When this template fits
This RAMS is for UK contractors and signage teams carrying out signage 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 site & general 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 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
Install signage — wall, post and high-level signs via MEWP or lifting.
Sequence of works
- 1Pre-task planning: Review sign drawings, installation specifications, structural substrate type, and any electrical requirements. Confirm MEWP type, ground conditions, and any permits required (highway, electrical isolation). Brief all operatives with a toolbox talk covering the RAMS.
- 2Site set-up and exclusion zones: Establish work area barriers segregating the public and vehicle traffic. Position MEWP in the designated area, verify ground bearing capacity, deploy outriggers or stabilisers, and mark exclusion zones beneath all overhead working areas.
- 3Services detection: Use CAT and Genny to scan all drilling locations on walls and any ground-penetration points for post installation. Mark identified services and agree safe drilling zones. For illuminated signs confirm the supply circuit is isolated and locked off.
- 4Ground-level assembly: Pre-assemble as much of the sign structure as practicable at ground level, including brackets, frames, and fixings, to minimise time working at height.
- 5MEWP operation and high-level fixing: Operative dons full-body harness and attaches lanyard to MEWP anchor point before ascending. Raise platform to working height. Drill fixing points within confirmed safe zones using RCD-protected tools. Fix sign brackets or mounting frames securely to structure.
- 6Sign panel installation: Using mechanical lifting aids where panels exceed 20 kg, or a controlled team lift with banksman oversight, position and attach the sign panel to the pre-fixed brackets. Torque fixings to specification. Confirm alignment and secure all fastenings.
- 7Electrical connection (illuminated signs): Competent electrician makes final electrical connections to the isolated supply. After connection and before energisation, verify isolation is removed only after all personnel are clear. Test the circuit with a calibrated tester. Energise and confirm sign operation.
- 8Post-installation inspection: From a safe position (MEWP or ground level with binoculars), visually inspect all fixings, seals, and sign alignment. Check that no tools, debris, or materials have been left at height.
- 9Site clearance and reinstatement: Remove all barriers, MEWP, tools, and waste materials. Reinstate any disturbed surfaces. Clear exclusion zones and restore public/vehicle access. Complete installation records and handover 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, Members of the public
- › Redesign installation sequence or use extended fixing tools to reduce the need to work at height where practicable.
- › Select an appropriate MEWP (e.g. scissor lift or boom lift) with integral guardrails rather than relying on ladders or scaffolding, providing collective fall protection.
- › Ensure MEWP operators hold a valid IPAF or equivalent licence. Conduct a documented pre-use inspection (daily checks) before each shift.
- › Operatives to wear a full-body harness and short lanyard attached to the MEWP anchorage point at all times when in the platform.
MEWP overturning or instability
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Inspect and confirm ground bearing capacity before positioning the MEWP. Use spreader plates on soft or uneven surfaces.
- › Establish a clearly marked exclusion zone of minimum 1.5 × working height radius around the MEWP to prevent bystander injury in event of overturn.
- › Verify that all outriggers and stabilisers are correctly deployed and locked per manufacturer instructions before raising the platform.
Struck by suspended load
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Produce a site-specific lift plan for any mechanically assisted lift, specifying rated lifting equipment, sling configuration, and exclusion zones.
- › Cordon off a minimum exclusion zone beneath and around the lifting area using barriers and signage. Appoint a banksman to control the zone.
- › All slings, shackles, and lifting attachments must be inspected and within their thorough examination date before use.
- › All personnel within the lifting zone to wear EN 397 hard hats and safety footwear with toecap protection.
Manual handling injury
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Ensure all operatives have received manual handling training covering safe lifting technique, load assessment, and recognition of when mechanical aids must be used.
- › Use trolleys, pump trucks, or lifting attachments on MEWPs to move and position heavy or large sign panels, eliminating manual carrying where possible.
- › Where mechanical aids cannot be used, implement a two-person lift with a designated coordinator, ensuring clear communication and planned lift path.
Electric shock from buried or surface services
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Carry out a cable avoidance tool (CAT) and Genny survey, supplemented by drawing checks, before any drilling or ground-breaking activity. Mark identified services clearly.
- › Restrict drilling and fixings to confirmed safe zones. Use core sample or shallow pilot holes to verify service-free areas before full-depth drilling.
- › Use Class II insulated power tools. Connect all electrical equipment to a 30 mA RCD (residual current device) at the supply point.
- › Operatives to wear insulating gloves rated to the appropriate voltage when working near identified electrical services.
Electric shock from illuminated sign wiring
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Ensure the electrical supply circuit is isolated and locked off using a permit-to-work system before any wiring connections are made to illuminated signs.
- › All final electrical connections to mains supply must be carried out by a competent electrician (Part P registered or equivalent) and tested before energisation.
- › Use a calibrated non-contact voltage tester to verify isolation before touching conductors. Wear insulating gloves rated to 1000 V.
Collision with passing traffic or public
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Implement a site-specific traffic management plan approved by the relevant authority (e.g. Section 50/highway permit). Use barriers, cones, and signage to segregate the work area from live traffic.
- › Deploy a trained banksman or traffic marshal to control vehicle and pedestrian movements around the work zone.
- › All operatives to wear EN ISO 20471 Class 2 or Class 3 high-visibility vests or jackets at all times in areas accessible to vehicles.
Slips, trips and falls at ground level
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › All personnel to wear safety boots to EN ISO 20345 (S3 rating) with anti-slip and penetration-resistant soles.
- › Keep walkways clear throughout the working day. Store sign panels, posts, and tools in a designated area away from pedestrian routes. Remove waste progressively.
- › Route power cables and air lines overhead or through cable protectors to prevent trip hazards at ground level.
Noise and vibration from drilling and fixings
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site, Members of the public
- › Specify anti-vibration handle tools and SDS-plus percussion drills with vibration damping. Use correctly sized drill bits to minimise drilling duration.
- › Monitor and record daily vibration and noise exposure against EAV (2.5 m/s² A(8) for HAV; 80 dB(A) for noise). Rotate operatives to limit exposure.
- › Provide EN 352 rated ear defenders where noise exceeds 80 dB(A). Provide anti-vibration gloves as a supplementary measure (not a primary control for HAVS).
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
- ✓ 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 signage 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 signage 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 signage installation?
Work at Height Regulations 2005, LOLER 1998 — Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are the main ones, alongside Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3, 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 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.