Since April 2015, the Construction, Design and Management Regulations (CDM) 2015 have been in effect, replacing CDM 2007. These regulations set out the legal requirements and define the responsibilities of duty holders involved in construction projects. The overall aim of CDM Regulations 2015 is to improve health and safety standards across the construction industry. This guide provides a simple overview of the regulations.
How CDM Regulations can help you
If you are undertaking a construction project, whatever your role, you’ll need to comply with CDM Regulations to ensure health and safety is embedded across the entire construction process. This will include everything from managing risks, ensuring the right people are employed to carry out the work and being able to communicate information effectively throughout a project. Failure to comply with CDM Regulations and to prioritise health and safety could lead to serious accidents and even fatalities.
Duty holders and their responsibilities
It is the duty holders that have the responsibility to ensure compliance with CDM Regulations throughout the cycle of a construction project. The duty holders and their key roles are as follows:
- Client – an organisation or individual for whom the construction project is carried out. They are responsible for arranging other duty holders and ensuring the project is properly resourced.
- Principal Designer – appointed by the client on a project involving more than one contractor. Their role is to plan, manage, monitor and co-ordinate health and safety during the pre-construction phase.
- Principal Contractor – appointed by the client to handle health and safety during the construction phase. This will include preparing the construction phase plan, co-ordinating work, and liaising with the client and principal designer.
- Designer – those (architect or engineer) who incorporate health and safety practices into their designs for a building or product relating to construction work, to reduce risks.
- Contractor – those who carry out the work, safely, and under the direction of the principal designer and principal contractor.
- Worker – individuals who work under the control of contractors. They must be consulted on matters affecting their health, safety and welfare. They are also responsible for looking after their own safety, reporting any hazards, and cooperating fully with their employer, colleagues, contractors, and other duty holders.
Safety documents
There are two key safety documents required as part of CDM Regulations 2015. They include:
- Construction Phase Plan – this document outlines health and safety arrangements for the construction phase of a project.Developed by the principal contractor, it contains project details, potential hazards and controls, as well as emergency procedures.
- Health and Safety File – this document contains all the relevant health and safety information that will help inform any subsequent project. It contains future maintenance, cleaning and any repair work, and is given to the client once the project has been completed.
Non-compliance penalties
Failure to comply with CDM Regulations 2015 can result in enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Depending on the severity of the breach, penalties may include substantial fines, sometimes reaching six figures, and even prosecution.
To stay compliant with CDM Regulations 2015 and to refresh your knowledge of their legal requirements, sign up to our CPD training course.
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