Construction Design and Management (CDM) > Overview

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) came into force on 6 April 2015, replacing CDM 2007, and cover the management of health, safety and welfare when carrying out construction projects.

Whatever your role in construction, CDM aims to improve health and safety in the industry by helping you to:

• sensibly plan the work so the risks involved are managed from start to finish
• have the right people for the right job at the right time
• cooperate and coordinate your work with others
• have the right information about the risks and how they are being managed
• communicate this information effectively to those who need to know
• consult and engage with workers about the risks and how they are being managed

Under CDM 2015, organisations or individuals can be one or more dutyholder for a project. The different dutyholders are summarised below:-

Clients

Organisations or individuals for whom a construction project is carried out. Clients must make suitable arrangements for managing a project. This includes :-

• making sure that other dutyholders are appointed;
• ensuring that sufficient time and resources are allocated. 
• relevant information is prepared and provided to other dutyholders;
• the principal designer and principal contractor carry out their duties;
• welfare facilities are provided.

Domestic Clients

People who have construction work carried out on their own home, or the home of a family member that is not done as part of a business, whether for profit or not. Domestic clients are in scope of CDM 2015, but their 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.

However, the domestic client can choose to have a written agreement with the principal designer to carry out the client duties.

Designers

Those, who as part of a business, prepare or modify designs for a building, product or system relating to construction work.

When preparing or modifying designs, to eliminate, reduce or control foreseeable risks that may arise during:

• construction;
• and the maintenance and use of a building once it is built.

Provide information to other members of the project team to help them fulfil their duties.

Principal Designers

Designers appointed by the client in projects involving more than one contractor. They can be an organisation or an individual with sufficient knowledge, experience and ability to carry out the role.

Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate 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.
• Prepare and provide relevant information to other dutyholders.
• Provide relevant information to the principal contractor to help them plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety in the construction phase.

Principal Contractors

Contractors appointed by the client to coordinate the construction phase of a project where it involves more than one contractor.

Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety in the construction phase of a project. This includes:

• liaising with the client and principal designer;
• preparing the construction phase plan;
• organising cooperation between contractors and coordinating their work.

Ensure:

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

Contractors

Those who do the actual construction work and can be either an individual or a company.

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.

Workers

People who work for or under the control of contractors on a construction site.

They 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 dutyholders.