In our previous video, we outlined the duties of a designer and principal designer under the CDM 2015 Regulations. In this short video, we will explain the duties held by the contractors.

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.

Health and safety responsibilities and project duties are divided between “duty holders”, which include the clients, designers, contractors and workers and ensures risk is managed throughout the construction project.

Contractors Duties

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

1. Contractors

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.

Contractor’s duties include the following on all projects.

1. Ensure the client is aware of their duties before work starts
2. Plan, manage and monitor all work carried out by themselves and their workers, taking into account the risks to anyone who might be affected by it including members of the public and the measures needed to protect them
3. Ensure all workers they employ have the necessary skills, training and experience to carry out the works
4. Ensure all workers have site-specific induction before work starts
5. Provide appropriate supervision, information and instructions to workers under their control
6. Ensure steps have been taken to prevent unauthorised access on-site before work commences
7. Ensure suitable welfare facilities are provided from the start for workers under their control, and maintain them throughout the work

Where there is more than one contractor on a project, contractors must also ensure the following.

1. Coordinate their work with the work of others in the project team
2. Comply with directions given by the principal designer or principal contractor
3. Comply with parts of the construction phase plan relevant to their work

Where a contractor is the only contractor working on a project, they must ensure a construction phase plan is drawn up before setting up the site.

On domestic projects, the contractor takes on the client's duties, as well as their own as a contractor.

However, if there is more than one contractor on a domestic project, the principal contractor normally takes on the client's duties and the contractor will work with the principal contractor as 'client'.

2. Principle Contractor

A principal contractor is appointed by the client to control the construction phase of any project involving more than one contractor.

Principal contractors have an important role in managing health and safety risks during the construction phase so they must have the skills, knowledge, experience and, where relevant, organisational capability to carry out this work.

The principal contractor must ensure the following:

1. Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate the entire construction phase
2. Take account of the health and safety risks to everyone affected by the work including members of the public
3. Liaise with the client and principal designer for the duration of the project to ensure that all risks are effectively managed
4. Prepare a written construction phase plan before the construction phase begins, implement, and then regularly review and revise it to make sure it remains fit for purpose
5. Have ongoing arrangements in place for managing health and safety throughout the construction phase
6. Consult and engage with workers about their health, safety and welfare
7. Ensure suitable welfare facilities are provided from the start and maintained throughout the construction phase
8. Check that anyone they appoint has the skills, knowledge, experience and, where relevant, the organisational capability to carry out their work safely and without risk to health
9. Ensure all workers have site-specific inductions and any further information and training they need
10. Take steps to prevent unauthorised access to the site
11. Liaise with the principal designer to share any information relevant to the planning, management, monitoring and coordination of the pre-construction phase