Free method statement template
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Free method statement template (PDF). Set out scope, sequence of work, hazards and controls, plant, PPE and emergency response. Download free.
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Key takeaways
- A method statement sets out how a task is done safely: scope, the step-by-step sequence of work, and the controls for each stage.
- It is the method half of RAMS; pair it with a risk assessment that scores each hazard so the two documents reference one another.
- For the 18 high-risk construction activities, the WHS Regulations 2011 require a SWMS specifically, which is a stricter, defined form of method statement.
- Brief the crew on the method statement before work starts and re-issue it whenever the task, plant, site or people change.
Updated 4 June 2026
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What is a method statement template?
A method statement is a document that sets out how a particular task or work activity will be carried out safely, step by step. It describes the scope of the works, the sequence of operations from set-up to clean-up, the hazards expected at each stage and the controls that manage them, plus the plant, equipment, PPE and competencies required and what to do in an emergency. It is the practical instruction a crew follows on site, written so the people doing the work understand the safe way to do it before they start.
Method statements are used across construction, civil, mining, facilities and trades, usually as the method half of a RAMS pack (risk assessment and method statement). The risk assessment identifies and scores each hazard; the method statement explains how the work is sequenced and controlled. In MapTrack you can attach the signed method statement to the job and to the plant it references, so the current version is on the phone in the field rather than in a folder in the site office. In Australia, the WHS Act 2011 places a primary duty on a PCBU to ensure work is carried out safely so far as is reasonably practicable, and for the 18 categories of high-risk construction work the WHS Regulations 2011 require a Safe Work Method Statement, which is a defined and stricter form of method statement.
Learn more about compliance and inspections in MapTrack.
Benefits of using this method statement template
- Clear safe sequence: the crew gets a step-by-step method for the task rather than working it out as they go on site.
- Hazards controlled at each step: linking controls to specific stages of the work catches risks a general risk register misses.
- Briefing evidence: a signed method statement records that workers were taken through the method before starting the task.
- Pairs with the risk assessment: the method statement and risk assessment cross-reference, giving a complete RAMS pack for the activity.
- Plant and PPE defined upfront: stating the equipment, PPE and competencies needed avoids the wrong gear or unlicensed operators on the job.
- Consistency across crews: a reusable method statement means the same task is done the same safe way regardless of who is on shift.
- Audit and client ready: principal contractors and auditors routinely ask for method statements, so a complete one keeps you on site.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your ramss from paper to MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
- Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
- Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
- Ability to share forms digitally.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
- Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
- Escalate critical hazards instantly to safety managers via push notification.
- Maintain an auditable safety register that satisfies WHS regulator requests.
- Correlate incident trends across sites with built-in safety analytics.
Book a demo to see how MapTrack handles ramss.
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What to include in a method statement template
This method statement template covers 11 key areas:
- Document details: project, location, activity, prepared by, reviewed by, date and revision number.
- Scope of works: a clear description of the task the method statement covers and any explicit exclusions.
- Sequence of operations: the work broken into ordered steps from set-up through execution to clean-up.
- Hazards and controls: the hazards expected at each step and the control measures applied, following the hierarchy of control.
- Plant and equipment: the machinery, tools and access equipment to be used, with any inspection or registration requirements.
- Materials and substances: products used and a reference to relevant safety data sheets where applicable.
- PPE: the personal protective equipment required for the task.
- Competencies and licences: the training, tickets or high-risk work licences workers must hold for the activity.
- Permits and isolations: any permits to work, isolation or lockout required before the task can start.
- Emergency response: first-aid, spill, rescue and evacuation arrangements specific to the works.
- Sign-off and briefing record: approver authorisation and a record that the crew was briefed on the method.
How to use this method statement template
- Define the scope of the works and break the task into a logical sequence.: State exactly what the method statement covers, then split the activity into ordered steps from set-up to clean-up. Keep each step a single clear action so hazards and controls can be tied to the right point in the work, not to the job as a whole.
- Identify the hazards at each step and assign controls using the hierarchy of control.: Work through every step and list what could cause harm, then choose controls in order of effectiveness: eliminate, substitute, isolate, engineer, administrative, then PPE. Record the control against the step so the crew sees exactly when and how each risk is managed.
- Specify the plant, materials, PPE and competencies the task requires.: List the machinery, tools and access equipment with their inspection or registration needs, the materials and any safety data sheets, the PPE to be worn, and the licences, tickets or training workers must hold to carry out the activity safely.
- Set out permits, isolations and the emergency response for the works.: Record any permit to work, isolation or lockout required before the task starts, then describe the emergency arrangements: first-aid, spill response, rescue plan and evacuation. These are easy to forget on a method statement but matter most when something goes wrong.
- Cross-reference the matching risk assessment and have the method statement approved.: Link the method statement to the risk assessment that scores each hazard so the RAMS pack is complete, then have a competent person review and authorise it. The two documents should agree on the hazards and controls for the activity.
- Brief the crew, record their sign-on, and re-issue when anything changes.: Take the workers through the method before the task starts and record that they have read and understood it. Review and re-issue the method statement whenever the task, plant, site conditions or people involved change, and keep the current version on site.
In MapTrack, you can digitise safety inspections and compliance forms. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full method statement template as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this rams?
Prepare a method statement before any task that carries meaningful risk, and brief the crew on it before work starts. Review it whenever the task, the plant, the site conditions or the people doing the work change, and at least once per project for ongoing activities. For the 18 high-risk construction work categories a SWMS is required and must be reviewed if the work changes. In MapTrack you can attach the current method statement to the job and the plant it references, so the right version is on the phone in the field rather than a printout that goes out of date in the ute.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- WHS Act 2011, Section 19 - Primary duty of care (ensuring work is carried out safely so far as is reasonably practicable)
- WHS Regulations 2011, Part 6.3 - High risk construction work (SWMS requirements for the 18 defined activities)
- AS NZS ISO 31000 - Risk management (the risk assessment process the method statement controls are built on)
Embed this free template on your website
Run an industry blog, trade association site, or training resource? Drop a preview of this free method statement template straight into your page. The snippet is self-contained, needs no scripts, and links readers back to the full free template.
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<p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#0E7490;margin:0;">Free template</p>
<p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Method statement template</p>
<ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Document details: project, location, activity, prepared by, reviewed by, date and revision number.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Scope of works: a clear description of the task the method statement covers and any explicit exclusions.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Sequence of operations: the work broken into ordered steps from set-up through execution to clean-up.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Hazards and controls: the hazards expected at each step and the control measures applied, following the hierarchy of control.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Plant and equipment: the machinery, tools and access equipment to be used, with any inspection or registration requirements.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Materials and substances: products used and a reference to relevant safety data sheets where applicable.</li>
</ul>
<p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/method-statement-template" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Method statement template</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>Please keep the “by MapTrack” attribution link in the snippet.
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