Method Statement in Construction: What It Should Cover

Before a contractor lifts a precast panel, excavates a deep basement or demolishes a load-bearing wall, someone should have written down exactly how it will be done. That document is the method statement: a step-by-step description of how a particular activity will be carried out safely and to the required quality. It is one of the most useful documents on a construction site, and one of the most frequently copied from a template and never read.

This article explains what a method statement is, what a good one contains, how it relates to risk assessment under Singapore’s safety framework, and what a structural engineer looks for when reviewing one. The aim is to help owners and site teams treat it as a working tool rather than paperwork.

What a method statement is

A method statement describes the sequence of operations for a specific task, the resources and controls needed, and the checks that will confirm the work is done correctly. It answers the practical questions: who will do the work, with what equipment, in what order, under what precautions, and how will we know it has been done right?

It is usually prepared by the contractor or specialist subcontractor who will carry out the work, and submitted to the owner’s consultants for review before the activity starts. On many sites it is paired with a risk assessment in a combined document often called a RAMS (risk assessment and method statement).

What a good method statement contains

Formats vary, but a useful method statement typically includes:

Scope and location: what activity is covered, where, and its limits.
References: the drawings, specifications, design calculations and standards that apply.
Responsibilities: the supervisor in charge, competent persons, and who has authority to stop work.
Resources: plant, equipment, materials and temporary works, with capacities where relevant.
Sequence of work: numbered steps in the order they will be carried out.
Hazards and controls: drawn from the risk assessment, with the specific controls at each step.
Quality checks and hold points: inspections and tests, and who signs them off.
Emergency arrangements: what happens if something goes wrong.
Permits: any permit-to-work requirements, such as for lifting, hot work or working at height.

The sequence is the core. Vague steps such as “install formwork as per drawing” add nothing; specific steps that state the order, the checks and the conditions for proceeding are what make the document worth reading.

Method statements and risk assessment in Singapore

In Singapore, the Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations require risk assessments to be conducted for work activities, with risk control measures implemented and the assessments reviewed when work changes. The Code of Practice on WSH Risk Management sets out how this should be done. The method statement is not itself the risk assessment, but the two must align: the hazards identified in the risk assessment should appear, with their controls, at the relevant steps of the method statement.

Many specific activities carry further requirements under WSH regulations and approved codes of practice, for example lifting operations, work at height and excavation. Where the activity involves temporary works such as formwork, falsework, shoring or scaffolding, the method statement should reference the temporary works design and its approvals. Our article on temporary works design explains why these need engineering input in their own right. This is a general description; site teams should confirm the current regulatory requirements for the specific activity.

Activities that warrant a method statement

Not every task needs a formal method statement, but high-risk or technically sensitive activities do. Common examples include:

Piling, excavation and deep excavation shoring.
Heavy lifting, including tower crane and mobile crane operations.
Installation of precast elements, structural steel and façade panels.
Concrete pours, particularly large or complex ones.
Demolition and hacking, especially where structural elements are affected.
Propping and removal of structural members in A&A works.
Work at height, confined spaces and hot works.

For renovation work involving structural changes, such as forming a new opening in a wall, the method statement should show how the structure is supported during the work. Our guide to load-bearing walls explains why this matters.

What an engineer looks for when reviewing a method statement

When a method statement involving structural works comes to us for review, the questions we ask are practical:

Does the sequence respect the structure? Removing or loading elements in the wrong order can overstress parts of the structure that were never designed for it.
Are temporary conditions considered? A structure partway through construction or demolition often behaves very differently from the completed one.
Are loads quantified? Crane outrigger loads, stockpiled materials on slabs and plant on suspended floors should be checked against capacity.
Are hold points sensible? Work should stop at points where inspection is needed before proceeding.
Is it specific to this site? Generic templates that do not reflect the actual structure, access or constraints are a warning sign.

Review by the consultant does not transfer responsibility for the method to the consultant; the contractor remains responsible for its means and methods. But review is a valuable check, and an engineer’s comments often prevent problems that would be costly to resolve on site.

Making method statements useful on site

A method statement only helps if the people doing the work know what it says. Good practice includes briefing the work crew on the method before starting, keeping a copy at the work location, and revising the document when conditions change rather than carrying on with a method that no longer fits. Supervisors should be able to explain the sequence and controls without referring to the paper.

When things go wrong on site, investigations frequently find that a method statement existed but was not followed, or did not reflect how the work was actually done. Treating it as a live document is the simplest safeguard.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a method statement and a risk assessment?

A risk assessment identifies hazards, evaluates the risks and determines control measures. A method statement describes the step-by-step sequence for carrying out the work, incorporating those controls at the relevant steps. They are often combined into a single document known as a RAMS.

Who writes the method statement?

The contractor or specialist subcontractor carrying out the work normally prepares it, since it describes their own means and methods. The owner’s consultants review it, and the engineer comments on structural aspects, but responsibility for the method remains with the contractor.

Is a method statement a legal requirement in Singapore?

Singapore’s WSH (Risk Management) Regulations require risk assessments for work activities, and many contracts, specifications and codes of practice require method statements for specific high-risk activities. The precise requirement depends on the activity and the contract, so site teams should check the applicable regulations and contract documents.

Does a renovation need a method statement?

Simple finishing work rarely needs one. Renovation work involving hacking near structural elements, new openings, or heavy installations on existing slabs should have a written method, reviewed by an engineer where structural elements are affected.

Need a structural engineer to review a method statement, propping scheme or demolition sequence? Talk to our consultancy or get in touch.