What is CDM 2015?

CDM 2015 is the commonly used name for the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The regulations set out how health, safety and welfare must be planned, managed and coordinated on construction projects in Great Britain.

They apply throughout the life of a project, from early planning and design through to construction, and place legal duties on clients, designers, contractors and other people involved in the work. CDM 2015 came into force on 6 April 2015, replacing the previous CDM 2007 regulations. HSE source: Managing health and safety in construction (L153) (opens in a new tab)

The purpose is not paperwork for its own sake. HSE describes the framework as helping project teams plan work sensibly, appoint the right people, cooperate and coordinate, share relevant information and manage risks from start to finish. HSE source: CDM 2015 overview (opens in a new tab)

What does CDM stand for?

CDM stands for Construction (Design and Management).

The full title is the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.

The name reflects the fact that health and safety under CDM is not only a site-management issue. Decisions made by clients and designers before construction starts can have a major effect on the risks faced during construction, maintenance, use and eventual demolition.

Why were the CDM Regulations introduced?

Construction projects involve decisions made by many different people at different stages. Poor planning, unclear responsibilities or weak communication can allow health and safety risks to be missed or passed from one part of the project team to another.

CDM 2015 is intended to make health and safety part of normal project management. HSE summarises the approach as:

• planning the work so risks are managed from start to finish;
• having the right people with the right capabilities in place;
• cooperating and coordinating with others;
• providing relevant information about risks;
• communicating that information effectively; and
• consulting and engaging workers.

The regulations are therefore relevant well before anyone arrives on site. Design decisions, procurement decisions, programme pressures, appointments and the information made available to the project team can all affect how safely the work can be delivered. HSE overview: CDM 2015 overview (opens in a new tab)

Who does CDM 2015 apply to?

CDM 2015 places duties on most of the main parties involved in construction work. These are commonly referred to as CDM duty holders.

Client

A client is the person or organisation for whom a construction project is carried out. Commercial clients must make suitable arrangements for managing the project, including allowing sufficient time and resources, appointing appropriate duty holders and ensuring relevant information is provided. HSE guidance: commercial clients, roles and responsibilities (opens in a new tab)

Designer

A designer is anyone who, in the course or furtherance of a business, prepares or modifies a design or arranges for someone under their control to do so. Designers must eliminate foreseeable health and safety risks where possible, reduce or control risks that cannot be eliminated and provide relevant design information to others. HSE guidance: designers, roles and responsibilities (opens in a new tab)

Principal Designer

On projects involving more than one contractor, the client must appoint a Principal Designer. The Principal Designer plans, manages, monitors and coordinates health and safety during the pre-construction phase and works with designers, the client and the Principal Contractor. HSE guidance: principal designers, roles and responsibilities (opens in a new tab)

Contractor

A contractor is anyone who directly employs or engages construction workers or manages construction work. Contractors must plan, manage and monitor work under their control so risks are properly controlled. On a single-contractor project, the contractor must ensure a construction phase plan is prepared before the construction phase begins. HSE guidance: contractors, roles and responsibilities (opens in a new tab)

Principal Contractor

Where a project involves more than one contractor, the client must appoint a Principal Contractor to control the construction phase. The Principal Contractor plans, manages, monitors and coordinates health and safety during construction and is responsible for matters including the construction phase plan and coordination of contractors. HSE guidance: principal contractors, roles and responsibilities (opens in a new tab)

Workers

Workers must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others, cooperate with employers and other duty holders, and report situations that could endanger health and safety. HSE guidance: summary of duties under CDM 2015, including workers (opens in a new tab)

When does CDM 2015 apply?

CDM 2015 applies broadly to construction work in Great Britain. That includes much more than major building projects. HSE states that the regulations apply to all construction projects, including domestic projects where someone else carries out construction work on the householder’s behalf.

The duties and appointments required depend on the circumstances of the project. One particularly important distinction is whether the project involves one contractor or more than one contractor.

Where more than one contractor is involved, the client must appoint a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor.

What counts as construction work under CDM 2015?

“Construction work” under CDM is broader than simply building a new structure. The legal definition in Regulation 2 includes a wide range of building, civil engineering and engineering construction activities.

• new build construction;
• alteration, conversion and fitting out;
• commissioning, renovation, repair and maintenance;
• decommissioning, demolition and dismantling;
• site preparation and excavation;
• assembly and disassembly of prefabricated structural elements; and
• installation, commissioning, maintenance, repair or removal of fixed building services, including electrical and telecommunications services.

Where there is uncertainty, check the wording of Regulation 2 rather than relying only on the everyday meaning of “construction”. Read the regulations on legislation.gov.uk: Regulation 2, interpretation (opens in a new tab)

This broad definition is why organisations in sectors such as property, utilities, telecoms, infrastructure, facilities management and engineering can carry out work that falls within CDM even where they do not think of themselves as traditional construction businesses.

What are the main responsibilities under CDM 2015?

The exact duty depends on the role a person or organisation holds. At a high level:

These responsibilities overlap by design. CDM expects the project team to cooperate, coordinate and share relevant information rather than treating health and safety as the responsibility of one person or one department. HSE duty-holder summary: summary of duties under CDM 2015 (opens in a new tab)

What documents are required under CDM 2015?

Pre-construction information

The client must provide relevant pre-construction information to designers and contractors. It should contain information they need to identify and manage health and safety risks relevant to the work.

Construction phase plan

A construction phase plan must be prepared before the construction phase begins. For projects involving more than one contractor, the Principal Contractor is responsible for drawing it up. On a single-contractor project, the contractor is responsible. The plan should be proportionate to the project and set out the arrangements for managing health and safety during construction.

HSE: Planning for construction work: construction phase plans (opens in a new tab)

Health and safety file

A health and safety file is required for projects involving more than one contractor. The client must ensure that the Principal Designer prepares the file. Its purpose is to provide information that may be needed to plan and carry out future construction work safely.

HSE L153 guidance: health and safety file, PDF (opens in a new tab)

F10 notification

Some projects must also be notified to HSE. A project is notifiable where the construction work is expected to:

• last longer than 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point; or
• exceed 500 person-days of construction work.

Notification does not determine whether CDM applies. CDM can apply even where a project is not notifiable. HSE CDM FAQ: frequently asked questions on notification (opens in a new tab)

Does CDM 2015 apply to domestic projects?

Yes. CDM 2015 also applies to construction work carried out for a domestic client, such as work on someone’s home that is not connected with a business.

Domestic clients are treated differently from commercial clients. Their client duties are normally transferred to:

• the contractor on a single-contractor project; or
• the Principal Contractor on a project involving more than one contractor.

A domestic client can instead agree in writing for the Principal Designer to carry out the client duties.

So “domestic project” does not mean “CDM does not apply”. HSE L153 domestic client guidance: PDF (opens in a new tab)

Is CDM 2015 still in force?

Yes. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 remain the current CDM regulations in Great Britain. They came into force on 6 April 2015 and replaced the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

Because regulations and official guidance can change, organisations should continue to check current HSE guidance and legislation when making compliance decisions.

What changed from CDM 2007 to CDM 2015?

CDM 2015 replaced CDM 2007 and changed several aspects of how projects are managed. One of the most visible changes was the replacement of the former CDM Coordinator role with the Principal Designer role for projects involving more than one contractor.

CDM 2015 also places a strong emphasis on integrating health and safety into the normal management of projects and making arrangements proportionate to the scale and risks of the work. HSE’s principal guidance is L153: Managing health and safety in construction.

HSE L153: Managing health and safety in construction (opens in a new tab)

Common misunderstandings about CDM 2015

“CDM only applies to large projects”

It does not. CDM applies to construction projects regardless of size. The scale and complexity of the arrangements should be proportionate to the project and its risks.

“CDM only matters once construction starts”

It does not. A major part of CDM is concerned with decisions made during planning and design. Clients, designers and Principal Designers can all have important responsibilities before the construction phase begins.

“If a project is not notifiable, CDM does not apply”

This is incorrect. The F10 notification thresholds determine whether a project must be notified to HSE. They do not determine whether CDM applies.

“The Principal Designer is automatically the architect”

Not necessarily. The Principal Designer is the designer appointed by the client to take control of the pre-construction phase on projects involving more than one contractor. An architect may fulfil that role, but the legal role depends on the appointment and functions being carried out, not simply the job title.

Key takeaways

• CDM 2015 stands for the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.
• The regulations apply broadly to construction work in Great Britain, including many small and domestic projects.
• Clients, designers, contractors, Principal Designers and Principal Contractors can all have legal duties.
• Health and safety should be considered from the earliest planning and design stages, not only once work starts on site.
• The arrangements should be proportionate to the scale and risks of the project.
• The F10 notification threshold is separate from the question of whether CDM applies.