Plumbers and heating engineers work in other people’s homes and workplaces, in lofts, under floors and in cupboards, with blowtorches, pressurised systems and hot water. Clients, housing associations and principal contractors usually want to see a RAMS that shows you have thought about hot works, water temperatures, access and the people living or working around you.
Gas work adds its own requirement. In Great Britain, anyone working on gas appliances and fittings must be on the Gas Safe Register for the work they do. A RAMS does not replace that registration, but it should reflect it.
Hazards a plumbing and heating RAMS should cover
Every job and site is different, but a plumbing and heating RAMS will usually need to deal with most of the following.
- Fire and burns from hot works such as soldering and brazing
- Scalding from hot water, steam and pressurised systems
- Legionella and water hygiene when working on stored or stagnant water
- Confined spaces such as voids, lofts and below-floor areas
- Gas leaks, carbon monoxide and ignition sources on gas work
- Electric shock from nearby wiring and bonding
- Manual handling of boilers, cylinders, radiators and tanks
- Slips and water spillage, and asbestos in older buildings
What is in the AutoRAMS plumbing and heating library
AutoRAMS holds 109 plumbing and heating 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, First-fix plumbing installation starts you off with a 15-step sequence of operation. The library also holds general hazards for the trade, including:
- Manual handling of cylinders, boilers, radiators, cisterns and pipework
- Burns and fire risk from soldering/brazing (blowtorch), including ignition of insulation, timber or other combustibles in concealed spaces, and injury from pipe cutters, saws and other hand/power tools
- Working in confined or restricted spaces — under-floor voids, roof/loft voids, service risers and ducts
Jobs you can choose from
- Water Supply, Storage & Treatment (16): Incoming water supply pipe installation or replacement, Cold-water storage cistern replacement, Booster pump or booster set installation and more
- Heating Systems (15): Radiator installation or replacement, Radiator valve/TRV replacement, Heating pipework alteration and more
- Bathrooms & Sanitaryware (14): Bathroom plumbing installation, WC/toilet installation or replacement, Wash basin installation or replacement and more
- General Plumbing (13): First-fix plumbing installation, Second-fix plumbing installation, Copper pipework installation and more
- Boilers & Fuel Systems (11): Gas boiler replacement, Gas boiler service or repair, Gas pipework installation or alteration and more
- Maintenance, Testing & Remedials (9): Leak detection and pipe repair, Burst pipe emergency repair, Outside tap installation and more
- Drainage, Waste & Pumps (8): Soil stack installation or alteration, Waste pipe installation or alteration, Blocked sink or waste pipe clearance and more
- Hot Water & Cylinders (7): Vented hot-water cylinder replacement, Unvented hot-water cylinder installation or replacement, Immersion heater replacement and more
- Commercial & Plantroom (6): Commercial plant-room pipework installation, Commercial pump replacement, Pressurisation unit installation or replacement and more
- Kitchens & Appliances (5): Kitchen plumbing installation, Washing machine or dishwasher connection, Utility-room plumbing installation and more
- Renewables & Low Carbon (5): Heat-pump hydraulic installation, Air-source heat-pump service or hydraulic repair, Ground-source heat-pump hydraulic installation and more
Legislation and standards a plumbing and heating RAMS often refers to
- Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, for gas work
- Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), including legionella
- Confined Spaces Regulations 1997
- 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 plumbing and heating RAMS in minutes
- Pick the jobs. Choose plumbing and heating 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
Is a plumbing RAMS different from a heating RAMS?
The format is the same but the content differs. Heating and boiler work brings gas, flues and carbon monoxide into the picture, while general plumbing focuses more on water, hot works and access.
Does the RAMS replace Gas Safe registration?
No. Gas work must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer for the work in question. The RAMS records how the work will be done safely; it does not give anyone the right to do it.
Do I need a RAMS for emergency call-outs?
Emergency work still needs risk assessment. Having generic emergency jobs ready, such as burst pipes or leak repairs, means you can adapt and issue a RAMS quickly instead of working without one.