The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 expect electrical work to be done safely, and in practice that means working dead wherever possible and proving it. A RAMS for electrical work should describe how circuits are isolated, locked off and tested before anyone touches them, and what happens in the rare cases where live work is unavoidable.
Electrical jobs also carry paperwork beyond the RAMS, such as inspection, testing and certification to BS 7671 and notification under the Building Regulations for some domestic work. A good RAMS fits alongside that, not instead of it.
Hazards a electrical RAMS should cover
Every job and site is different, but a electrical RAMS will usually need to deal with most of the following.
- Electric shock and electrocution
- Arc flash and burns
- Working on or near live parts
- Failure of safe isolation, including the wrong circuit or an accidental re-energising
- Fire risk from faulty connections
- Working at height from steps, towers and platforms
- Manual handling of cable drums, containment and equipment
- Confined spaces such as voids and risers, and asbestos in older installations
What is in the AutoRAMS electrical library
AutoRAMS holds 112 electrical job types in 11 categories. Each job comes with a written sequence of operation, the hazards that go with it, who could be harmed, and the controls. You choose the jobs you are doing, tick what applies on site, and the RAMS is assembled around your answers.
For example, Consumer unit replacement starts you off with a 16-step sequence of operation. The library also holds general hazards for the trade, including:
- Electric shock or electrocution from contact with live conductors or exposed live parts
- Arc flash/arc blast causing severe burns, blast injury or eye damage from a short circuit or fault while working on or near live equipment
- Working on or near live parts that are not the subject of the task (adjacent circuits/terminals sharing an enclosure, board or panel)
Jobs you can choose from
- Equipment, Motors & Controls (17): Electric shower circuit and connection, Cooker or hob circuit and connection, Electric heating installation and more
- Testing, Inspection & Maintenance (15): Electrical fault finding and repair, EICR/periodic electrical inspection, Portable appliance testing (PAT) and more
- Life Safety, Security & Communications (14): Data/structured cabling installation, Fibre-optic cabling installation, Fire alarm installation or alteration and more
- Circuits, Accessories & Lighting (12): New final circuit installation, Circuit extension or alteration, Socket outlet installation or replacement and more
- Whole Installations & Rewires (12): New-build electrical installation, Full domestic rewire, Partial rewire and more
- Cables & Containment (11): SWA cable installation, Cable tray installation, Cable basket installation and more
- Distribution, Earthing & Protection (10): Consumer unit replacement, Distribution board/switchboard replacement, Submain installation and more
- EV, Solar & Energy Storage (7): EV charge-point installation, Solar PV electrical installation, Battery energy-storage system installation and more
- Special Locations & Specialist Installations (7): Swimming-pool / hot-tub electrical installation, Agricultural electrical installation, Caravan / camping-park electrical installation and more
- Generation, UPS & Temporary Power (5): Temporary site electrical supply, Temporary generator connection, UPS installation and more
- Other jobs (2): Extractor fan installation or replacement, Generator or UPS changeover connection
Legislation and standards a electrical RAMS often refers to
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
- BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations)
- Building Regulations, including Part P for domestic electrical work in England
- Work at Height Regulations 2005
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
Your competent person should check which of these apply to your job and make sure the RAMS reflects them.
How to produce a electrical RAMS in minutes
- Pick the jobs. Choose electrical and the job types you are doing.
- Tick what is on site. Tell AutoRAMS about access, the public, services, working at height and so on.
- Add the site and the team. Name, address, dates and who is working.
- Generate and review. Download a branded PDF with your logo, then have your competent person check and approve it before use.
Frequently asked questions
What should an electrical RAMS say about safe isolation?
It should set out how the supply is isolated, secured against switching back on and proved dead using an approved voltage indicator, and who is responsible. Many clients look for this first.
Does the RAMS replace testing and certification?
No. Inspection, testing and certification to BS 7671 are separate from the RAMS. The RAMS covers how the work is done safely; the certificates show the finished installation is safe.
Is a separate RAMS needed for an EICR?
Inspection and testing involve different hazards from installation work, including testing on and near live parts, so a RAMS for the specific job is sensible.