Every person or organisation that commissions building work must be aware of their responsibilities under the CDM regulations 2015. We have written this short guide that summarises the law, please refer to official Health and Safety Executive guides for more information.
Domestic projects
Private individuals and families having building work done on their own houses for their private residential occupation do not have a duty under the act. Their designers and contractors do have a duty to design and manage the project in accordance with the principles of the regulations.
Any element of a private project that has any connection with a business, whether occupying the building, or profiting from the scheme, will give the individual or family commissioning it a duty as a CLIENT under the regulations.
Non-domestic projects
All persons or organisations commissioning building work for profit or business use is a CLIENT under the CDM regulations 2015. Clients are responsible for all matters concerning health and safety, and must formally appoint in writing the other DUTYHOLDERS under the regulations.
More than one contractor
Any project where elements of the building work will be carried out by one or more sub-contractors must be managed by a PRINCIPAL DESIGNER before construction begins, who will work with a PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR to produce a CONSTRUCTION PHASE PLAN.
Skills knowledge and experience
The CLIENT must be satisfied that the DUTYHOLDERS are equipped with sufficient skills, knowledge and experience, relevant to the type of project being commissioned, to carry out their roles such as to protect the Health Safety and Welfare of those constructing, using and ultimately demolishing a building. There is no definition of skills knowledge and experience, or how that should be judged, we believe it should be actively demonstrated in knowledge of the CDM regulations, and an imbedded organisational workflow for complying with the law.
Shared Vision Ltd. has knowledge and experience of designing and managing the construction of domestic and commercial residential and industrial developments and undertakes a programme of continuing professional development. Each project I undertake is continuously analysed for risks to safety, and that analysis is documented. I am professionally indemnified to undertake the role of Principal Designer.
Detailed guidance and definitions of the roles in CDM 2015 is available in a guidebook produced by the Health and Safety Executive:
