RAMS for Plumbers
Generate compliant risk assessments for plumbing, heating, and gas installation work in under 2 minutes. Gas Safety Regulations, COSHH, and CDM 2015 cited automatically.
Built with UK health & safety regulations in mind
Plumbing covers an enormous range of work: domestic repairs, commercial pipework, hot works, gas installations, and large-scale mechanical plant. Each carries its own hazard profile, its own legislative requirements, and its own RAMS. The problem for plumbing contractors is that no two jobs are the same, which means generic RAMS templates quickly become useless. A risk assessment written for a boiler swap in a domestic kitchen is not the same document you need for a commercial chilled water installation in a live office building.
Getting RAMS wrong costs money and time. Principal contractors will send you home until your paperwork is in order. Clients in the commercial and public sectors increasingly require RAMS as a condition of contract, and the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 create additional legal obligations for anyone working on gas systems.
swiftRMS takes the task-specific detail you provide and generates a compliant, legislation-cited plumber RAMS in under 2 minutes. You get a proper PDF document: not a template with gaps to fill, but a finished document ready to hand to a site manager or store in your compliance records.
What Plumbers RAMS Must Include
Compliant risk assessments for plumbers work must cover these specific areas
Isolation of services and permit to work
Before working on any pressurised or live system, the method statement must document isolation points, drain-down procedures, and who holds the permit. Under CDM 2015, where this is a notifiable project, isolation procedures feed into the Construction Phase Plan.
Hot works controls
Soldering, brazing, and the use of oxy-acetylene torches require a hot works permit and a fire watch procedure. RAMS must reference fire risk, heat shielding, and the minimum 60-minute post-work inspection.
Manual handling assessments
Large pipework, boiler units, and plant equipment frequently exceed safe manual handling thresholds. Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, your RAMS must document lifting aids, team lifts, and weight assessments.
COSHH assessment for chemical agents
Flux, solder, jointing compounds, and descaling chemicals are controlled substances under COSHH Regulations 2002. Each must have a substance-specific assessment, including exposure limits and PPE.
Legionella risk in existing systems
Plumbers disturbing domestic hot and cold water systems must consider Legionella risk under ACoP L8 and HSG274. This is particularly relevant on commercial and healthcare sites.
Working at height
Roof access for external pipework, loft installations, and commercial plant rooms frequently require work above ground level, governed by WAHR 2005.
Common Plumbers Tasks That Require RAMS
Generate RAMS for any of these tasks in minutes, not hours
Boiler installation and replacement
Hot works, gas connection, pressurised system isolation, and working in confined spaces such as airing cupboards. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 apply to all gas work.
Commercial chilled water and heating systems
Large-diameter pipework, chemical treatment systems, and mechanical plant. COSHH applies to corrosion inhibitors. CDM applies on notifiable projects.
Bathroom and wet room fitting
Waterproofing membranes, tile adhesives, and grout contain chemicals that fall under COSHH. Cutting boards and tiles generates silica dust, covered by COSHH and HSG274.
Underground drainage installation
Excavation hazards including trench collapse, buried services, and confined space entry where drainage manholes are involved. CDM 2015 and HSG47 apply.
Water main connection
Working in the public highway, liaison with the relevant water undertaker, and trench support systems. New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and Water Industry Act 1991 are relevant.
Pressurised vessel and unvented cylinder installation
Unvented hot water cylinders require G3 qualified installers and a specific method statement covering discharge pipe installation, pressure relief testing, and system commissioning.
Swimming pool and spa plant room work
Chemical dosing systems, high-pressure pump work, and confined spaces. COSHH applies to chlorine and pH chemicals. Working in plant rooms with poor ventilation requires specific gas monitoring controls.
UK Legislation for Plumbers Risk Assessments
Every RAMS automatically cites the relevant UK legislation and industry standards
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
Mandatory for any work on gas fittings. Only Gas Safe registered engineers may carry out gas work. RAMS must confirm Gas Safe registration and document the specific gas installation tasks.
Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999
Covers materials, jointing, and installation methods for pipework connected to the public water supply. Non-compliant fittings and methods must be identified and excluded.
Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR)
Applies to pressurised hot water systems, steam systems, and unvented vessels. Written schemes of examination and safe operating limits must be documented.
COSHH Regulations 2002
Applies to all chemical agents used or disturbed during plumbing work: flux, solder, descalers, corrosion inhibitors, and Legionella risk in stored water.
ACoP L8 and HSG274
The Approved Code of Practice for Legionella control. Relevant whenever plumbers work on hot and cold water systems, particularly on commercial or healthcare sites.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
Heavy plant, long pipe runs, and cast iron systems regularly exceed safe lifting weights. Your RAMS must address this explicitly.
How swiftRMS Generates Plumbers RAMS
swiftRMS generates plumber-specific RAMS by asking you about your task, not presenting a blank template. You specify whether the job involves gas work, hot works, working at height, or chemical substances. The system pulls the correct legislation, populates the hazard register with task-relevant risks, and produces a method statement that reflects your specific scope.
Gas work flags Gas Safety Regulations 1998 automatically. COSHH chemicals trigger substance assessment prompts. If CDM applies, the output includes the relevant CDM-aligned information.
The final PDF is formatted for professional use: company name, operative names, site address, task description, risk ratings, control measures, and legislation references. It takes under 2 minutes from first question to downloadable document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Your Gas Safe registration proves competency to do gas work, but it does not replace the requirement for a risk assessment and method statement for each job, particularly on commercial sites or CDM projects.
Common ones include: lead solder (in older systems), flux paste, pipe jointing compounds, descaling acids, pool chemical concentrates, and Legionella in stored water systems. Each substance used or disturbed during the work should have its own COSHH entry in the RAMS.
Yes. The risk profiles are different: a domestic swap involves working in a residential property with members of the public potentially present, while a commercial installation typically involves larger plant, pressurised systems, and potentially CDM notification. Use task-specific RAMS for each.
swiftRMS generates RAMS that meet the legal requirements for risk assessment under UK health and safety law. Public sector contracts may have specific RAMS format requirements. The PDF output can be edited or supplemented to meet any additional format requirements specified in the contract.
Generate Your First Plumbers RAMS Free
No credit card required. Generate a compliant, legislation-cited RAMS in under 2 minutes and download the PDF immediately.