CDM duties explained for clients and contractors.

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 — commonly referred to as CDM 2015 — set out a framework of duties for everyone involved in a construction project. Understanding who is responsible for what under CDM is essential for anyone commissioning, designing or managing construction work in the UK.

Who does CDM apply to?

CDM 2015 applies to all construction projects in Great Britain, regardless of size. However, the specific duties that apply — and the roles that must be formally appointed — vary depending on the nature and scale of the project. All projects require a client, a principal designer and a principal contractor (or a single contractor where only one is involved).

The CDM duty holders

• The client — the organisation or individual who commissions the construction work. Clients have overall responsibility for ensuring the project is properly managed and that the right people are appointed. Domestic clients have some exemptions but still carry duties.
• The principal designer — appointed by the client on projects with more than one contractor. The principal designer coordinates health and safety during the pre-construction phase, including managing and reviewing all design work to eliminate foreseeable risk.
• The principal contractor — appointed by the client to manage and coordinate health and safety during the construction phase. They develop the construction phase plan and manage site safety across all contractors and subcontractors.
• Designers — all those who prepare or modify designs, including architects, engineers and specialist subcontractors. They must consider health and safety in their designs, eliminating risk where possible.
• Contractors — all those who carry out the construction work. They must plan, manage and monitor their own work and that of their workers.

When does notification apply?

Projects must be notified to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) where the construction phase is expected to last longer than 30 working days with more than 20 workers simultaneously, or exceed 500 person-days of construction work. The client is responsible for ensuring notification is submitted via the HSE's online F10 system before the construction phase begins.

The construction phase plan

The principal contractor must prepare and maintain a construction phase plan before construction work begins. This plan sets out the arrangements for managing significant risks during the construction phase, including welfare provisions, site rules, emergency procedures and arrangements for managing subcontractors and visitors.

How BroadSteps supports CDM compliance

BroadSteps provides CDM advisory support to help clients understand their duties and appoint competent duty holders, assists principal contractors with construction phase plan preparation and site-level CDM compliance, and can support principal designers in coordinating the pre-construction health and safety information. If you have a notifiable project and need clarity on your CDM obligations, speak to BroadSteps before work begins.