When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and fire doors teams carrying out fire door 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 certified fire doors and frames to the manufacturer's scheme — handling, dust and fire-integrity.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task planning: obtain and review the manufacturer's certified installation scheme, COSHH assessments for all sealant products, manual handling assessment, and confirm notification to the building's responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
- 2Set up work area: erect exclusion barriers to protect building occupants, post signage, confirm escape routes remain unobstructed, and establish a designated waste/off-cut area and clean delivery route for door leaves.
- 3Deliver and store door leaves: use a panel trolley or pump truck; store leaves flat or in an A-frame rack. Inspect each leaf and frame for damage and confirm certification label is intact before installation.
- 4Remove existing door and frame (where applicable): notify the responsible person immediately before removal, install temporary fire-rated protection to the opening if the work cannot be completed within the shift, and dispose of removed components safely.
- 5Prepare opening and frame: check structural opening dimensions against door schedule. Carry out any trimming off-site or, if unavoidable on-site, using H-class LEV-equipped tools; operatives to wear FFP3 RPE. Verify maximum trim limits against manufacturer's scheme.
- 6Install frame: fix frame plumb, level and square to manufacturer's specified tolerances. Apply fire-rated sealant to frame perimeter in accordance with the certified scheme, ensuring adequate ventilation during application.
- 7Hang door leaf: use adjustable door holders or strong-boy brackets to support the leaf; maintain two-person team throughout. Fit certified hinges to specified positions and fixing counts per the manufacturer's scheme.
- 8Fit hardware and seals: install intumescent and smoke seals, self-closer, latch/lock hardware and any vision panel strictly as specified in the certification scheme, using only compatible certified components.
- 9Post-installation inspection: measure all gaps (top, sides, bottom threshold) against specified tolerances; test self-closer operation; verify seal continuity; confirm certification label is visible. Record findings on the manufacturer's or company inspection checklist and pass documentation to the responsible person.
- 10Clear and reinstate: remove all waste, packaging and tools; clean the work area; remove barriers; confirm to the responsible person that compartmentation has been fully restored and fire-door integrity is confirmed before vacating the area.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Manual handling — heavy door leaf
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use a panel carrier, door trolley or pump truck to move door leaves from delivery point to installation location, eliminating manual carrying where practicable.
- › Require a minimum two-person team lift for all door leaves. Brief operatives on co-ordinated lift technique, maintaining neutral spine and communicating throughout.
- › Complete a task-specific manual handling assessment before works begin; identify weights, distances and postures, and record control decisions.
- › Operatives to wear steel/composite-toecap footwear to protect against dropped door leaves; back-support belts where agreed by manual handling assessment.
Dust inhalation — hardwood and MDF cutting
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Order doors cut to final size by the manufacturer or a dedicated workshop off-site to eliminate on-site cutting dust at source.
- › Where on-site cutting is unavoidable, use power tools fitted with H-class dust extraction connected to a PASSporT-assessed vacuum to capture dust at source.
- › Isolate the cutting area from the occupied building using dust barriers. Ensure adequate ventilation or local exhaust ventilation to dilute any residual dust.
- › Operatives to wear a minimum FFP3 disposable mask or half-face respirator with P3 filter; face-fit tested before use. Bystanders excluded from the dust zone.
Compromise of fire compartmentation during installation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Agree a phased programme with the principal contractor and duty holder to replace one door opening at a time, minimising the duration any compartment boundary is open.
- › Where openings must remain overnight, install temporary fire-rated hoarding or proprietary fire-rated curtain to restore compartmentation before leaving site.
- › Before commencing work, formally notify the building's responsible person. Confirm temporary alternative means of escape, fire detection coverage and modified evacuation procedure for the affected zone.
Intumescent and sealant fumes
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Review safety data sheets for all intumescent strips, sealants and adhesives before use. Substitute with water-based or lower-hazard products wherever technically acceptable.
- › Ensure the work area is ventilated by opening windows or using forced-air ventilation to dilute vapours to below occupational exposure limits.
- › Wear nitrile gloves and, where SDS specifies, an appropriate organic-vapour half-mask respirator during sealant application.
Slips, trips and falls — cluttered install zone
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Erect physical barriers or hoarding to exclude building occupants from the immediate work zone for the duration of installation.
- › Remove packaging and off-cuts to a designated waste area at the end of each task stage. Keep access routes clear at all times; do not obstruct escape routes.
- › All operatives to wear steel/composite-toecap, mid-sole-protection safety boots with slip-resistant soles.
Use of power tools — hand-arm vibration and contact injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Reduce on-site power-tool use by specifying factory-machined mortices, hinge recesses and letter-plate cut-outs where possible.
- › Calculate daily HAV exposure using the HSE Vibration Calculator; rotate tasks between operatives to keep individual exposures below the Exposure Action Value (2.5 m/s² A(8)).
- › Use anti-vibration gloves where assessment indicates benefit. Ensure all guards are fitted and functional; inspect before each use.
Struck by falling door leaf
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Store door leaves flat or in a proprietary door-storage A-frame rack. Never leave a door leaf leaning unsupported against a wall during installation.
- › Use proprietary adjustable door holders or strong-boy brackets to secure the door leaf in the frame opening during fitting, keeping hands clear of pinch points.
- › Maintain a clear exclusion zone around the opening during hanging operations; exclude all non-essential personnel.
Fire — hot-works adjacent to combustible materials
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Select cold-fix installation methods (screwed fixings, adhesive products) rather than welding or angle-grinding to eliminate ignition sources.
- › Remove all packaging, timber off-cuts and combustible materials at least 3 m from the work area before using power tools; keep a fire extinguisher immediately accessible.
- › Where any spark-generating tools are used, operate under a hot-works permit issued by the principal contractor; maintain a 30-minute fire watch after works cease.
Fire door integrity failure — non-compliant installation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Follow the third-party certification scheme documentation (e.g. BM TRADA Q-Mark, Certifire) precisely. Do not deviate from specified gap tolerances, seal types, hardware or maximum trim allowances without manufacturer written approval.
- › Use only installers who hold current third-party accreditation (e.g. BM TRADA Q-Mark installer scheme) or who can demonstrate equivalent competence. A competent person must review and sign off each installation.
- › Carry out a documented inspection against the manufacturer's checklist for each door: gap tolerances, seal continuity, self-closer function, hardware compatibility and label/certification plate retention. Provide inspection records to the responsible person.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ RPE (FFP3 or as risk-assessed) with face-fit
- ✓ 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
- › 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 door 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 fire door 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 fire door installation?
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment, 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.