Introduced in 1994, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations were created to improve the health and safety of construction projects.

The CDM regulations have gone through various iterations since 1994. The current regulations governing the safety and welfare of all people in construction is the CDM Regulations 2015.

In this short video, we outline the key elements of the CDM Regulations 2015 to help you better understand what they are and how to comply with them in your project.

Why are the CDM Regulations important?

Every year on average, there are tens of thousands of work-related illnesses among construction workers. The fatality rate for the construction industry is also three times higher than for other industries. Making construction one of the most dangerous industries in the UK.

CDM Regulations provide a mechanism to help reduce and minimise risk in construction by assigning legal responsibility to key people involved in any given construction project.

Every construction project must comply with CDM Regulations as it is a legal requirement.

Health and safety responsibilities and project duties are divided between “duty holders”, which include the clients, designers, contractors and workers and outlines steps to be taken to ensure risk is managed throughout the construction project.

Client Duties

The client is the individual or organisation for whom the construction project is being carried out. Clients can be either domestic or commercial, depending on whether the construction project is being carried out in connection with a business.

There are two types of clients:

1. Domestic Clients: These are individuals that are having work done on their homes or private property and are not part of a business. A domestic client's responsibility is transferred to the main contractor or the Principle Designer by written agreement.
2. Commercial Clients: These are typically organisations or individuals for whom a construction project is carried out that is done as part of a business. Unlike a domestic client, a commercial client has certain responsibilities and duties under the CDM Regulations

Designers

The CDM Regulations 2015 introduced two types of designers in a construction project, these include the following:

1. Designer: The designers are any individuals or organisations that provide or alter designs for a project. They might be architects, engineers, interior designers, or surveyors.
2. Principal Designer (PD): A designer that is appointed when there is more than one contractor on a project. The Principal Designer is usually an H&S specialist and will take the lead during the pre-construction phase of the project, so they should have vast technical construction knowledge and experience.

The Principal Designer is not by default the Architect, although the Architect can take on the PD role with a written agreement.

The Principal Designers' main duties involve assessing the unusual risks and hazards on a given project and finding ways to reduce or mitigate them. They will liaise with all team members in particular the Principal Contractor and prepare the pre-construction information pack and complete the F10 notification.

Contractors

Similar to designers, the CDM regulations introduced two types of contractors, including the following:

1. Main Contractor: The contractor is the individual or company that will carry out the actual construction work. Projects can involve multiple contractors, and each one will have duties and responsibilities under the CDM Regulations.
2. Principle Contractor: These are contractors appointed by the client to coordinate the construction phase of a project where it involves more than one contractor.

While the Principal Designer takes charge of the pre-construction phase of the project, the Principal Contractor takes the lead during the construction phase.

Sometimes the main contractor will take on the duties of the principal contractor.

Additionally, the CDM regulations also introduced roles and responsibilities for all workers on site

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