
1. ↑https://www.safecontractor.com/blog/march-2017/the-alcumus-safecontractor-guide-to-
method-stateme
2. ↑https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/what-is-a-method-statement/
3. ↑https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/what-is-a-method-statement/
4. ↑https://www.safecontractor.com/blog/march-2017/the-alcumus-safecontractor-guide-to-
method-stateme
5. ↑https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/what-is-a-method-statement/
6. ↑https://eventsafetyplan.com/how-to-write-a-method-statement-2/
7. ↑https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/what-is-a-method-statement/
8. ↑https://eventsafetyplan.com/how-to-write-a-method-statement-2/
9. ↑https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/what-is-a-method-statement/
More References (4)
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Co-authors: 6
Updated: October 9, 2019
Views: 130,708
Categories: Business Writing | Risk Management | Workplace Health and Safety
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How toWhat kinds of things should I put in a method statement if I want to work with
structural steel?

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer
Apart from the basic contact information, you should include details about the process of
working with structural steel, the potential hazards for each part of that process, and how you
will deal with the potential risks. Outlining the safety precautions (like maintaining proper
training or not working alone when you shouldn't) is key in completing a method statement.
a Proposal

Tips
 Method statements are often referred to as a safety method statement, work method statement,
or plan of work. These terms all refer to the same document.

 Take your time writing your method statement. There is a lot of information that needs to be
covered, and you’ll be less likely to miss something if you don’t rush.