SafetyPaperwork
Heating and ventilation · United Kingdom

Method statement for ducted air conditioning

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from HSE guidance and CDM 2015 · How we write and check theseUpdated

You must assess the risks of ducted air conditioning and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

RAMS cover the hazards, who could be harmed and how, the controls and the safe sequence of work, and the crew is briefed and signs. The main hazards are disturbing asbestos, electric shock from live wiring, falling through a floor opening or void and heat stress.

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RAMS example: ducted air conditioning

This is a complete RAMS for ducted air conditioning, with 6 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS)
Ducted air conditioning unit installation · Heating and ventilation · Example
Document RAMS-001 · Rev 1

Risk assessment

#ActivityHazardsWho might be harmedRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Check the roof space for asbestos, cables and access
  • Disturbing asbestos
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Tight spaces: roof spaces and under floors
Workers, Occupants, PublicVery high (15)
  • Before work on any building built before 2000, check the refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey for the work area (HSE HSG264). If there is none, presume asbestos is present or have it sampled before you start. Eliminate
  • Seal off the work area and keep everyone else out. Isolate
  • If asbestos must be disturbed, keep it wet, use hand tools not power tools, and clean up with an H-class vacuum. Control (engineering)
  • Most asbestos insulation, coatings and insulating board need a licensed contractor. Notifiable non-licensed work is notified to HSE before it starts. Other work needs trained workers and controls. Control (procedures)
  • Stop work straight away if you find suspect asbestos. Do not touch it and tell your supervisor. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a fit-tested FFP3 mask (or better) and disposable type 5 coveralls. PPE
  • Isolate the power before any work. Do not work live. Eliminate
  • Lock out and tag the isolation point with your own personal lock and danger tag. Isolate
  • Prove dead at the point of work with an approved voltage indicator (GS38), and prove the tester before and after. Control (engineering)
  • Only competent, qualified electricians do electrical work, following a safe isolation procedure. Control (procedures)
  • Check for back feeds from solar, batteries and generators that can keep a circuit live after the main switch is off. Control (procedures)
  • Do as much of the work as you can from outside the tight space. Eliminate
  • Turn the power off at the consumer unit or distribution board before entering where you can, as damaged cables may be live. Isolate
  • Lay crawl boards across the joists so you cannot step through the ceiling. Control (engineering)
  • Set up ventilation and lighting in the space. Control (engineering)
  • Limit time in hot roof spaces and take breaks somewhere cool. Control (procedures)
Medium (6)
2Work in the roof space early in the day, with breaks and water
  • Heat stress
  • Confined space entry
Workers, RescuersHigh (12)
  • Schedule heavy work for the cooler part of the day. Eliminate
  • Provide shade over work and rest areas, and fans or cooling in roof spaces. Control (engineering)
  • Supply cool drinking water close by and drink a cup every 15 to 20 minutes. Control (procedures)
  • Take regular rest breaks in the shade, more often as it gets hotter. Control (procedures)
  • Let new and returning workers build up to full work in the heat over about a week. Control (procedures)
  • Watch each other for dizziness, headache, confusion or stopping sweating. Stop work, cool down and get help. Control (procedures)
  • Have a hot weather plan, including when work stops. Control (procedures)
  • Wear light, loose, long-sleeved clothing, a hat or brim, and sunscreen. PPE
  • Do the work from outside the space where you can, using cameras or long-reach tools. Eliminate
  • Isolate and lock out all pipes, power and moving parts going into the space. Isolate
  • Test the air for oxygen, flammable and toxic gases before entry, and keep testing during the work. Control (engineering)
  • Use forced ventilation to keep the air clean. Control (engineering)
  • Issue a confined space entry permit before anyone goes in. Only trained workers enter. Control (procedures)
  • Keep a trained standby person outside at all times, in contact with those inside. Control (procedures)
  • Set up a rescue plan and rescue gear before entry. Never go in to rescue without the right gear. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a harness for retrieval and the respirator the air test calls for. PPE
Medium (8)
3Lift the indoor unit into the roof with a hoist or team
  • Lifting and carrying heavy loads
  • Falling tools and materials
Workers, Public, People belowHigh (12)
  • Plan to avoid carrying: have materials delivered, and old items picked up, as close as possible to where they are used. Eliminate
  • Use lighter or smaller loads: order smaller bags and shorter lengths, and drain or break down old items before moving them. Reduce / substitute
  • Use trolleys, pallet jacks, hoists, vacuum lifters or plant instead of carrying by hand. Control (engineering)
  • Use a two-person lift for anything heavy, long or awkward. Plan the route first and clear it. Control (procedures)
  • Keep the load close, back straight and no twisting. Turn with your feet. Control (procedures)
  • Rotate tasks and take breaks on long lifting jobs. Control (procedures)
  • Wear gloves for grip and safety boots to protect your feet. PPE
  • Barricade and sign the drop zone under overhead work so nobody walks beneath. Isolate
  • Fit toe boards, kick plates and mesh screens on scaffolds and edges. Control (engineering)
  • Use catch fans, debris netting or covered walkways where people pass below. Control (engineering)
  • Tether hand tools when working at height. Control (engineering)
  • Keep platforms tidy. Do not stack materials near edges or above toe board height. Control (procedures)
  • Lower materials with a hoist, chute or rope. Never throw or drop anything down. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a hard hat anywhere objects could fall. PPE
Medium (8)
4Walk on joists or crawl boards only
  • Falling through a floor opening or void
Workers, VisitorsVery high (15)
  • Cover every hole and penetration with a fixed, secured cover marked "HOLE" or "DANGER". Isolate
  • Put guardrails with toe boards around stairwells, lift shafts, voids and open edges. Isolate
  • Install stairs early and fit temporary handrails as soon as they go in. Control (engineering)
  • Never remove a cover or guardrail without approval. Put it back straight away. Control (procedures)
  • Inspect covers and barriers daily and after other trades have been through. Control (procedures)
  • Keep lighting good enough to see openings, especially on lower floors and in the evening. Control (procedures)
  • Use a harness clipped to a rated anchor when working right next to an open void. PPE
Medium (5)
5Install ducts, cutting with care and wearing gloves and a mask for insulation
  • Cuts from sharp edges
  • General dust
Workers, OccupantsMedium (8)
  • Deburr or cover sharp edges, and fit edge protectors on exposed sheet metal. Control (engineering)
  • Use knives with retractable or self-retracting blades. Control (engineering)
  • Cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear. Control (procedures)
  • Put used blades in a blade bin or sharps container. Control (procedures)
  • Use two people to handle large sheets of metal or glass. Control (procedures)
  • Wear cut-resistant gloves and long sleeves. PPE
  • Use low-dust products, such as dust-reduced or pre-mixed compounds. Reduce / substitute
  • Seal off the work area with plastic sheeting in occupied buildings. Isolate
  • Use tools with dust extraction and a vacuum for clean up. Control (engineering)
  • Lightly mist the area with water to keep dust down, away from anything electrical. Control (engineering)
  • Never dry sweep or blow dust off with compressed air. Control (procedures)
  • Wear a dust mask and safety glasses. PPE
Low (4)
6Connect refrigerant and power, test and commission
  • Refrigerant leaks
  • Electric shock from live wiring
  • Pressure testing
Workers, OccupantsVery high (15)
  • Recover refrigerant into an approved cylinder before opening the system. Never vent it. Isolate
  • Ventilate closed spaces and use a leak detector during the work. Control (engineering)
  • Only F-gas certified engineers handle refrigerants. Control (procedures)
  • With flammable refrigerants (such as R32 or R290), remove ignition sources and use spark-free tools. Control (procedures)
  • Wear cold-rated gloves and safety glasses or a face shield. PPE
  • If live work cannot be avoided, use a permit, a safety observer and insulated tools. Control (procedures)
  • Wear insulated gloves, arc-rated clothing and a face shield when testing or working near live parts. PPE
  • Electric shock from live wiring: see step 1 for the full controls Control (procedures)
  • Test with water instead of air or gas where the system allows it. Never put water in refrigerant pipework, which is tested with dry nitrogen. Reduce / substitute
  • Keep people out of the test area with signs and barriers. Isolate
  • Use a calibrated gauge and a relief valve set to protect the system. Control (engineering)
  • Test to the pressure the system calls for and hold it for the set time. Never go over. Control (procedures)
  • Release the pressure fully before tightening anything or fixing leaks. Control (procedures)
Medium (5)

Method statement: sequence of work

  1. Check the roof space for asbestos, cables and access
  2. Work in the roof space early in the day, with breaks and water
  3. Lift the indoor unit into the roof with a hoist or team
  4. Walk on joists or crawl boards only
  5. Install ducts, cutting with care and wearing gloves and a mask for insulation
  6. Connect refrigerant and power, test and commission

PPE

Safety bootsSafety glassesCut-resistant glovesFFP3 dust maskFull body harness and lanyardHalf-mask respirator (P3 filters)CoverallsRigger glovesInsulated electrical glovesArc-rated clothing and face shieldKnee padsSafety helmetSun protection (sunscreen and neck cover)Face shield

Plant and equipment

Power drillHand toolsPodium stepMobile crane: CPCS or NPORS crane operator card, plus slinger signaller card; lift plan by an Appointed PersonElectrical test equipment (multifunction tester)

Permits and plans

Permit to work (electrical isolation)

Emergency

Call 999. Add the nearest A&E, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this RAMS.

Free RAMS template for ducted air conditioning

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this RAMS

Pre-start checklist for ducted air conditioning

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

The safe sequence of work

  1. Check the roof space for asbestos, cables and access
  2. Work in the roof space early in the day, with breaks and water
  3. Lift the indoor unit into the roof with a hoist or team
  4. Walk on joists or crawl boards only
  5. Install ducts, cutting with care and wearing gloves and a mask for insulation
  6. Connect refrigerant and power, test and commission

Hazards to watch on ducted air conditioning

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 1Tight spaces: roof spaces and under floorsCrawling through roof spaces, under floors or in tight ceilings leads to falls through the ceiling, heat stress, shocks and cuts.
Step 2Confined space entryBad air, toxic gas or engulfment in a tank, pit, sewer or manhole overcomes workers and the people who try to rescue them.
Step 6Refrigerant leaksRefrigerant gas causes frostbite, pushes oxygen out of small rooms, and some types catch fire.
Step 6Pressure testingA pipe, fitting or cap fails under test pressure and blows apart, hitting people nearby.
Step 2Heat stressHard work in hot weather or hot roof spaces causes heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can kill.
Step 4Falling through a floor opening or voidA worker steps into an open hole, stairwell, lift shaft or penetration and falls to the level below.
Very likelyLikelyPossibleUnlikelyVery unlikelyHow bad it could be: Negligible to FatalBA
Highest risk on ducted air conditioning: Very high before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the United Kingdom 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible and fatal becomes unlikely and major injury).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

  • Will anyone work at height, anywhere a fall could hurt them?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Is there a fragile roof, skylight or clear roof sheet?
  • Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?

Licences and legal requirements in United Kingdom

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

  • Mobile crane: CPCS or NPORS crane operator card, plus slinger signaller card; lift plan by an Appointed Person

Employers must assess the risks of their work and record the significant findings (required where you employ 5 or more people). On CDM projects, contractors give their RAMS to the principal contractor before starting, and brief the workers on it.

Rules that apply: Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012; Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; Confined Spaces Regulations 1997; Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992; Work at Height Regulations 2005, regulation 10 (falling objects); Work at Height Regulations 2005; Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015; Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000.

Why RAMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • The method statement is only a list of headings that repeats the risk table and never says how the work is done.
  • The method sequence does not match the risk assessment, for example the method strips the roof before the scaffold is handed over.
  • Residual risk is still High after controls with no extra measures or explanation.
  • It reads as copied: another firm, another address, or wording that does not fit UK sites. HSE warns that copying an example and adding your name does not satisfy the law.
  • Work on an older building with no reference to an asbestos survey.
  • Plant and access equipment listed with no inspection, thorough examination or competence evidence.
  • No briefing record, no revision history, or no named supervisor.

Questions

Do I need RAMS for ducted air conditioning?

You must assess the risks of ducted air conditioning and record the significant findings if you employ 5 or more people. On CDM sites the principal contractor will ask for RAMS before you start.

Who signs the RAMS?

The person who wrote it and the person who approved it sign and date it. Every worker signs the briefing register after it is explained to them, and the principal contractor reviews and accepts it before you start.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this RAMS, every revision and the signed briefing register with the site file for the length of the job, and keep a copy in your records afterwards.

What PPE is needed for ducted air conditioning?

Usually Safety boots, Safety glasses, Cut-resistant gloves, FFP3 dust mask, Full body harness and lanyard, Half-mask respirator (P3 filters), Coveralls, Rigger gloves, Insulated electrical gloves, Arc-rated clothing and face shield, Knee pads, Safety helmet, Sun protection (sunscreen and neck cover), Face shield. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More heating and ventilation RAMS

RAMSAir Conditioning Installation10 stepsRAMSBoiler Replacement6 stepsRAMSAir Conditioning Maintenance5 stepsRAMSRooftop AHU Replacement6 stepsRAMSDuctwork Installation5 stepsRAMSF-Gas Leak Repair6 steps

Related jobs in other trades

DemolitionSoft StripAlso involves disturbing asbestosElectricalConsumer Unit ReplacementAlso involves disturbing asbestosRoofingRe-RoofingAlso involves disturbing asbestosBricklayingBrickworkAlso involves general dustScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves falling tools and materials

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkAsbestos AwarenessToolbox talkHeat StressToolbox talkConfined Spaces

Blank RAMS template: free RAMS templates. Also for other countries: Australia (SWMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)

Sources