When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and events teams carrying out event risk assessment — typically because a principal contractor or client has asked for a risk assessment and method statement before work can start. It covers the recognised site & general hazards for this task, with the controls a reviewer expects to see.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 8 task-specific hazards scored on a 5×5 matrix (initial → residual)
- ✓ Specific control measures for each hazard, in hierarchy-of-control order
- ✓ A 9-step method statement (sequence of works)
- ✓ PPE, plant/equipment, permits and competence requirements
- ✓ Emergency arrangements and operative briefing / sign-off section
Scope of works
Risk assessment for events — crowds, temporary structures, electrics and emergency arrangements.
Sequence of works
- 1PLANNING: Conduct a formal event risk assessment in accordance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, covering all activities from set-up through to breakdown. Identify and consult all duty holders including venue owner, contractors and local authority safety advisory group (SAG) where applicable.
- 2DESIGN: Determine safe capacity, crowd management strategy, temporary structure requirements, electrical infrastructure design and emergency evacuation routes before any works commence. Obtain structural engineer sign-off on all temporary demountable structures.
- 3SET-UP: Erect all temporary structures in accordance with design drawings and engineer's instructions. Electrical installation to be completed and tested by a competent electrician. All working-at-height activities to be covered by a permit-to-work with exclusion zones enforced below rigging operations.
- 4PRE-EVENT INSPECTION: Carry out a documented walkthrough inspection of the entire site before gates open. Verify structural handover certificates are in place, all emergency exits are clear and signed, PA system tested, first aid post staffed, and stewards briefed on emergency procedures.
- 5CROWD MANAGEMENT: Open gates in a controlled manner. Monitor crowd ingress rates. Deploy stewards at pinch points and maintain communications between event control and all operational areas. Do not exceed venue capacity.
- 6EVENT OPERATION: Continuously monitor crowd density, structural integrity (particularly in wind), electrical systems, noise levels and weather conditions. Log all incidents and near misses. Activate trigger-based interventions (e.g. stop entry, reduce sound, evacuate structure) as defined in the event emergency plan.
- 7INCIDENT RESPONSE: In the event of any emergency, activate the event emergency plan. Broadcast clear instructions via PA. Direct crowd to assembly points. Alert emergency services immediately. Event control to assume command-and-control function until emergency services arrive and assume control.
- 8BREAKDOWN AND DE-RIG: Control public exit before breakdown begins. Ensure site is clear of public before de-rigging at height or moving heavy plant. Reinstate all electrical isolation lockoffs before dismantling electrical systems. Remove temporary structures in reverse order of erection as per engineer's instructions.
- 9POST-EVENT REVIEW: Complete a post-event debrief with all key personnel. Document all incidents, near misses and any structural or crowd management issues. Update the risk assessment and event plan to reflect lessons learned for future events.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Crowd crush / crowd surge
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Establish and enforce a maximum attendance figure based on venue capacity assessment and emergency egress calculations. Do not admit beyond this figure.
- › Install pedestrian barriers at pinch points and deploy trained, DBS-checked stewards at a ratio appropriate to crowd density and risk level to guide and monitor crowd flow.
- › Use CCTV, roving stewards and radio communications to monitor crowd density in real time. Define trigger points for intervention (e.g. stopping entry, opening overflow areas).
Structural failure of temporary structure
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › All TDS must be designed or approved by a structural engineer. Obtain load calculations, wind uplift analysis and erection drawings before construction begins.
- › Engage an independent competent inspector to check erected structures prior to public access. Obtain a signed handover certificate confirming structural integrity.
- › Monitor wind speed against the structure's design wind speed during the event. Define trigger wind speeds at which the structure must be evacuated or closed. Post maximum load limits visibly.
Electric shock / electrical fire
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › All temporary electrical systems must be designed, installed and tested by a competent electrician. Use 110 V centre-tapped-earth (CTE) supplies for stage/technical areas where practicable.
- › Fit residual current devices (RCDs) at source for all circuits. Route and protect cables in ramps, cable trays or conduit to prevent damage and tripping hazards. Keep connections weatherproof.
- › Conduct a documented visual inspection and portable appliance test (PAT) of all equipment prior to live use. Establish a written lock-off/isolation procedure for maintenance.
- › Electricians working on live systems (unavoidable only) to wear insulating gloves rated to the voltage and use insulated tools.
Fall from height
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Consider whether the task can be completed from ground level using tools with extended reaches, eliminating the need for a ladder entirely.
- › Use scaffolding with full guardrails and toe boards, or MEWPs, as primary means of access. Collective protection takes priority over personal fall arrest.
- › Issue a written permit for all working-at-height activities above 2 m. Permit to confirm: equipment inspection, competency of operatives, exclusion zones below the work area, rescue plan.
- › Where collective protection is not reasonably practicable, operatives to wear a full-body harness with energy-absorbing lanyard attached to a suitable anchor point. Rescue plan must be in place before work starts.
Slip, trip or fall on event site
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Survey the site before set-up to identify uneven ground, slopes and wet areas. Lay temporary flooring, matting or trackway over soft or uneven ground in public areas.
- › Route all cables overhead or in proprietary cable ramps. Mark remaining hazards with high-visibility hazard tape and barriers. Inspect walkways at regular intervals throughout the event.
- › Ensure all public and worker walkways are illuminated to a minimum of 50 lux. Provide emergency lighting on escape routes. Inspect lighting before dusk and at night events.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Use sack trucks, pallet trucks, or mini-hoists to move bulk bags and materials to the work area rather than manual carrying.
- › Identify tasks requiring two or more persons and brief workers before commencement. Rotate repetitive manual handling tasks to reduce cumulative loading.
- › Ensure all workers involved in manual handling have received manual handling training. Deliver a site-specific briefing covering the heaviest or most awkward loads on this event.
Emergency evacuation failure
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Produce a written emergency plan covering evacuation procedures, assembly points, roles and responsibilities, communication cascade, liaison with emergency services and lockdown protocols. Plan to be reviewed with all key personnel before the event.
- › Ensure sufficient emergency exits for the anticipated crowd to evacuate within the target evacuation time. All exits to be signed, illuminated and kept clear of obstruction throughout the event.
- › Install a public address (PA) system covering all areas of the site. Test before gates open. Define the script for emergency announcements. Ensure event control has direct radio link to all stewards and emergency services.
- › Notify police, fire and ambulance services of the event. Agree a joint emergency plan. Provide first aid cover at a ratio appropriate to crowd size and risk profile. Maintain a clear access route for emergency vehicles.
Noise exposure
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Appoint a competent sound engineer to monitor sound pressure levels (SPL) at designated positions. Set and enforce an agreed maximum SPL limit for the event. Record monitoring data throughout.
- › Provide a quiet area away from the stage or speaker stacks for workers who must spend extended periods on site. Rotate workers in high-noise areas to limit daily noise dose.
- › Provide workers in high-noise zones (stage, sound pit, generator area) with EN 352-compliant hearing protection (minimum SNR appropriate to levels present). Make use mandatory above 85 dB(A).
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
- ✓ Safety harness and lanyard where fall arrest is the selected control
- ✓ Hearing protection (to the assessed SNR)
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
- › Welfare units and signage
- › Barriers, cones and pedestrian segregation
- › First-aid kits and eye-wash
- › Spill kits
- › Communication (radios / lone-worker device)
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ Welfare provision matching CDM 2015 Schedule 2
- ✓ Traffic management and pedestrian routes
- ✓ Lone-working check-in arrangements where relevant
- ✓ 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 event risk assessment 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 event risk assessment, 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 event risk assessment?
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Work at Height Regulations 2005 are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, 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 RAMS 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.