CFRP strengthening RAMS should do more than describe a safe system of work; they should connect the design intent, site hazards, installation sequence and quality evidence before carbon fibre works begin. While RAMS are often treated as a health and safety document, carbon fibre strengthening requires a method statement that also controls structural risk, substrate preparation, resin handling, pull-off testing, environmental conditions, inspection points and handover evidence.
This matters because CFRP works are normally carried out on existing structures, often during refurbishment, opening formation, strengthening, repair or change-of-use works. The site may already contain unknown reinforcement, live services, restricted access, dust-sensitive areas, exposed concrete, temporary works, follow-on trades and programme pressure. A generic RAMS will not control those risks properly.
This article forms part of London Construction Magazine’s practical guide to carbon fibre strengthening in existing concrete structures, where the main rule is that CFRP performance depends on design intent, concrete condition, installation control and recorded evidence.
RAMS Must Start With the Structural Scope
The first section of CFRP strengthening RAMS should make clear what is being strengthened and why. The scope should identify whether the works involve carbon fibre plates, carbon fibre wrap, slab soffits, beam soffits, column wrapping, slab openings, local repairs, pull-off testing or preparation for later cutting works.
This is not just a description issue. The controls for plate installation on a slab soffit are different from the controls for wrapping a column. A plate installation may focus heavily on set-out, adhesive glue line and void checks. A wrap installation may require corner rounding, fibre orientation, resin saturation, overlap control and air release. The RAMS should reflect the actual strengthening method, not simply use the phrase “carbon fibre works”.
The document should also refer to the latest design drawings, installation sequence, access arrangement and hold points. If the design depends on pull-off testing, concrete repair, surface preparation, environmental readings or engineer inspection before installation, those steps should be written into the method statement before works begin.
Substrate Preparation Is a Safety and Quality Risk
Surface preparation is one of the most important parts of CFRP strengthening RAMS. Grinding, grit-blasting, scabbling, dust extraction, coating removal and local repair all create health, safety and quality risks. The RAMS should explain how laitance, paint, plaster, weak repair mortar, dust, grease and loose concrete will be removed so the system bonds to sound concrete.
This stage can generate respirable dust and noise, and it may expose defects, reinforcement, damp concrete, delamination or weak areas that were not visible before preparation. The RAMS should include suitable dust control, extraction, respiratory protection, eye protection, hearing protection, waste handling, exclusion zones and arrangements for stopping work if unexpected structural conditions are found.
Quality control also belongs in the RAMS. If the selected CFRP system requires a prepared profile such as ICRI CSP 3 to CSP 5, that requirement should be linked to the product data, specification or engineer’s instruction. If the design assumes concrete such as C30/37, C32/40 or C40/50, the RAMS should make clear that unsuitable, weak or contaminated substrate must be reported before installation proceeds.
| RAMS Area | What It Should Control |
|---|---|
| Design and scope | Confirm the element, CFRP system, latest drawing, strengthening reason, hold points and inspection sequence. |
| Surface preparation | Control grinding, dust, laitance removal, weak material removal, substrate acceptance and stopping points. |
| Pull-off testing | Record dolly locations, curing period, test results, failure mode, acceptance criteria and engineer review if needed. |
| Resin and adhesive works | Control COSHH, mixing ratios, working time, ventilation, gloves, eye protection, spill response and waste disposal. |
| QA and handover | Capture photographs, batch numbers, temperatures, humidity, dew point checks, ITP sign-off and no-drill restrictions. |
Pull-Off Testing Should Be Written Into the Sequence
If pull-off testing is required, it should be included clearly in the RAMS rather than treated as a separate informal activity. The document should explain how test locations will be prepared, how dollies will be bonded, what curing period is required, how the test will be carried out and what happens if the result does not meet the acceptance criteria.
A typical minimum tensile bond strength used on many bonded CFRP projects is 1.5 N/mm², but the RAMS should not invent the acceptance value. It should refer back to the engineer’s design, project specification and selected CFRP system. The RAMS should also require the failure mode to be recorded, because concrete substrate failure, adhesive failure and interface failure do not carry the same meaning.
This is why London Construction Magazine treats pull-off testing before carbon fibre strengthening as a critical project control. A failed pull-off test may protect the project by identifying weak concrete, poor preparation or contamination before the strengthening system is installed and relied upon.
Resin, COSHH and Environmental Controls
CFRP works involve epoxy adhesives, primers, saturating resins, cleaning products and sometimes solvent-based preparation products. The RAMS should be supported by current COSHH assessments and product data sheets, with clear controls for storage, mixing, application, skin contact, eye contact, ventilation, spill response and disposal of contaminated waste.
The method statement should also control working time. Many epoxy systems have limits on pot life, open time, application temperature and curing temperature. If operatives continue using mixed material beyond the permitted working time, or if the substrate is too cold, too damp or close to dew point, the bond quality may be affected.
Environmental checks should therefore be part of the RAMS and ITP interface. The site team should record substrate temperature, ambient temperature, relative humidity and dew point before installation. For epoxy resin works, substrate temperature should normally be at least 3°C above dew point to reduce condensation risk, and the installed system should cure within the limits set by the selected resin.
Access and working environment also matter. CFRP works may take place overhead on slab soffits, around columns, near openings, in plant rooms, on scaffolds, on mobile towers or in restricted refurbishment areas. The RAMS should cover working at height, manual handling of materials, exclusion zones below workfaces, lighting, ventilation, emergency access and coordination with other trades.
Method Statement Must Match the Installation Type
CFRP plate installation and carbon fibre wrap installation need different practical controls. For plates, the RAMS should cover setting-out, cutting, cleaning the bonding face, adhesive mixing, adhesive application, plate pressure, glue line, excess adhesive removal, curing, tap testing or void checks where specified, and protection from follow-on damage.
For wrap, the RAMS should cover corner rounding, surface levelling, primer or putty where required, fabric cutting, fibre orientation, resin saturation, air release, overlap control, multiple-layer timing and curing. These differences are important because a method statement written only for plates will not properly control a wrap installation, and a wrap method will not automatically control plate bonding.
This is why the installation sequence should align with the practical steps described in London Construction Magazine’s guide to CFRP plate installation on concrete slabs and beams. The RAMS should be specific enough that a supervisor can use it on site, not just file it for approval.
Where RAMS Protect the Evidence Chain
Good CFRP RAMS should also explain what evidence is captured during the works. This includes preparation photos, pull-off testing records, resin batch numbers, expiry dates, mixing records, temperature and humidity logs, dew point checks, installation photographs, inspection hold points, defect records, curing periods and final no-drill or no-cut restrictions.
The purpose is not only safety compliance. The records help prove that the installed CFRP system matches the design, specification and installation controls. On refurbishment and higher-risk projects, this evidence can become important for the design team, contractor, client, building owner and future maintenance teams.
RAMS should therefore connect to the wider information chain described in London Construction Magazine’s article on CFRP strengthening design information. The same assumptions used for design should be checked, recorded and protected during installation.
RAMS Delivery Summary
CFRP strengthening RAMS should control safety, structural risk and installation quality together. The document should identify the strengthening scope, substrate preparation method, pull-off testing requirements, resin hazards, access controls, environmental limits, plate or wrap sequence, QA records and handover restrictions. A strong RAMS package does not replace the design, but it helps make sure the design is delivered safely, consistently and with evidence that can be relied on after the works are complete.
CFRP RAMS Questions Before Site Works
What should CFRP strengthening RAMS include?
CFRP strengthening RAMS should include the work scope, design references, access controls, substrate preparation, dust control, COSHH, pull-off testing, resin handling, environmental checks, installation sequence, QA records and handover restrictions.
Are RAMS enough to approve CFRP strengthening?
No. RAMS control the safe and planned method of work, but they do not replace the engineer’s design, specification, substrate testing or inspection and test plan.
Why should pull-off testing be included in CFRP RAMS?
Pull-off testing should be included because it confirms whether the prepared concrete substrate can achieve the required tensile bond strength before the bonded CFRP system is installed.
What site conditions must be checked before resin works?
The site team should check substrate temperature, ambient temperature, relative humidity and dew point, and confirm that the selected resin can cure within the required conditions.
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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus
Founder, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist |
