Method Statement for Construction South Africa: Template & Example [2026]
Principal contractors and clients regularly ask subcontractors for a method statement before higher-risk work starts. It explains how you will do the job safely, and it works hand in hand with your risk assessment and safety file.
What a method statement contains
A construction method statement normally covers:
- Project details: project name, site address, client and principal contractor
- Scope of work: what exactly will be done
- Resources: workers, supervision, equipment and materials
- Sequence of work: the phases, in order
- Hazards and controls for each phase
- Emergency arrangements and who to contact
- Sign-off by the responsible person
Example: steel erection with a mobile crane
In our demo the project is a warehouse extension and the scope is the erection of structural steel columns and roof trusses using a mobile crane, with eight workers. The equipment is a mobile crane, lifting slings, scaffolding and power tools, and the hazards are lifting operations, working at heights, falling objects and hot work.
The generated method statement turns those inputs into phases, for example:
- Preparation: confirm emergency procedures and the assembly point, obtain the fall protection plan, inspect fall protection equipment, install guardrails or anchor points
- Material and equipment delivery: coordinate delivery, inspect materials on arrival, store them safely
- Execution: daily start-up with a toolbox talk, safe lifting and positioning, work at height with the controls in place
- Completion: inspection, housekeeping and handover
How to generate one
- Open Generate Documents and choose Method Statement
- Check your company information
- Enter the project name, site address and principal contractor
- Describe the scope of work, the number of workers, the equipment and the hazards
- Click Generate Document and download the PDF
Use it with your other documents
- The hazard ratings: OHS risk assessment template or trade risk assessment
- The full file for the site: How to create a safety file online
Tips
- Write the method statement for the actual job, not a generic one
- Brief every worker on it before work starts and keep their signatures
- Revise it if the method, equipment or site conditions change
Important
SiteReady documents are templates based on common industry requirements, not legal advice. The person responsible for the work must check that the procedure is safe and accurate for the site before it is used.
Frequently asked questions
What is a method statement?
A method statement is a written safe work procedure that explains, step by step, how a specific job will be done safely: the sequence, the people, the equipment, the hazards and the controls.
Is a method statement the same as a risk assessment?
No. The risk assessment identifies hazards and rates the risk. The method statement describes how the work will actually be carried out, applying the controls from the risk assessment. They are normally issued together.
When do clients ask for a method statement?
Principal contractors and clients commonly ask for one before higher-risk work such as working at heights, excavation, lifting operations, steel erection, hot work and confined space entry, and often as part of site induction and approval.