Pre-construction information: what it is and what it should include

Good pre-construction information helps the project team understand the project, the site, existing hazards, design constraints and the client’s arrangements before decisions are made or work starts. It should support safer design, realistic planning and effective construction-phase management.

What is pre-construction information under CDM 2015?

CDM 2015 defines pre-construction information as information in the client’s possession, or which is reasonably obtainable by or on behalf of the client, that is relevant to the construction work and is of an appropriate level of detail and proportionate to the risks involved. Read Regulation 2 on legislation.gov.uk: interpretation, including the definition of pre-construction information (opens in a new tab)

The definition includes information about the project itself, the planning and management of the project, and health and safety hazards. It can also include information contained in an existing health and safety file. Read Regulation 2 on legislation.gov.uk: interpretation, including the definition of pre-construction information (opens in a new tab)

Who is responsible for providing pre-construction information?

The client has the main duty to provide pre-construction information. HSE guidance states that it should be provided as soon as practicable to each designer and contractor being considered for appointment or already appointed to the project. Read Regulation 4 on legislation.gov.uk: client duties for managing projects (opens in a new tab)

On projects involving more than one contractor, the Principal Designer must assist the client in identifying, obtaining, collating and providing the information needed. The client still retains the duty to ensure that suitable pre-construction information is provided. Read Regulation 11 on legislation.gov.uk: duties of a principal designer at the pre-construction phase (opens in a new tab)

When should pre-construction information be provided?

Information should be provided as soon as practicable, and early enough for the person receiving it to use it properly. HSE L153 guidance: Managing health and safety in construction, pre-construction information, PDF (opens in a new tab)

• Designers and contractors tendering for work should have enough information to understand the nature and risks of the project before pricing or accepting the work.
• Designers should receive relevant information early enough to eliminate, reduce or control foreseeable risks through design.
• Contractors should receive the information they need to plan, manage and monitor their work.
• The Principal Contractor should receive relevant information in time to inform the construction phase plan.

Not every item will always be available at the start. Pre-construction information can develop as surveys are completed, designs progress and further information becomes available.

What should pre-construction information include?

There is no single fixed list that will be appropriate for every project. The content should be relevant and proportionate to the work, but HSE guidance groups typical information into several broad areas. HSE L153 guidance: Managing health and safety in construction, pre-construction information, PDF (opens in a new tab)

1. Information about the project

• A clear description of the project and the intended work.
• Key dates, programme constraints and significant project stages.
• Details of the client and, where appointed, the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor.
• Relevant client requirements and expectations for managing health and safety.
• Relevant information about existing arrangements, interfaces or restrictions that may affect the work.

2. Planning and management information

• The client’s arrangements for managing the project.
• How cooperation and coordination will be organised.
• How design information and other relevant health and safety information will be exchanged.
• Site security expectations and arrangements for controlling access.
• Relevant welfare expectations and arrangements.
• Any requirements for site induction, permits, authorisations or other project-specific controls.

3. Information about existing health and safety hazards

• Asbestos information and surveys where relevant.
• Existing structural information, including drawings and known structural concerns.
• Existing services, utilities and buried or overhead services.
• Ground conditions, contamination or other site-condition information.
• Existing hazardous materials or processes.
• Access restrictions, neighbouring activities or occupied areas that may affect the work.
• Existing plant, machinery, electrical systems or other installations relevant to the project.
• Relevant information about fire, emergency or security arrangements.

4. Design and construction information

• Significant design assumptions and constraints.
• Health and safety risks identified through design that have not been eliminated.
• Information needed to understand unusual or significant construction methods.
• Relevant sequencing, temporary works or interface considerations.
• Information needed by contractors to plan the work safely.

5. Information from an existing health and safety file

Where the site or structure has been subject to previous construction work, the client may already hold a health and safety file. Relevant information from that file should be considered as part of the pre-construction information. Read Regulation 2 on legislation.gov.uk: interpretation, including the definition of pre-construction information (opens in a new tab)

This can be particularly important on refurbishment, alteration, maintenance and demolition projects where information about the existing structure, services or previous design decisions may affect the new work.

Does the client need to commission surveys?

Potentially, yes. HSE guidance expects the client, assisted by the Principal Designer on multi-contractor projects, to assess the adequacy of the information already available and identify significant gaps. HSE L153 guidance: Managing health and safety in construction, pre-construction information, PDF (opens in a new tab)

Where relevant information is missing, the client should take reasonable steps to obtain it. Depending on the project, that may involve commissioning surveys, investigations or assessments rather than simply passing incomplete information to the project team.

What is the Principal Designer’s role in pre-construction information?

On projects involving more than one contractor, the Principal Designer assists the client with pre-construction information as part of planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating the pre-construction phase. Read Regulation 11 on legislation.gov.uk: duties of a principal designer at the pre-construction phase (opens in a new tab)

This includes helping identify relevant information, assessing what is missing, coordinating information arising from design work and helping ensure designers and contractors receive what they need at the right time.

What do designers need to do with pre-construction information?

Designers must take account of relevant pre-construction information when preparing or modifying a design. The information should help them identify foreseeable risks and decide whether those risks can be eliminated or, where elimination is not reasonably practicable, reduced or controlled. HSE L153 guidance: Managing health and safety in construction, pre-construction information, PDF (opens in a new tab)

What do contractors need pre-construction information for?

Contractors need relevant pre-construction information to understand the work, assess the risks and plan, manage and monitor the activities under their control.

For the Principal Contractor, the information should also feed into construction-phase planning and help shape the construction phase plan. HSE L153 guidance: Managing health and safety in construction, pre-construction information, PDF (opens in a new tab)

Is pre-construction information the same as a pre-construction information pack?

The Regulations refer to pre-construction information, not to a mandatory document called a ‘pre-construction information pack’. In practice, organisations often collate the information into a structured pack or document because that can make it easier to manage and issue. Read Regulation 2 on legislation.gov.uk: interpretation, including the definition of pre-construction information (opens in a new tab)

The format is less important than the quality of the information. A polished template containing generic wording is not a substitute for relevant project-specific information.

Is pre-construction information the same as the health and safety file?

No. They are different, although information from an existing health and safety file can form part of the pre-construction information for later work.

Pre-construction information supports planning and design before and during the project. The health and safety file is developed for projects involving more than one contractor and contains information likely to be needed during future construction work. HSE L153 guidance: Managing health and safety in construction, pre-construction information, PDF (opens in a new tab)

Is pre-construction information the same as the construction phase plan?

No. Pre-construction information provides relevant project, site and risk information to designers and contractors. The construction phase plan sets out how health and safety will be managed during the construction phase.

The two should connect: relevant pre-construction information should inform the construction phase plan rather than being treated as a separate paperwork exercise.

Pre-construction information checklist

Before issuing pre-construction information, check that:

• The information is relevant to the actual project and construction work.
• Existing client records, drawings and previous health and safety files have been reviewed.
• Known site and structural hazards are included.
• Relevant asbestos, services, utilities and ground information is available where applicable.
• Design constraints and significant residual design risks are included as they become known.
• Project management, access, welfare and coordination arrangements are clear where relevant.
• Significant information gaps have been identified.
• Reasonable steps have been taken to obtain missing information, including surveys where appropriate.
• Designers and contractors receive the information early enough to use it.
• The information is updated and reissued as relevant new information becomes available.
• The level of detail is proportionate to the nature and risks of the project.

Common pre-construction information mistakes

Treating PCI as a generic template exercise

The information should be project-specific and relevant to the risks of the work.

Providing information too late

Designers and contractors need information early enough to use it when making decisions and planning work.

Sending everything the client holds

More information is not automatically better. Irrelevant material can obscure the information that actually matters.

Ignoring gaps in information

If important information is missing, reasonable steps may be needed to obtain it rather than simply recording that it is unavailable.

Failing to update the information

Pre-construction information can evolve as surveys, design and project planning progress.

Confusing PCI with the construction phase plan

PCI informs planning; the construction phase plan records arrangements for managing the construction phase.