Surveying looks low-risk, but crews are out on roads and active sites, often in small teams or alone, lifting covers, working near moving traffic and plant, and exposed to the weather. Utility surveys also involve detecting buried services, so the RAMS has to be clear about what the survey does and does not tell you.
PAS 128, the specification for underground utility detection, verification and location, sets out survey types and quality levels. Your RAMS should name the survey type you are carrying out.
Hazards a utility surveying RAMS should cover
Every job and site is different, but a utility surveying RAMS will usually need to deal with most of the following.
- Traffic and plant movements around the survey area
- Manual handling of equipment and manhole covers
- Lone working and the arrangements for contact and emergencies
- Slips and trips on uneven ground and in wet conditions
- Exposure to cold, heat, rain and sun
- Buried and overhead services within the survey area
- Biological hazards in drainage and watercourses
- Asbestos awareness and the public interface
What is in the AutoRAMS utility surveying library
AutoRAMS holds 45 utility surveying job types in 7 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, PAS 128 Type D – desktop utility records search starts you off with a 10-step sequence of operation. The library also holds general hazards for the trade, including:
- Working near live roads, vehicles and moving plant
- Manual handling and carrying of survey equipment — GPR cart, locators, tripods, GNSS poles, cover keys and covers
- Slips, trips and falls on uneven ground, kerbs, open chambers, cables and wet or muddy surfaces
Jobs you can choose from
- Utility Detection & Clearance (11): General utility mapping – EML and GPR, EML-only service tracing survey, Utility clearance survey for boreholes / trial pits and more
- Topographical & Engineering Surveys (9): Road / highway topographical survey, Watercourse / river topographical survey, Cross-section and long-section survey and more
- Utility Asset & Specialist Surveys (8): Utility chamber lifting and investigation survey, Above-ground utility-feature survey, Private utility-network mapping survey and more
- Measured Building & Scan Surveys (6): Roof plan measured survey, Façade measured survey, Reflected ceiling plan survey and more
- Subsurface GPR & Concrete Scanning (4): Buried tank / underground structure GPR survey, Void / anomaly detection GPR survey, Post-tension tendon locating survey and more
- Drainage & CCTV Surveys (4): CCTV drainage mapping with sonde, Dye-testing drainage connectivity survey, Manhole / inspection-chamber asset survey and more
- PAS 128 Utility Surveys (3): PAS 128 Type D – desktop utility records search, PAS 128 Type C – site reconnaissance, PAS 128 Type A – utility verification survey
Legislation and standards a utility surveying RAMS often refers to
- PAS 128, specification for underground utility detection, verification and location
- HSE HSG47, Avoiding danger from underground services
- Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, because surveyors do not enter confined spaces without a separate plan
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, including lone working
Your competent person should check which of these apply to your job and make sure the RAMS reflects them.
How to produce a utility surveying RAMS in minutes
- Pick the jobs. Choose utility surveying 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
Does a utility survey need a RAMS?
Clients almost always ask for one, particularly when surveying on roads or live sites. It covers traffic management, lone working, equipment handling and the limits of the survey.
Can AutoRAMS cover PAS 128 survey types?
Yes. The library includes PAS 128 Type D, C and A survey jobs, along with utility mapping, GPR, CCTV drainage, topographical and measured building surveys.
Should surveyors enter manholes or chambers?
A survey RAMS should say no unless a separate confined-space plan is in place. AutoRAMS includes this as a standard control for cover lifting.