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RAMS by trade · UK

Electrical RAMS

Create a site-specific electrical RAMS online. Describe the job, review suggested risks and method steps, and download a professional PDF.

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Typical scope

  • Consumer unit replacement
  • Rewires and alterations
  • Lighting upgrades
  • EV charger installation
  • EICRs and testing
  • Containment and cabling

Most electrical RAMS cover the same core: safe isolation, access, dust and working around other people. What changes is the site, the circuits and how you get to them.

Quick answer

An electrical RAMS is a site-specific risk assessment and method statement for electrical work. It should cover safe isolation, the people at risk, access, and how the system is tested and restored — written for this job, not a generic trade template.

Primary topic: electrical rams template. UK contractors — review every document before you issue it. SafeForJob does not replace competent judgement or HSE guidance.

What usually goes wrong

These are the operational gaps that make generic Word RAMS fail on the next site.

  • Old client names left in

    A reused Word RAMS still names yesterday's site while the method looks plausible.

  • Isolation buried in the method

    Safe isolation and proving dead are the critical controls — they need to be explicit.

  • Live testing treated as afterthought

    EICR and fault-finding risks differ from installation and need their own controls.

Example

Consumer unit replacement in an occupied office

Built from one job description. You review and adjust every item before issuing it.

Job description

Replace the consumer unit and add two new circuits at Ashdown Offices, first floor. Isolate the supply, work from a podium for the ceiling cabling, drill through blockwork for new containment and test before re-energising. Offices stay occupied during the work.

Activities identified

  • General site work
  • Ladders or stepladders
  • Electrical isolation
  • Electrical testing
  • Manual handling
  • Power tools
  • Dust-generating work
  • Occupied premises or public areas

Method (13 steps)

  1. 1.Arrive and sign in. Arrive at Ashdown Offices, first floor, report to the Ashdown Property Management site contact, sign in and complete any site induction.
  2. 2.Brief the team. Brief all operatives on this RAMS, the COSHH assessments and the emergency arrangements. Record attendance.
  3. 3.Set up the work area. Set up barriers and signage around the work area and keep it clear of other people.
  4. 4.Isolate the electrical supply. Identify the relevant circuit, isolate, lock off and tag. Prove dead with an approved voltage indicator, proved before and after use.
  5. 5.Set up access equipment. Inspect and set up the podium or stepladder on firm, level ground in the work area.
  6. 6.Disconnect and remove existing equipment. Disconnect and remove the existing equipment. Lower or carry it using mechanical aids or team lifts as planned.
  7. 7.Drill and fix. Mark out, then drill and fix using on-tool dust extraction. Check for hidden cables and pipes before drilling.
  8. 8.Install new equipment. Position and fix the new equipment to the manufacturer's instructions.
  9. 9.Carry out electrical work. Carry out the electrical work on the isolated circuit to BS 7671.
  10. 10.Test and commission. Test and commission the installation. Record results.
  11. 11.Remove isolation and re-energise. Confirm the work is complete and everyone is clear, remove locks and re-energise.
  12. 12.Clear up and remove waste. Clear the work area, remove waste from site (including recovered refrigerant and hazardous waste) and leave the area safe.
  13. 13.Hand over and sign out. Hand over to the Ashdown Property Management site contact, report anything outstanding and sign out.

Main risks (8 in total)

Fall from ladders or stepladders

Residual Medium

Who: Operatives

  • Use a podium or mobile tower instead of a ladder where the task allows
  • Ladders only for short-duration (under 30 minutes), light work with three points of contact
  • Ladder inspected before use; industrial-grade (EN 131 professional) only
  • Ladder set on firm, level ground and footed or secured
  • No overreaching — move the ladder instead

Electric shock or burns

Residual Medium

Who: Operatives, building occupants

  • Work carried out dead — no live working
  • Safe isolation: isolate, lock off, tag, and prove dead with an approved voltage indicator (GS38) proved before and after
  • Only competent, qualified electricians carry out electrical work
  • Permit to work obtained where the site requires one
  • Personal locks and keys retained by the person working

Electric shock during testing

Residual High

Who: Operatives

  • Test dead wherever possible; live testing only where essential
  • GS38-compliant test leads and probes, inspected before use
  • Barriers or screens to prevent others approaching exposed live parts
  • Testing carried out by competent persons only
  • Insulated gloves and eye protection where there is an arc-flash risk

Manual handling

Residual Medium

Who: Operatives

  • Use mechanical aids (trolleys, sack trucks, hoists) for heavy items
  • Team lifts for items too heavy or awkward for one person
  • Route planned and cleared before moving items
  • Operatives trained in safe lifting techniques
  • Gloves with good grip and safety footwear

+ 4 more risks in the full RAMS.

Start from this kind of job

What to get right on this document

Safe isolation, written down properly

Isolate, lock off, tag and prove dead with an approved voltage indicator (GS38) proved before and after use.

Testing without guesswork

If the job includes EICRs or live testing, suggest the testing risk separately.

Older buildings

Mention a refurb or ceiling void and check the asbestos register before you drill.

Quick answer

An electrical RAMS is a site-specific risk assessment and method statement for electrical work. It should cover safe isolation, the people at risk, access, and how the system is tested and restored — written for this job, not a generic trade template.

What good looks like on a UK site

Most electrical RAMS cover the same core: safe isolation, access, dust and working around other people. What changes is the site, the circuits and how you get to them. Name the site, the people at risk, and the sequence that keeps them safe. Generic paragraphs that could apply anywhere are the first thing a principal contractor rejects.

How SafeForJob helps

  • Describe the job in plain English and get suggested activities, risks and method steps
  • Edit every line before you download or issue
  • Reuse a previous RAMS and catch old client or site names
  • Attach or create COSHH assessments where hazardous substances appear

What this page is not

This page is not HSE approval, legal advice or a substitute for competent judgement. It helps you draft a clearer electrical rams template document for a named job. You remain responsible for reviewing and issuing it.

Related reading

See what a RAMS is, the free RAMS generator, and HSE guidance on managing risks.

Related pages

All rams by trade · RAMS by trade · Free RAMS generator

Questions

What should an electrical RAMS include?
The job, site and people; hazards (shock, height, dust, other people); controls; step-by-step method including safe isolation; emergency arrangements.
Can I reuse an electrical RAMS for the next job?
Yes — before you send it again, check old client and site names and whether the method still matches.
Is this RAMS approved by the HSE?
No software can make a RAMS ‘HSE approved’. You review it before you issue it.

Primary sources