Construction/CDM

The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) came into force on 6th April 2015, replacing the CDM Regulations 2007 and is applicable to all construction work within Great Britain.

The aim of CDM 2015 is to integrate health and safety into the management of any construction project and to encourage everyone involved to work together.

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The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) came into force on 6 April 2015, replacing CDM 2007. The publication is now available and provides guidance on the legal requirements for CDM 2015 and can be downloaded from the HSE website to help with duties under the Regulations.

The guidance Itself describes:

  • The law that applies to the whole construction process on all construction projects, from concept to completion.
  • What each duty holder must or should do to comply with the law to ensure projects are carried out in a way that secures health and safety.

CDM 2015 is subject to certain transitional provisions which apply to construction projects that start before the Regulations come into force and continue beyond that date.

CDM 2015 recognises that there will be construction projects that start before the Regulations come into force on 6 April 2015 and continue beyond that date.  For these projects, the following transitional arrangements apply.

For projects where there is, or is expected to be, more than one contractor;

  • Where the construction phase has not yet started and the client has not yet appointed a CDM co-ordinator, the client must appoint a principal designer as soon as practicable
  • If the CDM co-ordinator has already been appointed and the construction phase has started, the client must appoint a principal designer to replace the CDM co-ordinator by 6 October 2015 (6 months), unless the project comes to an end before then.
  • In the period it takes to appoint the principal designer, the appointed CDM co-ordinator should comply with the duties contained in Schedule 4 of CDM 2015.  These reflect the duties placed on CDM co-ordinators under CDM 2007 rather than requiring CDM co-ordinators to act as principal designers, a role for which they may not be equipped.

Other transitional arrangements are:

  • Pre-construction information, construction phase plans or health and safety files provided under CDM 2007 are recognised as meeting the equivalent requirements in CDM 2015.
  • Any project notified under CDM 2007 is recognised as a notification under CDM 2015.
  • A principal contractor appointed under CDM 2007 will be considered to be a principal contractor under CDM 2015.