CDM Duty Holders
CDM Client Duties: Navigating Your Responsibilities
Mar
As a non-domestic client starting on a construction project, you hold significant responsibilities under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). Understanding and fulfilling these duties is critical for ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved, as well as the success of your project.
Are you a Commercial Client?
A commercial client is anyone who commissions or carries out construction work as part of their business. This includes property developers, businesses expanding their premises, local authorities, and any organisation (for profit or not) undertaking construction projects that are not for a domestic client.
On the other hand, a domestic client is anyone who is having work undertaken on their own home, or the home of a family member.
In this article we’re going to focus on non-domestic, or commercial clients only.
CDM Client Duties : Your Core Responsibilities
CDM 2015 places a strong emphasis on the client’s role in setting the tone for health and safety. After all, the client is responsible for overseeing and funding the project. Here’s a breakdown of your key responsibilities:
Making Suitable Arrangements the Ensure Health and Safety:
Your CDM Client Duties primary purpose is to ensure that your project is effectively managed, with proper planning, coordination, and monitoring of health and safety throughout all phases. This includes allocating sufficient time and resources for health and safety.
Appointing Competent Duty Holders:
For projects involving more than one contractor, you are legally required to appoint:
- Principal Designer (PD): To plan, manage, and monitor health and safety during the pre-construction phase.
- Principal Contractor (PC): To plan, manage, and monitor health and safety during the construction phase.
Importantly, you must ensure that these duty holders are competent, possessing the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to do their work safely.
Providing Pre-Construction Information (PCI):
You must provide relevant information about your project to designers and contractors, enabling them to plan and carry out the work safely. This includes details of existing hazards, site conditions, and any other relevant factors.
Ensuring a Construction Phase Plan (CPP) is in Place:
The CPP is written by the Principal Contractor, and details how health and safety will be managed during the construction phase. You must ensure that this plan is prepared and implemented.
Welfare Facilities:
That’s right, cdm client duties include ensuring that proper welfare facilities are provided for those working on the project. This includes toilets, hot and cold running water, rest areas etc.
Notification to the HSE:
For notifiable projects (those exceeding 500 man days, or 30 days with 20 or more workers on site at any given time), you must notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of the project via the online form F10.
Health and Safety File:
You must ensure that a health and safety file is prepared and handed over at the end of the project. This file contains details of the construction work that has been done, and serves as a source of information for future projects on the structure (including demolition).
The Importance of Competent Advice on CDM Client Duties
Being a client, having to navigate CDM 2015 can be complex and daunting. You are not expected to be an expert in health and safety or construction. But you are the most influential person on the project team and so you’re also responsible for ensuring your project is compliant. That’s why seeking competent advice is essential.
You might need competent advice to help with:
Where to Find Competent Advice:
Key Takeaways
