What is Construction Design Management (CDM)

What is CDM 2015?

These Regulations have been revised several times so far CDM 1994 – CDM 2007 – CDM 2015

In its latest form, CDM 2015 has 5 key duty holders:
1) Client – A client is an organisation or individual having a construction project carried out in connection with a business. The CDM regulations apply to both domestic and commercial clients.
A client has responsibility to make suitable arrangements for managing a project.
This includes making sure that:

• other duty holders are appointed.
• sufficient time and resources are allocated.
• relevant information is prepared and provided to other duty holders.
• the principal designer and principal contractor carry out their duties.
• welfare facilities are provided.

2) Domestic Client – You are a domestic client if you’re having building work carried out which is not connected to running a business, typically on the property where you or a family member lives.

You are included in these new regulations, but your duties as a client are normally transferred to:

•  the contractor on a single contractor project or
• the principal contractor on a project involving more than one contractor

The domestic client can choose to have a written agreement with the principal designer to carry out the client duties.
Domestic clients should read the separate guidance by the HSE called:
Need building work done? – A quick guide for clients on the CDM Regulations 2015 (hse.gov.uk)

3) Principal Designer – A principal designer is appointed by the client of projects with more than one
contractor. It can be an organisation or an individual with sufficient knowledge, experience, and ability to
carry out the role.
The principal designer (PD) must be a designer and have control over the pre-construction phase of the
project. The PD is responsible for planning, managing, monitoring, and coordinating health and safety in
the pre-construction phase of a project.

This includes:

• identifying, eliminating, or controlling foreseeable risks
• ensuring designers carry out their duties.
• Preparing and providing relevant information to other duty holders.

The PD also liaises with the principal contractor to help in the planning, management and monitoring of
the health and safety in the construction phase.

The PD will usually be an organisation, or, on smaller projects, they can be an individual with:

• a technical knowledge of the construction industry, relevant to the project
• the understanding and skills to manage and co-ordinate the pre-construction phase, including
  any design work carried out after construction begins.

The PD should have the organisational capability to carry out the role, as well as the necessary design skills, knowledge, and experience.

4) Designer – A designer is someone who as part of a business, prepares or modifies designs for a building, product or system relating to construction work.
The designer’s role when preparing or modifying designs is to eliminate, reduce or control foreseeable risks that may happen during construction or maintenance and use of a building after it’s been built.
The designer also provides information to other members of the project team to help them fulfil their duties.

5) Principal Contractor – A principal contractor is appointed by the client to plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety during the construction phase of a project when there’s more than one contractor involved.
The principal contractor’s duty is to:

• plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety in the construction phase of a project.
• liaise with the client and principal designer.
• prepare the construction phase plan.
• organise cooperation between contractors and coordinate their work.

They must ensure that:

• suitable site inductions are provided.
• reasonable steps are taken to prevent unauthorised access.
• workers are consulted and engaged in health and safety matters.
• welfare facilities are provided.

Contractor
A contractor is the individual or organisation doing the actual construction work.
If you are a sole trader, self-employed worker, individual or business carrying out, managing or controlling work in the construction industry then this guidance is for you.
Anyone who directly engages construction workers or manages construction work is a contractor.
This includes companies that use their own workforce to do the work on their premises and duties apply to all workers be they employees, self-employed or agency workers.

The contractor’s duty is to:

•  plan, manage and monitor construction work under their control so that it is carried out without
  risks to health and safety.
• for projects involving more than one contractor, coordinate their activities with others in the project
  team – in particular, comply with directions given to them by the principal designer or principal
  contractor.
• for single contractor projects, prepare a construction phase plan.

Worker
A worker is an individual working for or under the control of contractors on a construction site.
As people working for or under the control of contactors on a construction site the workers have duties as well as their employers.

Workers must:

• be consulted about matters which affect their health, safety, and welfare.
• take care of their own health and safety and others who may be affected by their actions.
• report anything, they see which is likely to endanger either their own or others’ health and safety.
• cooperate with their employer, fellow workers, contractors, and other duty holders.
  Consult CPK Ltd can act as the principal designer (PD). We can be responsible for planning, managing, monitoring, and coordinating health and safety in the pre-construction phase of a project.