When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and fire doors teams carrying out fire damper installation & inspection — 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
- ✓ 8 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 and drop-test fire dampers in ductwork at height.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task planning: review as-built drawings to confirm duct routing, fire compartment locations, electrical service positions, and structural fixings; produce RAMS and obtain approvals from the principal contractor.
- 2Electrical isolation: identify and isolate all electrical circuits in the ceiling void working zone via the isolation register; lock off and prove dead with a calibrated voltage indicator; obtain isolation permit to work.
- 3Set up access equipment: erect MEWP, scaffold tower, or working platform as selected by the working-at-height risk assessment; establish exclusion zone below work area with barriers and signage.
- 4Prepare ductwork: remove ceiling tiles or access panels as required; cut and prepare ductwork spigots/flanges to accept the damper housing, preferably at ground level; deburr all cut edges.
- 5Install fire damper: lift damper to installation height using mechanical aid where practicable; locate in ductwork opening ensuring correct orientation (airflow arrow, access side); secure housing with manufacturer-specified fixings and support brackets.
- 6Reinstate fire stopping: immediately apply intumescent sealant, fire-rated collars, and mineral wool packing around all penetrations through fire compartment walls or floors in accordance with manufacturer's specification; do not leave any penetrations open.
- 7Connect actuator or confirm fusible link: install and connect any electrothermal actuator, verify control wiring continuity (by electrician), or confirm fusible link rating matches duct air temperature specification.
- 8Carry out drop-test: communicate test to all team members; using the manufacturer's prescribed procedure, release the damper blade to confirm full closure; time the closure speed; inspect blade seating and check for mechanical obstructions; reset and re-test as required.
- 9Record and reinstate: complete the as-installed and test record for each damper unit (location reference, test date, operative name, result, next inspection date); reinstate ceiling tiles and access panels; remove exclusion zone and clear all debris.
- 10Handover: compile full damper schedule with test records and pass to the Responsible Person / building owner to be incorporated into the fire safety logbook and planned maintenance programme.
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
- › Redesign installation sequence or use extended fixing tools to reduce the need to work at height where practicable.
- › Use a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) or erected working platform with guardrails and toe boards in preference to ladders wherever access geometry allows.
- › Where ladders are the only practicable solution for short-duration tasks, use a Class 1 or EN 131 professional-grade ladder, inspect before use, and secure at the top or have a footing operative present.
- › Operatives to wear safety helmets; where working from a MEWP, wear a full-body harness with short lanyard attached to the MEWP anchor point.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use trolleys, sack trucks, pallet trucks, or mini-telehandlers to move heavy items where layout permits, avoiding manual lifting.
- › Wear grip gloves and safety footwear to protect hands and feet when handling duct sections and cable.
- › At design/procurement stage, specify lightweight or split-section damper assemblies where duct sizes would otherwise produce units exceeding safe single-person lift limits (>25 kg guidance threshold).
- › Conduct a manual handling risk assessment; use two-person lifts for units between 10–25 kg when mechanical aids are unavailable; brief all operatives on posture and communication signals.
Struck by falling object
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Erect physical barriers (e.g., Heras fencing, barrier tape with a banksman) to create an exclusion zone directly below the work area for the duration of the task.
- › All tools used at height must be tethered to the operative or work platform; use tool bags or chained holsters to prevent uncontrolled drops.
- › All persons in the vicinity of overhead work must wear a safety helmet (EN 397).
Contact with live electrical services
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Implement a formal permit-to-work system confirming isolation has been completed and verified by a competent electrician before work party proceeds.
- › Identify all electrical services in the installation zone from as-built drawings and isolation register; isolate relevant circuits, lock off, and prove dead with a calibrated voltage indicator before commencing work.
- › Use a cable avoidance tool (CAT/Genny) to detect buried cables in partitions or screed before drilling any fixing points.
- › Use 1000 V-rated insulated hand tools and wear Class 00 or Class 0 electrical insulating gloves when working in proximity to electrical installations that cannot be fully isolated.
Inadequate fire compartmentation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Fire dampers must be installed by competent, trained operatives in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and BS EN 15650. Installation must be independently inspected and recorded.
- › All penetrations around damper housings must be fully reinstated with approved intumescent materials and fire-rated collars before leaving the work area, even temporarily.
- › Produce an as-installed record for each damper (location, orientation, access provision, drop-test result) and hand over to the Responsible Person to support the fire safety log under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Drop-test failure and blade release
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Obtain and follow the specific manufacturer's drop-test and re-set procedure for each damper model; do not improvise testing methods. Confirm access hatch dimensions meet requirements before testing.
- › Ensure no personnel are positioned within the ductwork run downstream of the damper being tested; communicate test to all team members before releasing the blade.
- › Operative conducting the drop-test must wear safety glasses and cut-resistant gloves to protect against spring-loaded blade release and sharp duct edges.
Dust and debris from ductwork cutting
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where possible, measure and pre-cut ductwork spigots and flanges at ground level away from occupied areas to reduce airborne dust at height.
- › Where cutting must be carried out in situ, use an angle grinder or nibbler with an on-tool vacuum extraction attachment (H-class where insulation present) and a physical spark/swarf screen.
- › Wear a minimum FFP2 dust mask (FFP3 where mineral wool or MMMF insulation is disturbed) and safety glasses or goggles.
Slips and trips on access routes
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Maintain clear access routes throughout the working day; stack removed ceiling tiles safely away from walkways; route hoses and cables overhead or under rubber cable protectors.
- › All removed ceiling tiles and access panels must be reinstated or guarded with rigid covers before leaving the work area at each break and end of shift.
- › All operatives to wear safety boots with a slip-resistant sole (SRC-rated) appropriate to the floor surface.
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 fire damper installation & inspection 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 fire damper installation & inspection, 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 fire damper installation & inspection?
Work at Height Regulations 2005, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 are the main ones, alongside Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment. 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.