RAMS — Soft strip-out
Non-structural strip-out — with hard stops for asbestos and structure.
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What you need to know
The plain-English guidance that comes with this document.
- Two hard stops define this job: asbestos and structure. Soft strip is where both bite. Get the asbestos survey and stop for anything suspect — removal is licensed work. And never take out anything load-bearing on a soft-strip method; if you're not certain something's non-structural, stop and ask a structural engineer. Getting either wrong is a disaster.
- Assume services are live. Old buildings hide surprises — capped-but-live cables, forgotten supplies. Isolate properly (competent person) before you strip, and treat everything as live until proven dead.
- Soft strip is deceptively hazardous. It looks like "just ripping stuff out", which is exactly why people get hurt — sharps, nails, glass, heavy fittings dropped from height, hidden voids. Plan the sequence, work top-down, and keep it tidy.
- Segregate and clear waste as you go. Piles of strip-out waste are trip, fire and manual-handling hazards. Skip and remove regularly, and separate for recycling (see your waste transfer note).
- Starting point — get it signed off. Edit for the specific building and have a competent person review it. Pair it with the asbestos record; escalate to a structural engineer or licensed asbestos contractor the moment either flag is raised.
Please note: This is a template for guidance only. Adapt it to your business and check it against current law and your insurance requirements. It is not legal advice.