RAMS by trade · UK
Facilities maintenance RAMS
Create a site-specific facilities maintenance RAMS online. Describe the job, review suggested risks and method steps, and download a professional PDF.
Typical scope
- PPM plantroom tasks
- Reactive leaks
- Lamp changes at height
- Roof inspections
- Water hygiene tasks
- Contractor escorting
FM RAMS fail when they try to cover every possible reactive task in one vague document. Scope the task or task group.
Quick answer
An FM/PPM RAMS covers reactive and planned tasks in live buildings — plantrooms, roofs, public areas — with permits, lone working and building occupant interfaces.
Primary topic: ppm method statement. 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.
One RAMS for all PPM
Too vague to brief anyone.
Lone working default
Check-in arrangements missing.
Tenant surprise
Works in occupied hours without notice.
Example
Quarterly rooftop plant PPM
Built from one job description. You review and adjust every item before issuing it.
Job description
Quarterly service of rooftop condensers at Plaza Offices. Roof access permit, fall restraint where required, electrical isolation of each unit during service, tenants notified of short noise.
Activities identified
- General site work
- Roof work
- Electrical isolation
- Refrigerant handling
- Manual handling
- Occupied premises or public areas
Method (15 steps)
- 1.Arrive and sign in. Arrive at Plaza Offices roof, report to the Plaza Offices FM site contact, sign in and complete any site induction.
- 2.Brief the team. Brief all operatives on this RAMS, the COSHH assessments and the emergency arrangements. Record attendance.
- 3.Set up the work area. Set up barriers and signage around the work area and keep it clear of other people.
- 4.Set up exclusion zone below. Establish an exclusion zone below the work area with barriers and signage before any work at height starts.
- 5.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.
- 6.Access the roof. Access the roof via the agreed route. Confirm edge protection is in place and identify any fragile areas before moving onto the roof.
- 7.Recover refrigerant. Recover the refrigerant into a correctly rated, labelled recovery cylinder. Record quantities in line with F-gas requirements.
- 8.Disconnect and remove existing equipment. Disconnect and remove the existing equipment. Lower or carry it using mechanical aids or team lifts as planned.
- 9.Install new equipment. Position and fix the new equipment to the manufacturer's instructions.
- 10.Pressure test and evacuate. Pressure test with oxygen-free nitrogen, then evacuate the system before charging.
- 11.Charge the system. Charge the system with refrigerant to the manufacturer's specification and leak test all joints.
- 12.Test and commission. Test and commission the installation. Record results.
- 13.Remove isolation and re-energise. Confirm the work is complete and everyone is clear, remove locks and re-energise.
- 14.Clear up and remove waste. Clear the work area, remove waste from site (including recovered refrigerant and hazardous waste) and leave the area safe.
- 15.Hand over and sign out. Hand over to the Plaza Offices FM site contact, report anything outstanding and sign out.
Main risks (9 in total)
Fall from roof edge
Residual MediumWho: Operatives
- Plan work to be done from below or from a MEWP where possible
- Edge protection (guard rails) or parapet of adequate height in place before work starts
- Safe access route to the roof agreed with the site; roof hatch secured open
- Where collective protection isn't possible, use a fall-restraint system with suitable anchors
- Work stops in high winds, ice or heavy rain
Fall through fragile roof or rooflight
Residual MediumWho: Operatives
- Treat all roof sheets and rooflights as fragile unless confirmed otherwise by the site
- Rooflights covered or protected with suitable mesh or barriers
- Staging or crawling boards used; no walking directly on sheets
- Safety netting or fall arrest below where required
Falling objects
Residual LowWho: People below, other trades, public
- Exclusion zone set up below the work area with barriers and signage
- Tools tethered when working at height; materials kept away from edges
- Banksman or second person controls the area during lifts and removals
- Hard hats worn in the exclusion zone
Adverse weather
Residual LowWho: Operatives
- Forecast checked before work; work at height stopped in high winds
- Breaks, water and shade in hot weather; warm clothing in cold
- Sun protection on exposed work in summer
+ 5 more risks in the full RAMS.
What to get right on this document
Task scoping
Define the PPM/reactive class this RAMS covers.
Building permits
Permit-to-work integration.
Occupant communication
Notice, exclusion, reinstatement.
Quick answer
An FM/PPM RAMS covers reactive and planned tasks in live buildings — plantrooms, roofs, public areas — with permits, lone working and building occupant interfaces.
What good looks like on a UK site
FM RAMS fail when they try to cover every possible reactive task in one vague document. Scope the task or task group. 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 ppm method statement 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
- GuidesWhat is a RAMS?RAMS means risk assessment and method statement — usually one site-specific pack for a construction or maintenance job. Practical UK guidance for contractors — with links to free tools.
- RAMS by tradeElectrical RAMSCreate a site-specific electrical RAMS online. Describe the job, review suggested risks like safe isolation and work at height, and download a professional PDF.
- RAMS by tradeHVAC RAMSCreate HVAC and refrigeration RAMS online: rooftop units, split systems, refrigerant recovery and brazing. Suggested risks and method steps you review before issue.
- RAMS by tradePlumbing RAMSCreate plumbing and heating RAMS online: boiler swaps, pipework, unvented cylinders and drain-downs. Suggested risks and method steps, reviewed by you.
- RAMS by tradeRoofing RAMSCreate a roofing RAMS online covering edge protection, fragile roofs, falling objects and weather. Suggested controls and method you review before issue.
- RAMS by tradeGroundworks RAMSCreate a groundworks or excavation RAMS online: buried services, trench collapse, plant movement and public interface. Review every suggestion before issue.
- RAMS by tradeFit-out RAMSCreate a fit-out or shopfitting RAMS online: partitions, ceilings, dust, occupied premises and out-of-hours work. Reviewed by you before issue.
- RAMS by tradeFire & security RAMSCreate RAMS for fire alarm, CCTV and access control installation: system isolations, ceiling work, occupied buildings. Review every suggestion before issue.
- RAMS by tradeScaffolding RAMSCreate scaffolding rams online for UK sites. Suggested risks and method steps matched to the job — you review every item before issue.
Questions
- Reactive vs PPM?
- Reactive often needs a short dynamic assessment on top of a core RAMS.
- Water hygiene?
- Link to legionella procedures and COSHH for chemicals.
- Multi-site FM?
- Keep site-specific details — don't issue a group-wide identical RAMS.