When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and groundworks teams carrying out duct & cable 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 groundworks & excavation 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 ducts and cables in trenches — excavation, services and manual handling.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-start planning: obtain utility records, carry out CAT and Genny survey, mark all identified services on the ground. Obtain a permit to dig signed off by the responsible person. Brief all operatives on found services locations and emergency procedures.
- 2Set up site: erect physical exclusion zones and signage around the works area. Establish segregated pedestrian and plant routes. Position banksman if plant is operating adjacent to pedestrian areas.
- 3Excavation: use mechanical plant to excavate trench to design depth and width, maintaining plant exclusion zones around all personnel. Within 0.5 m of any identified service, cease machine excavation and hand dig carefully using insulated tools.
- 4Trench support: before any worker enters the trench, install appropriate shoring, trench box or confirm stable battered sides. A competent person inspects and signs off the excavation. Position excavated spoil at least 1 m from the trench edge.
- 5Duct laying: lower duct sections into the trench using mechanical handling aids or properly organised team lifts. Lay ducts to the specified line and level, joining sections per manufacturer's instructions. Fit draw ropes or pre-installed pull lines as required.
- 6Cable installation: use cable drum stands, rollers and pulling equipment to feed cables into ducts. Maintain tension limits specified by the cable manufacturer. No manual dragging of cable drums without mechanical assistance.
- 7Electrical connections and testing: only a competent authorised electrician to carry out terminations or jointing. Apply isolation and lock-off procedure. Test cables and confirm polarity and continuity using rated test equipment before energising.
- 8Backfilling: place imported granular bedding material and selected backfill in compacted layers. Install service marker tape at the correct depth above ducts and cables. Compact using appropriate equipment, avoiding direct contact with ducts.
- 9Reinstatement and close-out: reinstate surface to specified standard. Remove all temporary barriers and equipment. Update as-installed drawings with actual cable and duct positions and depths. Remove permit to dig and close out documentation.
- 10End-of-shift checks: ensure all open trench sections are fully covered or barriered, all plant is parked away from excavations, site is clean and tidy, and any incidents or near-misses are reported and recorded.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Trench collapse
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Install proprietary hydraulic trench boxes, drag boxes or sheet piling before workers enter. Alternatively, batter trench sides to a safe angle appropriate to soil type. Design by a competent person.
- › A competent person must inspect the excavation at the start of each shift, after any event likely to affect stability (e.g. heavy rain or plant movement nearby), and after accidental falls of material. Results recorded in writing.
- › Establish a minimum 1 m exclusion zone from the trench edge for foot traffic and plant. Use barrier tape or Heras fencing to enforce.
- › Store excavated spoil at least 1 m from trench edge to avoid surcharging the trench wall and increasing collapse risk.
Strike on existing underground services
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Obtain utility records from statutory undertakers and carry out a CAT and Genny (cable avoidance tool and signal generator) survey before any excavation or breaking. Mark identified services on the ground and on a drawing.
- › Within 0.5 m of any identified or suspected service, use only hand tools (spades, trowels) rather than mechanical plant. Confirm service position and depth by trial holes before proceeding.
- › Operate a permit-to-dig system requiring sign-off by a responsible person who confirms utility checks are complete and safe dig method is understood by all operatives.
- › Use insulated hand tools rated to at least 1000 V when working near identified electrical services. Operatives wear arc-flash/electrical-resistant gloves and safety footwear with electrical hazard protection.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Ensure all operatives have received manual handling training covering safe lifting technique, load assessment, and recognition of when mechanical aids must be used.
- › Use sack trucks, pallet trucks, or mini-hoists to move bulk bags and materials to the work area rather than manual carrying.
- › Assess weight, frequency, posture, grip and environment for each manual handling operation. Implement task rotation and adequate rest breaks to reduce cumulative loading.
- › Wear grip gloves and safety footwear to protect hands and feet when handling duct sections and cable.
Fall into open excavation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Fit rigid edge protection (e.g. Heras fencing or proprietary trench covers) around open excavations when unattended, during breaks and overnight. Use pedestrian bridging boards where crossing is needed.
- › Establish clearly signed and physically separated exclusion zones around the trench using barriers, hoarding or cones appropriate to the level of public exposure.
- › Keep trench edges clear of surplus materials, spoil, tools and cables that could cause operatives to trip and fall in.
Plant and excavator contact
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Establish clearly marked and physically enforced exclusion zones around operating plant. No personnel within the slew radius of an excavator unless plant is stationary and safe.
- › Deploy a trained banksman/slinger whenever plant is manoeuvring near workers or in restricted areas. Use agreed hand signals or radio communication.
- › All ground workers and visitors to wear high-visibility vests or jackets (minimum Class 2) at all times while plant is operating on site.
Electric shock from cable energisation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Implement a safe isolation procedure (isolation, lock-off, test, prove dead) on all electrical cables before any connection, termination or work on or near them. Only competent authorised persons to carry out electrical work.
- › Clearly label all installed cables at both ends and at draw pits with voltage, circuit identity and status (live/dead) before any work proceeds. Never assume a cable is dead.
- › Only persons competent in electrical work (with appropriate training, knowledge and experience) to carry out or supervise cable connections and testing.
- › Wear insulated gloves rated for the voltage and use voltage-rated insulated tools during any electrical work. Use an approved voltage detector to confirm dead before touching conductors.
Dust inhalation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where engineering controls do not adequately reduce exposure below workplace exposure limits (e.g. during cab egress or maintenance), provide FFP3-rated RPE for operators and workers in the vicinity.
- › Apply water damping or wet cutting techniques when cutting concrete, masonry or compacted ground to suppress dust at source.
Flooding and water ingress
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Assess ground water table levels and likelihood of flooding before excavation. Identify water mains and drains from utility records.
- › Have appropriate submersible pumps and dewatering equipment on site and ready for use when ground water or surface water is a foreseeable risk.
- › Establish a clear rule: no worker to enter a partially or fully flooded trench until water is fully removed and stability re-assessed by a competent person.
Noise and vibration from plant and tools
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where practicable, select excavators and tools with lower vibration emissions and modern noise-reduced designs. Check manufacturer's vibration data before procurement.
- › Calculate daily vibration and noise exposure (HAV trigger time) for each operative. Rotate tasks to keep exposure below EAV where possible, and ensure no operative exceeds the ELV.
- › Provide and enforce use of hearing protection (minimum SNR 20 dB) and anti-vibration gloves when using high-noise or high-vibration tools, as a last resort after engineering and administrative controls.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ Insulated gloves where live work is unavoidable
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
Competence
- ✓ Excavation and plant 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
- › Excavator and dumper as specified
- › Trench support system (boxes, sheets, props)
- › CAT and Genny (service avoidance)
- › Ladder access for excavations
- › Gas detector for confined areas
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Service avoidance: drawings reviewed, CAT/Genny sweep, permit to dig
- ✓ Excavation support method and inspection regime
- ✓ Plant/pedestrian segregation around the dig
- ✓ 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 duct & cable 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 duct & cable 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 duct & cable installation?
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, HSE HSG47 — Avoiding danger from underground services, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Control of Noise at Work Regulations 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.