£250,000 Fine. One Missing Document. Why Generic RAMS Aren't Enough
Key Takeaways
- 1.One contractor was fined £250,000 over a single missing document — not the work, the paperwork
- 2.Generic risk assessments cover the basics; specific ones cover this exact job, on this exact site
- 3.Specific risk assessments need to be reviewed continuously throughout a project — not signed once and filed away
- 4.Jobs change, people come and go, and risks evolve — your RAMS must evolve with them
- 5.Most contractors are exposed because they treat RAMS as a tick-box exercise, not a living document
- 6.Digital RAMS make it easier to update, version, and prove you reviewed the document on the day of the work
£250,000 fine. One missing document. That's the reality one contractor faced recently. Not because they didn't do the work. Not because they weren't skilled. Because their risk assessment wasn't good enough.
We sat down with health & safety expert Jason Murby to break this down — and one thing became very clear: most contractors are still relying too heavily on generic risk assessments.
"Specific risk assessments need to be reviewed continuously throughout the project."
— Jason Murby
Generic vs Specific — The Difference That Matters
Generic = "Covers the basics"
A template that ticks the box for the type of work, but doesn't account for the unique conditions of the actual site you're walking onto today.
Specific = "Covers this exact job, on this exact site"
Tailored to the people, the environment, the access, the hazards present right now. That difference is where things go wrong — and where fines are issued.
Why Continuous Review Matters
A risk assessment isn't a document you sign once and file away. Jobs change. People come and go. Risks evolve.
If your RAMS don't evolve with the job, you're exposed — legally, financially, and morally. Continuous review means revisiting the assessment as conditions change, recording who reviewed it, and making sure the team on site today has read the version that applies today.
⚠️ Jason's Key Message
A generic risk assessment can give you a false sense of safety. Specific, living, continuously reviewed RAMS are what actually protect your team — and your business.
Watch the full conversation above to hear Jason break down what "good enough" really looks like — and how to get there without drowning in paperwork.
Featured Guest
Jason Murby
Health & Safety Expert
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