RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

EVENTS RISK ASSESSMENT AND METHOD STATEMENT

This document is prepared as a template / starting point to help you administrate your event.
You should complete page 1 by overtyping all italicised areas with details for your event.
Pages 2-8 have pre-prepared evaluations of hazards and assessments of risk that are common to events; and the control
measures that we expect to be applied to manage them. You will find it helpful to read them and delete any that arent
appropriate, for example, if you are not having catering at your event, there is no need to include it in your risk assessment,
so delete the row. This gives you a good starting point. Tailor what remains to reflect how you will manage the hazards at
your event and, if appropriate, review the assessment of risk in accordance with the matrix on page 9.
If there are additional hazards, for example, if you are planning to stage a swordfight as part of your entertainment, add a
row and complete it to show what hazards have been identified and how you will manage them. You may want to adopt a
similar writing style to the other rows that remain, identifying who will do what and when.
Page 10 is the authorisation page. If you have conducted the risk assessment, you will complete the first line seeking
authority to proceed. Your manager should complete the second line to record that they support your assessment and to
authorise you to proceed, from a departmental / course perspective. They will also sign the third line to confirm that they
have sent the document to the Health & Safety Adviser. The Health & Safety Adviser will note the form with advice or
agreement.
The RAMS must be sent to the Assistant Facilities Managers and to the Events Organiser.
The RAMS must be retained by your department for three years, from the date of submission.

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

THE PROJECT AND METHOD STATEMENT
Section 1: The Method Statement
Department

What Department is managing the

event / activity?

Date of RAMS

What date has this RAMS been

completed?

Date of Review

If the event is a one-off, no review date is

needed. If an activity is regular, the review date
should be no more than one year ahead.

CSM Event Manager

Which Academic or Member of Staff is managing the event / activity

Event / activity Title

What is the event / activity called?

Where will the event /

activity take place?

Which building and whereabouts (room

number or location) in that building will the
event / activity happen?

Event / activity start

date and time

What date and time will you be

coming in to set up?

Event / activity end

date and time

What date and time will it end?

When will the last person leave the
area after taking down your event?

Description of event /
activity

Whats going to happen?

Method Statement

What steps will be taken to make it happen bullet point format with timings is fine here. When will
your staff or contractors be on the premises? When do you expect deliveries? Where will they be
arriving? Etc.
The CSM EVENT MANAGER
Complete with details

Contact telephone
numbers and e-mail

The CSM ASSISTANT FACILITIES MANAGERS

Rachel Fisher / Emlyn Foody / Matthew Chesney 020 7514 8000
The CSM HEALTH & SAFETY ADVISER
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RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

Niall Campbell 020 7514 8791; n.d.campbell@csm.arts.ac.uk

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

THE RISK ASSESSMENT
Section 2: hazards to be included in all Risk Assessments
HAZARD

RISK

CONTROL MEASURES

MANAGE
D RISK

MANAGEMENT
CHECK

Capacity
Death by crushing, injury by over crowding or
inability to evacuate/egress, and damage to
premises.

High

The Event Manager will find out the capacity of

their space and take steps to ensure that the
capacity is not exceeded.

Medium

Event Manager to
liaise with Security
regularly to ensure
that capacity is not
exceeded.

Medium

Facilities Managers
will satisfy
themselves of
competency before
authorising entry
and permission to
work.

Where necessary, the Event Manager will arrange

security to manage the event and capacity.
Competency of Events Team and
Contractors
Injury, death or damage to premises

High

The Event Manager will ensure that only suitably

trained; experienced and competent staff or
contractors are deployed to undertake duties.
The Event Manager will ensure that ALL
contractors attend an induction BEFORE they start
work.
Contractors bringing electrical equipment on
campus must have valid PAT test certificate for
each piece of equipment.
Contractors must ensure that any equipment
brought on has been properly tested and
maintained in compliance with the relevant
legislation.

Facilities Manager
will check PAT
certificates and
authorise use of
equipment on CSM
premises.

The Event Manager will conduct hourly walk

rounds to satisfy themselves that work is being
carried out in compliance with RAMS.

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

HAZARD

RISK

CONTROL MEASURES

MANAGE
D RISK

MANAGEMENT
CHECK

Fire
Risk of injury, death, damage to CSM premises
or damage to personal belongings.

High

The Event Manager will ensure that there is a Fire

Marshal on duty at all times during the event and
set up. The Fire Marshal will be a dedicated role
with no other duties in the event of a fire alarm
sounding and their duty is to evacuate within 3
minutes and report to the Senior Fire Marshal
whether anyone remains in the area they have
vacated.

Medium

Event Manager to
ensure that there is
a Fire Marshal on
duty during the
event and set up.
Event Manager to
perform an hourly
check to ensure
that no naked
flames are in use.

The Event Manager will ensure that naked flames

are managed safely and only used with the express
permission of the Assistant Facilities Manager
The Event Manager will, so far as reasonably
practicable, ensure that sources of ignition are
protected at all times and separated from sources
of fuel.
The College has a strict no smoking policy that the
Hirer will adhere to.
Emergency Evacuation
Possibility of injury or death if guests and hirer
do not know how to evacuate safely

Medium

The Event Manager will ensure that signage

indicating emergency evacuation routes is posted
throughout the space ahead of the event and will
remain in place throughout the event.

Medium

Event Manager to
do an hourly check
to ensure all fire
exits are kept clear.

The Event Manager must take steps to identify any

guests or staff who need help with emergency

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

HAZARD

RISK

First Aid
Injury or death if there is not adequate provision
of first aid.

High

Manual Handling
Injury, death or damage to premises

High

CONTROL MEASURES
evacuation in order to have measures in place to
support.
The Event Manager will ensure that all staff
understand how to contact first aiders and call for
an emergency response, if necessary, during the
event.

The Event Manager will make sure only suitably

trained, experienced and competent staff are
deployed to undertake these manual-handling
duties.

MANAGE
D RISK

MANAGEMENT
CHECK

Low

Medium

The Event Manager will assess all significant risk

from manual handling and manage appropriately.
Slips, trips and falls
Injury, death or damage to premises from falling
from a height or tripping over a hazard.

High

The Event Manager must ensure cables are

secured effectively and safely.

Medium

The Event Manager must ensure that furniture is

laid in a manner that doesnt impair egress or
evacuation.
The Event Manager must have an effective plan for
clearing spillages.
Access/Egress
Delegates or hirer entering restricted areas
might cause delay or injury to themselves if
accessing unauthorised areas.

Medium

The Event Manager will provide delegates with ID

so they may enter the building that is approved by
Estates Management.

Low

Should the event take place in multiple spaces

around the campus, the Event Manager must

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

HAZARD

RISK

CONTROL MEASURES

MANAGE
D RISK

MANAGEMENT
CHECK

provide ushers to direct delegates to the location of

the events.

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

Section 3: to be considered in all Risk Assessments
If hazards indentified in this section do not apply the risk assessor should delete the row from the risk assessment.
HAZARD

RISK

CONTROL MEASURES

MANAGE
D RISK

MANAGEMENT
CHECK

Builds
Risk of injury, death or damage to premises.

High

The Contractor must submit RAMS specific to build

2 weeks prior to the event to be approved by
Facilities Management.

Medium

Event Manager and

facilities staff to
undertake
management
checks every
1hr/3hrs as
appropriate

The Event Manager must ensure that any structure

erected as part of a build is flame retardant, and
has appropriate certification demonstrating this
treatment.
The Event Manager will, in partnership with
facilities, undertake management checks hourly to
ensure RAMS are being adhered to.
Catering
Injury, death or damage to premises.

High

The Event Manager will ensure that only a

competent catering company will be used and that
the caterers use suitable and sufficient waste
disposal methods.

Medium

The Event Manager will seek authority from

Facilities Management for caterers to use a
temporary kitchen.
The Event Manager will ensure that alcohol is
served in accordance with licence restrictions.
COSHH
Injury, death or damage to premises.

High

The Event Manager must identify all substances

that may be hazardous to health and ensure that
any such substances are handled and stored in

Medium

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

HAZARD

RISK

CONTROL MEASURES

MANAGE
D RISK

MANAGEMENT
CHECK

accordance with COSHH regulations.

Working at Height
Injury, death or damage to premises by falling or
dropping objects.

High

The The Event Manager will make sure only

suitably trained, experienced and competent staff
are deployed to work at height.

Medium

The competent person will assess all significant

risk from working at height and manage
appropriately. The competent person will also
ensure that all equipment is properly maintained
and fit for purpose before use.
The Event Manager will ensure all activities
working at height will have a clearly marked
exclusion zone underneath the area of work, where
it is appropriate.
Electrical Installations
Risk of electrocution, damage to property,
damage to premise.

High

The Event Manager will ensure that only competent

professionals are deployed to make electrical
installations.
Where appropriate, the Facilities Manager will
deploy an electrician to conduct a safety check on
installations before they are allowed to be used.

Medium

Event Manager to
arrange for Mitie
electrician to check
electrical
installations before
they are allowed to
be used.

The Event Manager will ensure that use of

extension cables will be kept to a minimum and
only professional standard extension cables will be
used. The Event Manager will ensure that
extension cables will not, under any circumstances,
be daisy chained.

RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

HAZARD

RISK

Events on balconies / bridges / the Terrace

Falls or drops

High

Security of building and assets

Medium

CONTROL MEASURES
The Event Manager will ensure that at the end of
the working day, when no one is in attendance, the
electrical circuits will be turned off, unless the
Events Manager is convinced that there is a
justifiable reason not to, and which does not
compromise safety.
For events taking place on the balconies, the Event
Manager will take appropriate measures to manage
attendees, e.g. hiring reputable security for crowd
control.
The Event Manager will consider the potential for
building security to be compromised and make
necessary arrangements with the Facilities
Manager or Headline Security to attend.

MANAGE
D RISK

MANAGEMENT
CHECK

Medium

Medium

The Events Manager will advise hirer of security

arrangements and relevant costs for inclusion in
the contract of hire.

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RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

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RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

RISK ASSESSMENT MATRIX
Multiple deaths; or
over 1m in
damage

Single death; or
over 100,000 in
damage

Major injury; or
over 10,000 in
damage

Minor injury; or
over 1000 in
damage

Lost time; or over

1000 in damage

Delay

Certain

VERY HIGH

VERY HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

Very likely

VERY HIGH

VERY HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

MEDIUM

Likely

VERY HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

MEDIUM

May happen

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

LOW

LOW

Unlikely

HIGH

MEDIUM

MEDIUM

LOW

LOW

LOW

MEDIUM

MEDIUM

LOW

LOW

LOW

LOW

Very unlikely

Action prioritisation table following a risk assessment (taken from Croners risk assessment)
Risk Level

Action and timescale

Very
high

Work should not be started or continued until the risk level

has been reduced. While the control measure selected
should be cost-effective, legally there is an absolute duty to
reduce the risk. This means that if it is not possible to
reduce the risk even with unlimited resources, then the
work must not begin or must remain prohibited.

High

Work should not be started until the risk has been

reduced. Considerable resources may have to be
allocated to reduce the risk. Where the risk involves
critical work in progress, the problem should normally be
remedied as soon as reasonably practicable but within
one to three months, depending on the number of people
exposed to the hazard.

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RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

Medium

Efforts should be made to reduce the risk, but the cost of

prevention should be carefully measured and limited. Risk
reduction measures should normally be implemented within
three to six months, depending on the number of people
exposed to the hazard

Low

No further preventive action is necessary, but

consideration should be given to more cost-effective
solutions, or improvements that impose no additional cost
burden. Monitoring is required to ensure that controls are
maintained.

AUTHORITY TO PROCEED
The Risk Assessor, insert name here,
applies for authority to proceed with this
event / activity, using this RAMS to
manage Health & Safety.

Project Manager signature

date
The Project Manager should complete the
RAMS a minimum of 2 weeks ahead of
the event / activity.

The Tutor / Head of Department agrees

that the RAMS addresses the significant
risks posed by the event and authorises
the event to go ahead.

Tutor / Head of Department signature

date

The Tutor / Head of Department confirms

that a copy of the RAMS has been
forwarded to the College Health & Safety
Adviser for review and advice.

Tutor / Head of Department signature

The Health & Safety Adviser has reviewed

the RAMS.

Health & Safety Adviser signature

The Tutor / Head of Department should read and

either confirm that they believe the RA addresses
all significant risks; offer guidance to the Project
Manager; or seek guidance from the Health &
Safety Adviser.

date
The Tutor / Head of Department should ensure
that the RA is forwarded to the Health & Safety
Adviser at least a week before the event / activity.

date

Health & Safety Advice / Action

The Health & Safety Adviser should formally record advice or action taken.

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RISK ASSESSMENT / METHOD STATEMENT (RAMS)

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