OpenReach RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement)

Overview: When a customer's order requires installation of a new line, circuit, socket or equipment then an OpenReach employee may need to visit the premises and route new cabling and/or other work. This may involve access to ceiling or floor ducts, drilling through walls, affixing conduits/cable runs and so on. Many landlords and building managers will understandably ask for copies of the information attached at the bottom of this article. If the landlord or building manager denies access, hefty charges can result and even refusal to install the order at all; we therefore recommend a proactive dialog with landlords/managers to obtain consent prior to the visit - see our example email at the end of this article.

More details of OpenReach health & safety, and  accreditation with industry schemes, can be found on their website: https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/damage-health-and-safety/health-and-safety

Attached documents

• OpenReach health, safety and wellbeing policy statement
  • A brief overview of their commitment to safety
• OpenReach RAMS
  • "OPENREACH TASK STATEMENT No. 1 INSTALLATION OF CABLES AND WIRING SCHEMES IN CUSTOMER PREMISES" (Reviewed in 2017 and latest version as of Sep-2019)
  • This is a detailed Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) model template assuring the building owner/landlord/manager of how cabling and equipment will be installed.  In part it guarantees: "Customers frequently issue Site Rules to their visitors. Openreach people will always seek to apply these rules unless they consider the rules to be incompatible with our own safe systems of work."
  • Site access guarantee in part states: " Openreach employees will liaise with the customer or their site representative before starting work to agree worksite access." (Please note that if the OpenReach employee is denied access to an area of the property necessary to install the cabling/equipment then an abortive visit charge will be levied and if future access is denied then an additional cancellation fee will be applied for each circuit or cable.
• BT Group PLC insurance certificate

Example email (or letter) from landlord or building manager

"As manager/landlord [delete as appropriate] of [address], we are giving permission for a BT OpenReach engineer to install a broadband line to [exact floor/unit/address] for our tenant [name of tenant]. We have a copy of the standard RAMS (“OPENREACH TASK STATEMENT No. 1 INSTALLATION OF CABLES AND WIRING SCHEMES IN CUSTOMER PREMISES”, issue 08.2) and give our permission for an OpenReach engineer to have access to whatever areas of the building are needed to facilitate the installation of the broadband line; this could include, but is not limited to, comms rooms, basement comms area, floor and ceiling ducting. We also grant permission for any necessary drilling and cabling, including walls and frames. We understand that the OpenReach engineer will liaise with our nominated point of contact on site and adhere to high standards of work to minimize aesthetic impairment, leaving the areas of work in clean condition."