Control Measures

Control measures are the actions you take to reduce risk. For every hazard in your risk assessment, you need to identify controls that reduce the likelihood or consequences of harm.

The hierarchy of control

UK health and safety law requires you to follow the hierarchy of control when selecting measures. You must consider controls at the top of the hierarchy first and only move down when higher-level controls are not reasonably practicable.

Level	Control type	Description	Example
1	Elimination	Remove the hazard entirely	Prefabricate components off-site instead of cutting on site
2	Substitution	Replace with something less hazardous	Use water-based paint instead of solvent-based
3	Engineering controls	Physical measures to isolate people from the hazard	Install edge protection, use local exhaust ventilation, fit machine guards
4	Administrative controls	Procedures, training, and organisational measures	Permit to work, toolbox talks, job rotation, supervision
5	PPE	Personal protective equipment	Hard hat, safety glasses, respiratory protection, harness

Caution

PPE is the last resort, not the first response. If your risk assessment relies primarily on PPE, review whether higher-level controls are available. Regulators and auditors will check this.

Adding controls to a hazard

1. In the Risk Assessment section, click on a hazard.
2. Click Add Control Measure.
3. Enter:
   • Description — what the control measure is (be specific)
   • Hierarchy level — which level of the hierarchy this control addresses
   • Responsibility — who is responsible for implementing the control
   • Verification — how you will check the control is in place (inspection, audit, observation)
4. Click Save.

Add multiple controls for each hazard — most hazards need a combination of controls at different hierarchy levels.

Example: Work at height from scaffold

Level	Control measure
Elimination	Carry out as much work as possible at ground level before erecting scaffold
Engineering	Scaffold erected by competent scaffolder to TG20 or design specification, with double guardrails, toeboards, and brick guards
Engineering	Scaffold inspected before first use, after alteration, and at 7-day intervals (record in scaffold register)
Administrative	Permit to work for scaffold erection and dismantling
Administrative	Toolbox talk on working at height hazards before starting
Administrative	Only trained and competent operatives to work on scaffold
PPE	Safety harness with lanyard when working outside protected areas (e.g. loading bay)
PPE	Hard hat, safety boots with ankle support

Using AI to suggest controls

Click Suggest Controls on any hazard to get AI recommendations (1 credit per hazard). AI suggestions:

• Follow the hierarchy of control — higher-level controls are suggested first
• Include regulation references where applicable
• Are tailored to the specific hazard and your work description

Review each suggestion and add, edit, or dismiss. See Hazard Identification for more details.

Writing effective controls

Good control measures are:

• Specific — “Install 1.1m double guardrail with mid-rail and 150mm toeboard to all open edges” is better than “Edge protection”
• Actionable — describe what will be done, not what should be avoided
• Measurable — include quantities, standards, or frequencies where applicable (e.g. “Inspect at 7-day intervals per reg 12(6)”)
• Assigned — specify who is responsible
• Verifiable — describe how you will check the control is in place

Before and after

Weak control	Strong control
”Use PPE"	"Type 2 industrial safety helmet to EN 397, safety glasses to EN 166, and hi-vis vest to EN 20471 Class 2 — worn at all times in the work area"
"Be careful"	"Two operatives minimum for all manual handling tasks over 20kg. Follow kinetic lifting technique covered in toolbox talk TBT-042"
"Training"	"All operatives hold valid PASMA certificate (checked before first day on site). Tower erected and inspected by PASMA-trained operative following manufacturer’s instruction manual”

Competency-linked controls

RAMSdoc links control measures to competency requirements. When a control specifies a qualification (e.g. PASMA, IPAF, confined space rescue), the system:

• Checks whether assigned personnel have the required certification stored in their profile
• Flags gaps immediately (e.g. “John Smith does not have a valid PASMA certificate required for Hazard 3”)
• Blocks mobile sign-off for workers who do not meet competency requirements

This ensures that the controls in your risk assessment are actually implementable with your current team. See Account Setup — Certifications for how to add certifications to user profiles.

Reviewing controls

When reviewing a document for approval, check each hazard’s controls against these questions:

1. Have higher-level controls been considered before administrative/PPE controls?
2. Are controls specific enough to be implemented on site?
3. Are responsibilities assigned?
4. Are verification methods defined?
5. Do the controls adequately reduce the risk to an acceptable level?
6. Are competency requirements identified and can they be met by the assigned team?