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RAMS by trade · UK

Solar PV installation RAMS

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

Create solar RAMSUpload an existing RAMS

Typical scope

  • Domestic rooftop PV
  • Commercial rooftop arrays
  • Inverter and AC connections
  • Panel replacement
  • Ground-mount arrays
  • Battery storage adjacent works

Solar packages combine roof work and electrical work. Treat both properly rather than bolting a roofing paragraph onto an electrical RAMS.

Quick answer

A solar PV RAMS covers roof or ground-mount access, electrical isolation DC/AC, manual handling of panels, weather stop-rules and working on or near fragile surfaces where relevant.

Primary topic: solar pv rams. 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.

  • DC risks underplayed

    Live DC on sunny roofs needs isolation discipline.

  • Fragile roofs

    Fibre-cement and rooflights are common on industrial sheds.

  • Manual handling

    Panel packs and awkward carries on slopes.

Example

Commercial rooftop PV on a warehouse

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

Job description

Install a 200kW rooftop array on a metal clad warehouse at Apex Logistics Park. MEWP access, fall restraint on the roof, DC string isolation procedures, crane for inverter skid.

Activities identified

  • General site work
  • Working at height (MEWP)
  • Roof work
  • Electrical isolation
  • Manual handling
  • Lifting operations
  • Solar PV and batteries

Method (15 steps)

  1. 1.Arrive and sign in. Arrive at Apex Logistics Park, Unit 4, report to the Apex Logistics Ltd 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 exclusion zone below. Establish an exclusion zone below the work area with barriers and signage before any work at height starts.
  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 the MEWP. Check ground conditions, position the MEWP, deploy outriggers on spreader plates and complete pre-use checks.
  6. 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. 7.Carry out the lift. Carry out lifts to the lift plan, with the exclusion zone in place and a trained slinger/signaller directing.
  8. 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. 9.Install mounting system and modules. Fix the mounting system to the roof structure, then install modules. Keep DC isolators open.
  10. 10.Install new equipment. Position and fix the new equipment to the manufacturer's instructions.
  11. 11.Connect inverter and DC strings. Install the inverter and AC connection, then connect DC strings last with isolators open.
  12. 12.Test and commission. Test and commission the installation. Record results.
  13. 13.Remove isolation and re-energise. Confirm the work is complete and everyone is clear, remove locks and re-energise.
  14. 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. 15.Hand over and sign out. Hand over to the Apex Logistics Ltd site contact, report anything outstanding and sign out.

Main risks (9 in total)

Fall from height (MEWP)

Residual Medium

Who: Operatives, people below

  • MEWP used instead of ladders for access to the work area
  • Operator holds a valid IPAF (or equivalent) licence for the machine category
  • Pre-use checks completed and recorded; thorough examination (LOLER) in date
  • Ground conditions checked; outriggers on spreader plates where required
  • Ground-level rescue plan in place and a trained person at ground level
  • Full-body harness with short work-restraint lanyard clipped to the basket anchor (boom MEWPs)

Falling objects

Residual Low

Who: 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

Fall from roof edge

Residual Medium

Who: 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 Medium

Who: 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

+ 5 more risks in the full RAMS.

Start from this kind of job

What to get right on this document

Roof + electrical controls

Edge/fragile controls plus DC/AC isolation and testing.

Weather

Wind and wet-roof stop criteria.

Temporary continuity

How the building stays safe while circuits are altered.

Quick answer

A solar PV RAMS covers roof or ground-mount access, electrical isolation DC/AC, manual handling of panels, weather stop-rules and working on or near fragile surfaces where relevant.

What good looks like on a UK site

Solar packages combine roof work and electrical work. Treat both properly rather than bolting a roofing paragraph onto an electrical RAMS. 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 solar pv rams 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

Who writes the RAMS — electrician or roofer?
Often the installing contractor; make trade interfaces explicit.
Batteries in scope?
If installing storage, add battery and fire considerations.
Domestic vs commercial?
Domestic still needs site-specific access and electrical controls.

Primary sources