When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and audio visual teams carrying out audio-visual installation — typically because a principal contractor or client has asked for a risk assessment and method statement before work can start. It covers the recognised building services & m&e hazards for this task, with the controls a reviewer expects to see.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 9 task-specific hazards scored on a 5×5 matrix (initial → residual)
- ✓ Specific control measures for each hazard, in hierarchy-of-control order
- ✓ A 10-step method statement (sequence of works)
- ✓ PPE, plant/equipment, permits and competence requirements
- ✓ Emergency arrangements and operative briefing / sign-off section
Scope of works
Install AV — screens, projectors and cabling at height with electrical work.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task planning: review drawings, confirm equipment weights, identify concealed services using detector and as-built drawings, obtain any site permits (permit to drill, permit to work at height) from the principal contractor.
- 2Set up and demarcate the work area with barriers and signage to exclude other trades and members of the public from the installation zone before any work commences.
- 3Inspect, erect and, if required, certify the access equipment (MEWP, podium, ladder). Confirm SWL, check ground conditions for stability, and brief all operatives on its safe use.
- 4Isolate and lock off all relevant electrical circuits at the distribution board. Prove dead with an approved voltage indicator before commencing any mains electrical connections. Only a competent electrician to carry out mains work.
- 5Drill fixings for screen brackets, projector mounts and cable trunking supports using on-tool dust extraction. Fit intumescent fire stopping to all penetrations through fire-rated elements immediately.
- 6Use mechanical lifting aids (dollies, pump trucks or MEWP load platform) to transport screens and projectors to the point of installation. Execute team lifts for heavy or awkward items following the pre-planned briefing.
- 7Mount screens and projectors to pre-fixed brackets at height, working from the MEWP or podium platform. Confirm mount torque settings match manufacturer specifications. Use tool lanyards throughout.
- 8Route and terminate AV and power cabling, dressing neatly within trunking or ceiling voids. Maintain cable segregation between mains and signal cables. Competent electrician to make final mains connections.
- 9Restore electrical supply only after all connections are verified, insulation resistance tests completed, and all covers and enclosures are reinstated. Record test results.
- 10Commission and test all AV equipment, remove all access equipment, clear and dispose of packaging and waste materials, remove barriers and reinstate the area. Complete and retain installation records and any required building compliance documentation.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Fall from height
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where collective protection is not feasible (e.g. work in riser shafts), operatives to wear a harness with appropriate anchor point and restraint or fall-arrest lanyard.
- › Review design at planning stage to determine whether any fixings or cabling routes can be repositioned to reduce the height at which work is required.
- › Prefer a mobile elevated work platform or a purpose-built working platform with guardrails and toe boards over ladders. Collective protection takes priority over personal protection.
- › Where MEWPs are not practicable, use an industrial-grade podium or Class 1 ladder. Inspect before each use, secure at top and foot, and never overreach. Ladder use must be justified and time-limited.
Falling objects
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Erect barriers, signage and, where necessary, a spotter to prevent entry beneath the work area whenever overhead installation is in progress.
- › Secure all hand tools with wrist or anchor lanyards rated for the tool weight. Transport fixings and small components in belt pouches rather than pockets.
- › All persons within the exclusion zone and directly below overhead works must wear a EN 397 hard hat.
Electric shock — live electrical work
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Switch off and lock off (permit-to-work or local isolation) the relevant circuit at the distribution board before making or modifying any mains connections. Prove dead with an approved voltage indicator before touching terminals.
- › Only a suitably qualified and competent electrician (e.g. JIB-registered or equivalent) shall carry out or supervise mains electrical connections. Work must comply with BS 7671 and be certified on completion.
- › All 230 V power tools used on site must be protected by a residual current device (RCD) with a 30 mA trip rating, or 110 V centre-tapped-to-earth (CTE) supply used instead.
- › Use 1000 V-rated insulated hand tools and, where residual risk remains near live parts, wear Category 0 or Category 2 insulating gloves appropriate to the voltage.
Manual handling — heavy AV equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use screen-lift dollies, pump trucks, or MEWP load platforms to move and position large screens and projectors. Avoid manual carrying of items exceeding 25 kg where practicable.
- › Plan lifts in advance. Use two-person lifts for items between 15–25 kg or awkward shapes. Brief all operatives on safe lifting technique. Clear the route before moving equipment.
- › Wear appropriate grip gloves and safety footwear with toe protection when manually handling screens, projectors and cable drums.
Slips and trips — cables and equipment on floor
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Route temporary power and data cables around the perimeter using cable ramps or trunking where pedestrian routes cross. Remove packaging and redundant materials to a designated area immediately.
- › Use barrier tape or temporary hoarding to separate the active installation zone from occupied areas, preventing unauthorised access to trip hazards.
Contact with existing services — concealed cables and pipes
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use a calibrated cable, pipe and stud detector to survey all surfaces before drilling. Obtain and review as-built drawings from the principal contractor or building owner. Mark detected services clearly.
- › Follow the site permit-to-work system for drilling. Confirm with the principal contractor that no additional services are present before proceeding.
Dust inhalation — drilling into ceilings and walls
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Attach an H-class or M-class vacuum dust extractor directly to the drill or core drill using a manufacturer-compatible shroud. This is the primary dust control measure.
- › Where on-tool extraction cannot fully control dust (e.g. overhead drilling in restricted voids), wear a minimum FFP2 disposable mask, or FFP3 where RCS is likely present.
Overloading of access equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Confirm the safe working load of the MEWP or podium steps before use. Account for the combined weight of the operative, tools and any equipment being carried. Never exceed the stated SWL.
- › Where loads would approach or exceed the platform SWL, use a MEWP with an integrated load platform or a pulley/hoist system to raise equipment separately rather than carrying it.
Fire risk — cable installation in void spaces
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use intumescent fire-stopping products rated for the compartment type to seal all cable penetrations through fire-rated walls, floors and ceilings immediately after cable installation.
- › Photograph and record the location of every penetration made, and confirm fire stopping is in place before the area is closed up. Notify the principal contractor.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ Safety harness and lanyard where fall arrest is the selected control
- ✓ Insulated gloves where live work is unavoidable
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
Competence
- ✓ Site induction completed; CSCS or equivalent where the site requires it
Schemes (CSCS, PASMA, IPAF…) evidence competence; they are not statutory requirements in themselves.
Plant & equipment
- › Isolation valves / pipe-freezing kit
- › Gas tightness test gauge (gas work)
- › Press tool or soldering/brazing set
- › MEWP or tower for high-level plant
- › LEV / extraction for brazing fume
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Named competence where required (Gas Safe / F-Gas / Part P)
- ✓ Service isolation and test-before-touch (gas tightness, electrical lock-off)
- ✓ Hot-works permit and fire watch for brazing/soldering near combustibles
- ✓ The document is site-specific — real address, access arrangements and dates, not a generic template
- ✓ Hazards match the actual task and the controls are specific (not “take care” and “use PPE”)
- ✓ Named supervisor and competent person, with operative sign-off space
- ✓ Emergency and rescue arrangements that work for this site
The report builder runs these as pre-submission checks before you download — or run an existing document through the free RAMS pre-submission checker.
Frequently asked questions
Who should write a audio-visual installation RAMS?
Someone competent to plan the work — usually the contractor doing the job or their supervisor. A template like this gives you the recognised hazards and controls for audio-visual installation, but the person signing it off must review it as the competent person and confirm it matches the actual site and method.
How long is the RAMS valid for?
Until something changes — there's no fixed expiry in law. Review it if the method, site conditions, equipment or people change, after any incident or near miss, and at sensible intervals on longer jobs. Date the review and re-brief the team.
What regulations apply to audio-visual installation?
Work at Height Regulations 2005, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and CDM 2015 apply to all construction work.
Does a method statement need to be site-specific?
Yes — this is the most common reason documents get sent back. Principal contractors reject generic copy-paste RAMS. Your document should name the site, access arrangements, dates, supervisor and any site-specific hazards. The RamsDocs builder fills these in for you and flags what's missing before you download.
Is this template free?
Yes — everything on RamsDocs is free during early access, including building a site-specific version of this RAMS and downloading the PDF. No card required.