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Bricklaying RAMS: risk assessment and method statement for bricklayers

Bricklayers and masons handle heavy materials at height, cut dusty masonry and often work to the pace of the whole site. Here is what a bricklaying RAMS should cover and how to get one done fast.

By the AutoRAMS team · 5 min read · Published 7 October 2026

Bricklayers/Masons RAMS in minutes Site-specific. Branded. Checked by you. 97job types11categoriesPDFyour logo

Bricklaying and stonework combine heavy lifting, work at height from scaffolds and mobile platforms, and exposure to dust and cement. The long-term health risks, such as silica dust from cutting brick, block and stone, are as important as the immediate safety ones, and a good RAMS covers both.

Masonry also brings structural questions: temporary support for openings and lintels, stability of free-standing walls in wind, and safe lifting of heavy elements.

Hazards a bricklaying and masonry RAMS should cover

Every job and site is different, but a bricklaying and masonry RAMS will usually need to deal with most of the following.

  • Manual handling of blocks, bricks and bags of cement
  • Cement burns and dermatitis from wet mortar
  • Respirable crystalline silica dust from cutting and chasing
  • Working at height from scaffolds, towers and MEWPs
  • Materials and tools falling onto people below
  • Noise and vibration from saws and breakers
  • Lifting heavy elements such as lintels, copings and stone
  • Stability of new and free-standing masonry, especially in wind

What is in the AutoRAMS bricklaying and masonry library

AutoRAMS holds 97 bricklaying and masonry job types in 11 categories. Each job comes with a written sequence of operation, the hazards that go with it, who could be harmed, and the controls. You choose the jobs you are doing, tick what applies on site, and the RAMS is assembled around your answers.

General Masonry16Features & Architectural Brickwork11Cavity, DPC & Fire Details11Stone Masonry & Heritage11Repairs & Remedials10Openings, Lintels & Supports9Chimneys, Fireplaces & Flues9External Walls, Gardens & Landscaping7Foundations, Below Ground & Cores6Cutting, Access & Specialist Conditions5Other jobs2
97 bricklaying and masonry job types in AutoRAMS, by category.

For example, New Brick Wall Construction starts you off with a 15-step sequence of operation. The library also holds general hazards for the trade, including:

  • Manual handling of bricks, blocks, bagged cement/mortar and other heavy masonry materials
  • Skin and eye contact with wet cement, mortar or concrete causing irritant/allergic contact dermatitis or alkaline (caustic) burns
  • Exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust when cutting, chasing, grinding or dry-sweeping bricks, blocks, mortar or concrete

Jobs you can choose from

  • General Masonry (16): New Brick Wall Construction, New Blockwork Wall Construction, Cavity Wall Construction and more
  • Features & Architectural Brickwork (11): Brick Pier Construction, Blockwork Pier Construction, Coping Stone Installation and more
  • Cavity, DPC & Fire Details (11): DPC Installation, DPC Repair/Remedial DPC, Cavity Tray Installation and more
  • Stone Masonry & Heritage (11): Heritage Brickwork Repair, Lime Mortar Repointing, Stone Masonry Construction and more
  • Repairs & Remedials (10): Repointing Brickwork, Brickwork Repair, Parapet Wall Construction/Repair and more
  • Openings, Lintels & Supports (9): Lintel Installation/Replacement, Door Opening Formation, Window Opening Formation and more
  • Chimneys, Fireplaces & Flues (9): Chimney Stack Repair, Chimney Construction, Chimney Repointing and more
  • External Walls, Gardens & Landscaping (7): Garden Wall Construction, Boundary Wall Construction, Retaining Wall Construction and more
  • Foundations, Below Ground & Cores (6): Foundation Blockwork, Below-Ground Blockwork, Masonry Around Structural Steel and more
  • Cutting, Access & Specialist Conditions (5): Brick Cutting & Masonry Cutting, Brickwork at Height from Scaffold, Brickwork from MEWP and more
  • Other jobs (2): Air Brick/Vent Installation, Stone Cill Installation

Legislation and standards a bricklaying and masonry RAMS often refers to

  • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), including cement and silica dust
  • Work at Height Regulations 2005
  • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
  • Control of Noise and Vibration at Work Regulations
  • Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

Your competent person should check which of these apply to your job and make sure the RAMS reflects them.

How to produce a bricklaying and masonry RAMS in minutes

  1. Pick the jobs. Choose bricklaying and masonry and the job types you are doing.
  2. Tick what is on site. Tell AutoRAMS about access, the public, services, working at height and so on.
  3. Add the site and the team. Name, address, dates and who is working.
  4. Generate and review. Download a branded PDF with your logo, then have your competent person check and approve it before use.

Frequently asked questions

Why does a bricklaying RAMS talk about dust?

Cutting brick, block and stone creates fine dust containing silica, which can cause serious lung disease over time. HSE expects dust to be controlled at source, for example with water suppression or extraction, and your RAMS should say how.

Does a bricklayer need a RAMS for a garden wall?

Many clients and principal contractors ask for one whatever the size. A short, accurate RAMS also helps if you are asked later what controls you used.

Are repointing and heritage work different?

They are. Lime mortar and stone work bring different materials, access and dust, which is why AutoRAMS lists them as separate job types.

Sources and further reading

Disclaimer. The information in this guide is drawn from published sources, including HSE guidance and statistics, and was believed accurate when it was written. It is general information for contractors in Great Britain and is not legal, health and safety or professional advice. It does not replace a competent person's assessment of your work and site. Laws, guidance and figures change, so always check the current position. Ambler Group Limited accepts no liability for loss or damage arising from reliance on this guide, but nothing here limits liability that cannot be excluded by law.

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