When this template fits
Aimed at trades who assemble and work from a mobile aluminium tower scaffold — painters, M&E installers, ceiling fixers and maintenance teams. If the principal contractor or building manager has asked for a PASMA-compliant RAMS before you bring a tower on site, this document evidences the 3T or advance-guardrail build method and the inspection regime. It assumes a proprietary tower used within the manufacturer's instruction manual.
What this RAMS includes
- ✓ 8 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
Assemble/use mobile alloy towers (PASMA).
Sequence of works
- 1PLAN AND SURVEY: Before mobilising, survey the work area for overhead services, ground conditions, available space for stabilisers, proximity to vehicle routes, and any public interface risks. Confirm that PASMA-trained operatives are assigned to the task.
- 2GATHER EQUIPMENT AND CHECK: Collect all tower components and verify completeness against the manufacturer's component list. Inspect all parts for damage, corrosion, deformation, or missing locking pins. Remove and quarantine any defective components.
- 3PREPARE THE GROUND: Select a firm, level surface. Place base plates under castors. Adjust legs as necessary to level the tower base. Establish the exclusion zone and erect any required barriers or signage before assembly begins.
- 4ASSEMBLE THE TOWER: Follow the manufacturer's instruction manual sequence precisely. Erect from the base upward, fitting all locking devices, bracing, and internal climbing frame at each level. Do not exceed the manufacturer's maximum free-standing height for the ground conditions and intended use.
- 5FIT STABILISERS AND CHECK HEIGHT-TO-BASE RATIO: Install stabilisers/outriggers as required by the manufacturer. Verify the height-to-base ratio is within the permitted limit. Engage and lock all castor brakes.
- 6INSTALL WORKING PLATFORM AND GUARDRAILS: Fit the platform deck unit securely. Install full-height guardrails (top rail and mid rail) and toe boards on all open sides. Confirm the trapdoor/hatch operates correctly and closes when not in use.
- 7INSPECT AND SIGN OFF: A PASMA-trained competent person inspects the completed tower against the manufacturer's checklist and the requirements of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Record the inspection. Conduct a toolbox talk with all users covering access rules, weight limits, and the prohibition on moving an occupied tower.
- 8USE THE TOWER SAFELY: Ascend and descend using the internal ladder only, maintaining three points of contact. Keep the platform free from clutter. Never exceed the stated maximum working load. Do not lean out beyond the guardrails or use additional items (steps, boxes) to gain extra height.
- 9RELOCATE SAFELY: All personnel and materials must leave the platform before moving the tower. Check the proposed route is clear. Push/pull the tower from the base level only. Re-check ground conditions, re-verify the height-to-base ratio, and re-lock all castors before re-use.
- 10DISMANTLE AND STORE: Dismantle in the reverse order of assembly. Lower components carefully; do not drop or throw. Inspect components for damage during dismantle. Store components cleanly, protected from damage, and clearly segregate any defective parts for repair or disposal.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Fall from height during installation or work at height
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Review whether the task can be completed from ground level using extension tools or other means, eliminating the need to access the tower platform.
- › Assemble the tower strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's instruction manual and PASMA guidelines, ensuring all guardrails, toe boards, and platform components are correctly installed before use.
- › A PASMA-trained operative must inspect the tower before each use and after any repositioning, checking structural integrity, locking devices, and guardrail continuity.
- › Wear a correctly fitted safety helmet at all times. A harness should only be used where a specific residual fall risk has been identified and cannot be controlled by other means — not as a primary fall prevention measure.
Tower scaffold overturning, collapse or uncontrolled movement
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Ensure the tower height-to-base ratio does not exceed manufacturer limits (typically 3:1 indoors, 3:1 outdoors). Fit stabilisers/outriggers whenever specified by the manufacturer.
- › Inspect the surface before positioning the tower. Use proprietary base plates or adjustable legs to compensate for uneven ground. Do not use on slopes exceeding manufacturer limits.
- › Establish an exclusion zone around the tower base when in use. Implement traffic management measures to prevent vehicles striking the tower.
- › Prohibit moving the tower with any person or materials on the platform. All operatives must descend before the tower is relocated.
- › Engage and verify all castor brakes/locks are secured before any operative accesses the tower. Check locks after each relocation.
- › Brief all operatives on the prohibition of moving an occupied tower and the correct procedure for relocation, including removing materials from the platform.
Falling objects from working at height
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Fit toe boards (minimum 150 mm) on all open sides of the working platform. Use tool lanyards and consider debris netting where members of the public are at risk.
- › Establish and maintain a clearly signed exclusion zone under and around the tower to prevent persons being struck by falling objects.
- › All personnel within the vicinity of the tower must wear a safety helmet conforming to the relevant standard.
Contact with overhead electric lines or cables
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where cables cannot be isolated, maintain a minimum horizontal clearance of 3 m from uninsulated overhead lines. Position tower scaffold and ladder routes to avoid working near or above cables.
- › Survey the work area for overhead power lines and electrical services before erecting the tower. Arrange for diversion or isolation with the relevant authority where safe clearance cannot be maintained.
- › Clearly mark overhead hazards on site drawings and provide operative briefings. Display warning signage at the tower location indicating overhead hazards.
Manual handling — heavy or bulky items
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Where practicable, specify modular alloy tower systems with individual components kept within acceptable weight limits (typically ≤25 kg per component) to reduce manual handling risk.
- › Use a two-person lift for heavier components (stabilisers, platform boards). Plan the sequence of assembly to minimise overhead and awkward lifts.
- › Ensure all operatives have received manual handling training and are briefed on safe lifting techniques, particularly for components lifted to height.
Ladder instability or unsafe access equipment
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Ensure the tower is assembled with the internal climbing frame or stairway access as specified by the manufacturer, providing a safe means of access to the platform.
- › Instruct all operatives that climbing the outside of the tower frame is strictly prohibited. Enforce by supervision and toolbox talk.
- › Brief operatives to maintain three points of contact when ascending or descending the internal ladder, and to hoist tools/materials separately using a tool bag or rope.
Incompetent assembly of access equipment due to lack of training
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Only permit operatives holding a valid PASMA Mobile Access Towers certificate (or equivalent recognised training) to assemble, alter, or dismantle the tower.
- › Keep the manufacturer's assembly and use manual on site and accessible to operatives. Assembly must follow the manual sequence exactly.
- › A competent person (PASMA-trained or equivalent) must inspect and sign off the completed assembly before the tower is used. Record the inspection.
Slips, trips and falls at same level
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use manufacturer-approved platform units with anti-slip surfaces. Inspect decking for damage, excessive wear, or contamination before and during use.
- › Remove debris, off-cuts, and excess materials from the platform regularly. Do not allow standing water or icy conditions on the platform; suspend work in adverse weather if the platform becomes unsafe.
- › Wear safety boots with slip-resistant soles conforming to EN ISO 20345 when working on or around the tower.
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
Competence
- ✓ CISRS-carded scaffolders and a competent scaffold supervisor
- ✓ 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
- › Proprietary aluminium tower frames, braces and trap-door platforms (single system)
- › Stabilisers or outriggers to the manufacturer's specification
- › Lockable castors with sole boards for soft ground
- › Toe boards for all four sides of the working platform
- › Scafftag inspection tag holder
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ That the build method is stated as 3T or advance-guardrail, not 'build it up and climb inside'
- ✓ That stabiliser/outrigger use and the height-to-base ratio are explicit for the tower being used
- ✓ That operatives hold in-date PASMA cards and the inspection/tagging regime is named
- ✓ 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
Do I need a PASMA card to put up a mobile tower?
There is no law that names PASMA specifically, but PUWER and the Work at Height Regulations require anyone assembling, altering or dismantling a tower to be competent. PASMA training is the recognised way to demonstrate that competence, and most principal contractors will refuse access without an in-date card. The card lasts five years. If you cannot show competent assembly, expect your RAMS and your access to be rejected at the gate.
What is the 3T method and why does the RAMS have to mention it?
3T stands for 'through the trap' — the operative positions themselves at the trap door of the platform to add or remove the guardrails for the next level, so they are never standing on an unprotected platform. The alternative is the advance-guardrail method, where a temporary guardrail is locked in place from below before you climb up. A RAMS that does not specify one of these methods implies someone stands on an open platform to build the next lift, which is exactly the scenario that causes tower fatalities, so reviewers look for it.
What regulations apply to mobile tower scaffold?
Work at Height Regulations 2005, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are the main ones, alongside Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, reg 3 — risk assessment. 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.