When this template fits
Anyone who genuinely cannot avoid working on or near live electrical services needs this RAMS — and reviewers expect to see it justified, not assumed. It is written for the competent electrician and authorised person who must work adjacent to live conductors, switchgear or distribution equipment where isolation is not reasonably practicable. Principal contractors and client engineering teams will ask for it whenever your task touches a live board, and they will check that regulation 14 has actually been satisfied.
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 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
Work on or near live or potentially live electrical services.
Sequence of works
- 1PLANNING: Review all available drawings, cable schedules, and as-built records to identify all live services in or near the work area. Conduct a cable detection survey (CAT and Genny) and mark up identified routes. Brief all operatives and confirm a competent person is assigned.
- 2RISK ASSESSMENT AND PERMITS: Complete the task-specific risk assessment and, where required, raise an electrical Permit to Work. Where live working cannot be avoided, prepare a written live working justification signed by the responsible person. Ensure a two-person team is assigned.
- 3ISOLATION: Identify all circuits supplying the work area. Isolate at the correct point using an appropriate means of isolation. Apply personal padlocks and danger tags (lock-off / tag-out). Display 'Do Not Switch On' notices at isolation points and the main board.
- 4PROVE DEAD: Use a verified and calibrated test instrument to prove the circuit is dead at the point of work. Confirm the tester is working on a known live source before and after testing. Do not proceed until a dead condition is confirmed.
- 5ESTABLISH SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS: Install any additional physical protection required — insulating barriers, shrouding of adjacent live parts, insulating matting. Confirm adequate lighting and clear access and egress. Ensure first aid equipment and fire extinguisher are accessible.
- 6CARRY OUT WORK: Undertake the task using insulated, voltage-rated tools. Work methodically, one conductor at a time where applicable. Maintain communication with the second person throughout. Do not deviate from the agreed scope of work without re-assessing.
- 7INSPECTION BEFORE RE-ENERGISATION: On completion of work, carry out a visual inspection and relevant electrical testing (insulation resistance, continuity) as required. Remove all tools, materials, and personnel from the circuit before proceeding.
- 8REMOVE ISOLATION AND RE-ENERGISE: Remove all padlocks and tags in a controlled and agreed sequence. Confirm all persons are clear. Re-energise the circuit and verify correct operation of protection devices. Record the re-energisation in the permit or log.
- 9CLOSE OUT: Cancel and sign off the Permit to Work. Update cable records and drawings if any changes were made. Brief the site team of reinstatement. Conduct a fire watch if any hot works or sparking activities occurred during the task.
Hazards, risk rating & controls
Risk = likelihood × severity (1–25). Initial is before controls; residual is with controls applied.
Electric shock from live conductors
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Identify and isolate all circuits that could be live in the work area. Apply lock-off/tag-out to isolation points. Prove dead with a verified test instrument before work begins. Maintain isolation throughout the task.
- › Issue a formal electrical Permit to Work signed by a competent authorised person confirming isolation, proving dead, earthing where required, and safe-to-work status. Cancel permit on completion.
- › All tools used in proximity to potentially live parts must be insulated and rated for the voltage present (minimum 1000 V AC). Test tools for damage before use.
- › Wear voltage-rated insulating gloves (Class appropriate to system voltage) and stand on insulating matting where required. PPE must be inspected before each use.
Flash arc and electrical burn
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › A competent electrical engineer must calculate incident energy levels and establish flash protection boundaries. Only authorised persons within defined boundaries.
- › Provide arc-rated face shield (minimum 8 cal/cm² or as assessed), arc-rated coverall, and insulating gloves where arc flash risk exists and live working is unavoidable.
Unidentified or unmarked cables
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use calibrated cable avoidance tools (CAT and Genny) and review up-to-date as-built drawings before drilling, chasing, or excavating. Where doubt exists, use safe digging techniques.
- › Mark detected cable routes on the structure with spray paint or tape and brief all workers before they begin. Display cable route information in the work area.
- › Where any doubt remains about cable routing, isolate and prove dead the most likely circuits before proceeding. Never assume a cable is dead without proving.
Electrical fire from short circuit or overloaded circuit
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Carry out visual inspection and appropriate electrical testing (insulation resistance, continuity) before re-energising any circuit that has been worked on. Only a competent person may sign off.
- › Ensure appropriate Class E rated fire extinguisher is immediately accessible in the work area. Confirm fire alarm and detection systems are operational or provide alternative means of raising the alarm.
- › Where work may generate sparks near cabling or electrical equipment, implement a fire watch for a minimum of 60 minutes after work ceases. Record findings.
Unsafe live working without authorisation
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Live working is only permitted where it is unreasonable to make dead, or where the nature of the work requires it. A written justification signed by a responsible person is required before any live work proceeds.
- › Only persons who are technically competent (by knowledge and experience) for the voltage and system type involved may undertake or directly supervise live electrical work. Competency must be verified and recorded.
- › No operative shall carry out live work alone. A second competent person must be present, aware of the hazards, and able to raise the alarm or provide first aid.
Electrocution from damaged or temporary supplies
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Use 110 V centre-tapped-to-earth (CTE) portable tools and leads on site wherever practicable to reduce shock severity risk.
- › All temporary electrical supplies must be protected by a 30 mA RCD at the supply point. RCDs must be tested monthly and after any incident.
- › All portable electrical equipment must undergo formal visual inspection before each use. Periodic PAT testing in line with site inspection schedule. Defective equipment removed from service immediately.
Inadvertent re-energisation during work
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Apply a personal padlock and danger tag at every isolation point. Each worker present must apply their own lock. No lock may be removed by anyone other than the person who fitted it.
- › Post prominent 'Do Not Switch On — Men at Work' notices at the point of isolation and at the switchboard. Brief all persons on site of the isolation.
Burns from electrical contact
Who’s at risk: Operatives, Other trades on site
- › Establish and enforce minimum approach distances to live conductors in line with the system voltage. Use physical barriers (insulating shrouding or covers) to prevent accidental contact.
- › At least one trained first aider must be present on site with a first aid kit that includes burns dressings appropriate for electrical burns. Location must be communicated to all workers.
- › Wear BS EN 60903 rated insulating gloves appropriate to the system voltage whenever contact with live parts is possible.
PPE
- ✓ Safety footwear (EN ISO 20345)
- ✓ Hi-vis clothing
- ✓ Safety gloves (task-appropriate)
- ✓ Hard hat (EN 397) where overhead risk or site rules require
- ✓ Insulated gloves where live work is unavoidable
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
- › Insulating shrouding, phase barriers and insulated blankets
- › Class 0 insulated tool set
- › GS38-compliant voltage indicator with fused leads and proving unit
- › Arc-flash boundary signage and exclusion barriers
- › Insulating rescue hook for emergency release
Permits & legislation
What principal contractors usually check
- ✓ That the regulation 14 three-condition justification is recorded for this specific task, not stated generically
- ✓ That an accompanying person trained in emergency rescue and CPR is named, with the isolation point they can operate
- ✓ That arc-rated PPE is selected against an assessed incident energy, not a generic clothing list
- ✓ 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
Can I work on a live consumer unit because isolating it would be inconvenient?
No — inconvenience is not a lawful reason to work live. Regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 only permits live working where it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for the conductor to be dead, it is reasonable in all the circumstances to work live, and suitable precautions are taken to prevent injury. All three conditions must be satisfied and recorded for the specific task before you begin. If you can shut the supply down to do the work safely, you must, and a dead-working RAMS applies instead.
What test equipment is acceptable for proving dead near live parts?
Use a two-pole voltage indicator that complies with GS38 — shrouded probe tips with no more than around 4 mm of exposed metal, finger barriers, and fused, current-limited leads. Prove the indicator on a known live source immediately before and after you check the conductor is dead, so you know the device was working. Avoid multimeters with long unfused leads for proving dead, as a slip can bridge live parts. The same GS38 standard applies whether you are proving dead or testing in a live environment.
What regulations apply to working near live services?
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 are the main ones. 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.