If you are a self-employed electrician or run an electrical contracting business in the UK, you are legally required to carry out and document a risk assessment before starting work on any job. Not as a formality. Not as a box-ticking exercise. As a genuine assessment of the hazards involved and the controls you will put in place to protect yourself, your team, and anyone else in the vicinity.
Electrical work is inherently dangerous. Electric shock, arc flash, fire from faulty installations, working at height to access consumer units or containment systems — these are real hazards on every job, and the consequences of getting them wrong are serious. A properly completed electrical contractor risk assessment is the documented evidence that you have planned the work and identified those hazards before anyone starts.
This guide explains exactly what UK law requires, what an electrical contractor risk assessment must cover, and how to produce one that will be accepted by a principal contractor, facilities manager, or HSE inspector without question.
The legal basis for electrical contractor risk assessments
The requirement to carry out a risk assessment is not specific to the electrical trade — it applies to all employers and self-employed persons under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR). This states that every employer and self-employed person must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees and of anyone else who might be affected by their work.
For electrical contractors, this general duty is reinforced by several additional pieces of legislation:
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 place specific duties on all those who work with electrical systems. Regulation 4 requires that all systems are constructed so as to prevent danger. Regulation 14 is particularly important — it prohibits work on or near live conductors unless it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for the conductor to be made dead, or unless it is necessary to be alive for the work to be carried out. Any deviation from the safe isolation principle must be specifically justified and documented.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) apply to most electrical installation, alteration, and maintenance work on construction sites. Under CDM 2015, every contractor has a duty to plan, manage and monitor construction work so that it is carried out without risks to health or safety. The risk assessment is the primary mechanism for demonstrating that this planning has taken place.
Part P of the Building Regulations applies to electrical work in domestic dwellings. While Part P is primarily about notification and certification, the associated guidance requires that electrical work is carried out to a safe standard — and risk assessment is integral to that.
For most UK electrical contractors, the combination of the MHSWR 1999 and CDM 2015 means a written risk assessment is required for virtually every job, and a verbal assessment is not sufficient for construction site work or any job where others could be affected.
When do you need an electrical contractor risk assessment?
The honest answer is: for every job. But in practical terms, the situations where you will always be required to produce a documented, written electrical contractor risk assessment include:
- All electrical installation work on construction sites — required under CDM 2015 for all contractors
- Electrical work in hazardous environments — confined spaces, areas with flammable or explosive atmospheres, wet environments, or where work will be carried out at height
- All commercial and industrial electrical work where a principal contractor requires documentation before granting site access
- Any work involving live conductors where isolation is not possible
- Work involving energising electrical circuits for the first time on a new installation
- Testing and inspection work involving live systems
- Any job where you are employing others or coordinating with subcontractors
- Domestic rewires, consumer unit replacements, and other notifiable work under Part P
- Any job where a facilities manager or principal contractor requires a RAMS as a condition of access
For domestic jobs carried out by a sole trader with no risk to third parties, a brief written assessment may suffice. For commercial, industrial, or construction site work, a comprehensive, task-specific documented risk assessment is expected as a minimum.
What must an electrical contractor risk assessment include?
A compliant electrical contractor risk assessment covers the following elements. Each section matters — a principal contractor reviewing your documentation will check all of them.
1. Project and task identification
Start with clear identification: the job address, the client or principal contractor, the date, the operative or team carrying out the work, and the specific electrical task being assessed. A risk assessment described only as "electrical installation" is not specific enough. Name the task: "Installation of containment systems and cabling — floors 2 and 3", "Consumer unit replacement — domestic property", or "Testing and inspection of existing installation prior to energising."
2. Hazard identification
This is the core of the document. For electrical contractors, the hazards to identify and assess include:
Electrical hazards — the primary risks of the trade:
- Electric shock — contact with live conductors, whether through direct contact or through fault conditions. The severity of electric shock depends on the current path through the body, the voltage, and the duration of contact. At mains voltage (230V), electric shock is potentially fatal.
- Arc flash — an electrical arc caused by a fault or accidental contact with live conductors. Arc flash produces an intense burst of heat, light, and pressure that can cause serious burns, blindness, and blast injuries even at distances of several metres.
- Electrical fire — ignition of combustible materials caused by overheating cables, poor connections, or fault conditions in the installation.
- Explosion risk — in environments where flammable gases, vapours, or dusts are present, electrical sparks or arcs can cause explosions. Identify whether the work is taking place in a Zone 0, Zone 1, or Zone 2 hazardous area.
Mechanical and physical hazards associated with electrical work:
- Working at height — accessing cable trays, installing containment at high level, working on roof-mounted equipment, and entering risers or lift shafts all involve working at height. Reference your working at height risk assessment for these elements.
- Manual handling — carrying cable drums, distribution boards, and containment systems involves manual handling hazards. Heavy cable reels in particular present a significant risk of musculoskeletal injury.
- Hand tools — use of drills, grinders, cable strippers, and crimping tools. Abrasive wheel injuries and drill injuries are common in the electrical trade.
- Chasing and drilling — drilling into walls and chasing out channels for cables risks striking hidden services — existing cables, water pipes, and gas pipes concealed in the structure.
- Confined spaces — working in plant rooms, under-floor voids, roof spaces, and cable tunnels.
- Asbestos — drilling, chasing, or disturbing building fabric in pre-2000 buildings risks disturbing asbestos-containing materials. Before any intrusive work, confirm whether an asbestos register exists and whether the area has been assessed.
Environmental and site hazards:
- Other trades — working simultaneously with other contractors on a construction site creates coordination hazards. Wet finishes, freshly painted surfaces, and ongoing structural work all create additional risks for electrical operatives.
- Members of the public — in occupied commercial premises or domestic properties, members of the public or building occupants may be present during the work.
- Temporary supplies — the use of temporary electrical supplies on construction sites introduces additional hazards around the condition and management of the temporary distribution system.
3. Risk rating
Assign a risk rating to each hazard using a likelihood × severity matrix. Rate both the inherent risk (before controls) and the residual risk (after controls are applied). A well-completed risk matrix demonstrates proportionate, structured thinking — and shows the principal contractor or inspector that your controls are working to reduce risk to an acceptable level, not just listed as an afterthought.
4. Control measures
For each hazard, document the control measures you will put in place. For electrical contractors, the most important control measures to document explicitly include:
Safe isolation procedure — the most critical control measure in the electrical trade. Every live circuit must be isolated, locked off, and verified dead before work begins. Your risk assessment should specify your safe isolation procedure: isolate at the correct point, apply a lock and warning notice, use a two-stage voltage test (test the tester, test the circuit, test the tester again), and verify dead at the point of work.
Lock-off/tag-out — document the lock-off equipment you will use and how it will be applied to prevent unintended re-energisation during the work.
Permit to work for live working — if any element of the work requires working on or near live conductors, a formal permit to work must be in place. Live working without a permit is a serious breach of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Your electrical permit to work documents the specific justification for live working, the controls in place, and the authorisation from a competent person.
GS38-compliant test equipment — all test equipment used on electrical systems must comply with HSE Guidance Note GS38. This covers the specification for test leads, probes, and clips used for voltage testing. Document that your test equipment is GS38-compliant and regularly calibrated.
PPE — specify the personal protective equipment required. For electrical work this typically includes: insulated tools, safety footwear, appropriate gloves for the task, safety glasses where drilling or chasing, and arc flash PPE where working near live switchgear.
Competency — document that all operatives carrying out the work are appropriately qualified and competent. For most installation work in the UK this means a City & Guilds 2360 or equivalent qualification, relevant JIB grading, and NICEIC, NAPIT, or SELECT registration for notifiable work.
5. Emergency arrangements
Specify the emergency procedures in the event of an electric shock or electrical fire. For electric shock, the correct response is: do not touch the casualty while they are in contact with the source, isolate the supply if it is safe to do so, call 999, and administer CPR if the person is unresponsive and not breathing. Document the location of the nearest defibrillator and the first aid arrangements on site.
6. Assessor details and briefing record
The assessment must be signed and dated by a competent person. Document that all operatives on the job have been briefed on the findings — a toolbox talk record or briefing signature sheet serves this purpose.
Electrical work requiring a separate permit to work
Several types of electrical work require a formal permit to work in addition to the risk assessment:
Electrical permit to work — for any planned work on or near live electrical equipment where isolation cannot be achieved. The permit sets out the scope of work, the safety precautions, the authorisation chain, and the clearance procedure when work is complete.
Isolation of supply permit — documents the isolation of a specific supply, confirming which circuits have been made dead, how the isolation has been secured, and who has authority to reinstate the supply.
Sanction to test / sanction to electrical test — required before any electrical testing is carried out on an existing or new installation. The sanction confirms that the appropriate parties have authorised the testing, that the area is safe to test in, and that relevant parties have been notified.
Energising electrical circuits permit — required before any new or modified electrical installation is energised for the first time. Documents the checks completed, the authorisation to energise, and the controlled sequence of energisation.
Electrical contractor risk assessments and CDM 2015
Under CDM 2015, electrical contractors working on construction projects have specific duties that go beyond simply completing a risk assessment for their own work.
As a contractor, you must cooperate with the principal contractor, follow the Construction Phase Plan, provide information about your work activities and associated risks, and ensure your operatives are appropriately trained and inducted onto the site.
If you are the only contractor on a project — for example, carrying out a complete electrical installation on a domestic extension with no other trades involved — you take on additional duties and the CDM framework applies differently. Understanding where your project falls within CDM 2015 is important.
As part of your pre-start documentation, the principal contractor will typically request:
- Your electrical contractor risk assessment — specific to your scope of work
- A method statement describing how the work will be carried out
- Evidence of your public liability insurance
- Proof of competency (NICEIC/NAPIT/SELECT registration, JIB card)
- COSHH assessments for any hazardous substances you will use on site
- Copies of relevant training certificates
Having all of these prepared in advance — as a professional pre-start pack — sets you apart from contractors who turn up on day one unable to produce their documentation.
Download an electrical contractor risk assessment template — ready in 60 seconds
SafetyPod offers a professionally drafted, HSE-compliant electrical contractor risk assessment template written specifically for UK electrical contractors. The template covers all the hazards specific to electrical installation and maintenance work — electric shock, arc flash, working at height, manual handling, asbestos risk, and working alongside other trades — with a pre-populated risk matrix and control measures you can adapt for each job.
Fully editable in Word. Add your company details, the specific job, and your site information — and it's ready to submit to a principal contractor or present to an HSE inspector.
→ Download the Electrical Contractor Risk Assessment Template — £3.99
Related electrical contractor documents
For a complete electrical contractor pre-start pack, you may also need:
→ Energising Electrical Circuits Permit — £3.99
Required before any new installation is energised for the first time.
→ Electrical Permit to Work — £3.99
For any planned work on or near live electrical equipment.
→ Isolation of Supply Permit — £3.99
Documents safe isolation of specific circuits or supplies.
→ Sanction to Electrical Test — £3.99
Required before testing any existing or new electrical installation.
→ Browse all risk assessment templates
Frequently asked questions
Does a sole trader electrician need a written risk assessment?
Yes. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 apply to self-employed persons as well as employers. If your work could affect the health and safety of others — clients, building occupants, other trades — a written risk assessment is required. For construction site work, a written assessment is always expected.
What is the difference between an electrical risk assessment and a RAMS?
A RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) combines the risk assessment with a step-by-step method statement describing how the work will be carried out. Most principal contractors request a RAMS rather than a standalone risk assessment. Your electrical contractor risk assessment template forms the risk assessment section of your RAMS.
Do I need a different risk assessment for each job?
You need a risk assessment that is suitable and sufficient for the specific job. A template can be used as the starting point, but it must be adapted for each job — the task description, location, hazard identification, and control measures must reflect the actual work taking place. A generic template used unchanged across multiple jobs is not compliant.
What qualifications must the person completing the risk assessment have?
The MHSWR requires the assessment to be carried out by a competent person — someone with the knowledge, skills, and experience to identify the hazards and evaluate the risks in the specific work. For electrical work, this typically means a qualified electrician with relevant site experience.
Can a non-electrician complete an electrical contractor risk assessment?
Only if they have the necessary competence to identify the specific hazards associated with electrical work. In practice, for electrical installation and maintenance work, the assessment should be completed or reviewed by a qualified electrician.
> Related: Electrical work frequently involves COSHH substances including flux, solvents, and cable insulation compounds. Ensure you have a completed COSHH assessment before work begins.
Summary
An electrical contractor risk assessment is a legal requirement for virtually all electrical work in the UK — required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and CDM 2015 for construction site work. It must be task-specific, cover the hazards particular to electrical work including electric shock, arc flash, and live working, and document the controls you will put in place before work starts.
For UK electricians looking for a professionally drafted, trade-specific template they can adapt and use on every job, SafetyPod has the document you need.
→ Download the Electrical Contractor Risk Assessment Template — £3.99
Written by the SafetyPod team — NEBOSH-qualified H&S professionals with hands-on experience across UK construction, civil engineering, and M&E contracting. All content is written to current HSE guidance and CDM 2015 compliance.
Last reviewed: May 2026