Risk assessment service surges in popularity

One of the leading risk assessment and method statement services within the industry has surged in popularity, following a major upgrade to the ECA’s free ‘e-RAMS’ online service.

New figures from the ECA show the number of risk assessments (RAs) undertaken by ECA members per month has gone up by 67% since the end of October. In total nearly 600 ECA member-firms use e-RAMS, creating tens of thousands of practical and concise risk assessments.

ECA director of business services, Paul Reeve, said: “The upgrades the ECA introduced to e-RAMS – such as being able to carry out quantified risk assessments, and enhanced hazard and control measure text – have led to the service going from strength-to-strength.

“e-RAMS is particularly useful for single tasks or projects, and it can help with virtually any building services engineering activity. Similar commercial products can cost hundreds of pounds or more, so we are pleased to see hundreds of ECA members already utilising this free service, helping them take the necessary steps to ensure health and safety on site.”

Users of e-RAMS have highlighted the benefits to their firms.

Darren Price of Goodwin & Price said: “e-RAMS provides good risk assessments that are easy to fill in and then adapt to make them project-specific. The end product looks professional when we send it out to clients. The added bonus is that it’s a free service!”

Matthew Dodson, director of Vic Coupland added: “The ECA’s e-RAMS means we are able to easily create, distribute and store HSE documentation, keeping the safety of everyone involved in our projects paramount. Our company continues to invest in new systems and being part of the ECA enhances our ability to lead the way.”

The ECA’s e-RAMs service is part of the trade body’s wide-ranging support for contractors, to help meet the requirements of commercial clients and to effectively manage health and safety at work. e-RAMS is completely free to all registered ECA members, and more information can be viewed here.