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CDM FOR
CONTRACTORS
THE CONSTRUCTION (DESIGN & MANAGEMENT) REGULATIONS 1994
WHAT IS CDM?
CDM aims to reduce the incidence of accidents and
occupational ill-health arising from construction activities.
It shall introduce procedures to improve the planning and
management of health & safety on construction projects of all types,
through every phase and involving all duty holders in the management of
risk.
Specific duties have been placed on each duty holder along
with a general duty to co-operate and communicate.
You must remember that the KEY OBJECTIVE of CDM is to ensure construction
health and safety risks are avoided reduced or properly managed.
This does not mean bureaucratic form filling or production
of lengthy documents; this can often conceal the important H&S issues.
It is to engineer the transfer of information and
communication between the duty holders.
AIMS OF CDM.
THEY ARE TO:
a) Continually improve the quality of H & S management
in construction work
b) Involve ALL duty holders who contribute to Health & Safety.
c) Ensure improved planning and management of H&S from concept to
completion in all stages of the construction and activities in the life of
a project
d) Ensure planning and co-ordination of H & S matters and the free flow
of information between duty holders at all times
e) Ensure H & S competence and resourcing of the duty holders.
f) Ensure the provision & maintenance of information relating to
ongoing H & S during construction, through the life of a project and
the projects final disposal (e.g. demolition)
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF CDM.
CDM has given H & S a higher profile in the industry,
and its emphasis on H & S issues throughout the project lifecycle from
conception to final disposal.
The benefits, which designers and contractors should derive
from these regs, include:
1) Fewer accidents
2) Better long term health
3) Better design management and co-ordination.
4) Improved buildability and planning for construction
5) Improved measures for maintenance and cleaning
6) Improved information for those involved in the disposal of the structure
SUMMARY
As a member of the construction industry you MUST be aware
that the work is very hazardous, demanding and stressful, with demands on
and pressures on time and cost.
CAN YOU MEET THE CONTRACT DEADLINE AND MAKE A PROFIT.
To this should be added:
Safely & without any one getting injured
In today’s market, alongside the normal commercial
considerations, the construction industry requires its participants to be
able to demonstrate. To duty holders and enforcement authorities that they
can safely manage H & S
PUTTING ON A GOOD SHOW, IS NOT ENOUGH
Good H & S management revolves not around paperwork and
questionnaires on qualification but basic fundamental ethics.
These are:
1) PREVENTING DEATH
2) PREVENTING SERIOUS INJURY
3) PREVENTING ILL HEALTH.
Protecting the people who work for you and those affected by
your activities should be the main objective of your H & S management
system.
CDM has taken these objectives and formed them into a
cohesive standard that ensures that H & S issues are considered
throughout the lifetime of a structure including its maintenance and
finally its disposal.
WHEN DO THEY APPLY?
1) Work is to last more than 30 days
2) Involve more than 500 person days –work
Items 1 & 2 also
require notification to be made to the HSE with the completion of from F10.
Any day on which work takes place counts towards the
construction period.
The total person days is, the total number of shifts worked, by every body
involved in the project, including supervisors. If borderline timescale, it
is best to notify the HSE
BEFORE WORKING:
No employer can allow their employees to work on
construction work, and no self-employed person can work, UNLESS the
employer has been given two specific pieces of information;
1) The names of the CDMC and principle contractor
2) The health & safety plan or relevant parts of it.
WHO ARE THE DUTY HOLDERS?
1) CLIENT/CLIENTS AGENT
2) THE PLANNING SUPERVISOR
3) THE DESIGNERS- ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, M&E ETC
4) THE PRINCIPLE CONTRACTOR
5) CONTRACTORS.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE DUTY HOLDERS
1) CLIENT-
What is a client? The regulations define a client as
‘ any person for whom a project is carried out by another or
is carried out in house’
eg a) water company constructing new pumping station
b) property developer renovating existing building into
apartments
c) private company constructing new industrial units
d) local authority upgrading an existing housing estate.
CLIENTS DUTIES
IF NOT AWARE OF CONSTRUCTION PROCESS APPOINT A COMPETENT
AGENT TO ACT ON THEIR BEHALF-
Client /agent shall then:-
1) Determine whether the project falls within CDM
2) Appoint a planning supervisor, who is competent and has adequate
resources and made adequate provision for H & S. Who can be asked to
comment on the competence of the designers and PC. Also to make sure the
designers co-operate with each other and comply with their duties.
3) Appoint designers, who are competent and have made adequate provision
for H & S
4) Decide on the format and content of the H & S File
5) Provide the planning supervisor with relevant information for the
pre-tender H & S plan.
6) Taking into consideration all tender documents including provision for H
& S appoint a principle contractor (PC).
7) Provide the PC with sufficient lead in time to produce a suitable and
sufficient construction phase safety plan, and the requirements for the
safety file.
8) Check that the PC construction phase S/ Plan is suitable.
9) Ensure any contractors who carry out or manage work are competent.
10) Take receipt of the safety file on completion of the works. That it is
maintained throughout the life of the structure whilst in his possession
and passed on to those requiring information, or taking over the structure.
PLANNING SUPERVISOR
This role can be undertaken by one person, a team, or a
company.
Once works have commenced the role can be taken over by the
PC if competent and with adequate resources.
Their main responsibility is to ensure that all those who carry out design
work on a project, particularly during the design phase, collaborate and
pay adequate attention to the need to reduce risk wherever possible.
WHAT PLANNING SUPERVISORS MUST DO.
Regs 7, 14 and 15
1) Be able to advise clients and contractors on competence, and adequacy of
resources (including time) when considering appointments, if asked.
2) Be able to advise on the initial contents of the construction phase H
& S plan
3) Take reasonable steps to ensure co-operation between designers
4) Ensure the project is notified to the HSE
5) Ensure that enough attention, as far as is reasonably practicable, has
been paid to H & S during design and that the design includes adequate
information about anything which may affect the H & S of people
carrying out construction or cleaning work, or any one who may be affected
by the work.
6) Ensure pre-tender or pre-construction H & S plan is prepared in good
time; and
7) Ensure the H & S file is prepared, reviewed and amended as necessary
and given to the client.
DESIGNERS:
WHO ARE DESIGNERS?
In CDM the term designer has a broad meaning- a business,
which involves them in:-
a) Preparing designs for construction work including
variations. This includes preparing drawings, design details, specifications,
bills of qtys and the specification of articles and substances as well as
calcs and prep works.
b) Arranging for employees or other people under their control to prepare
designs relating to a structure or part of a structure.
This means that designers include:-
a) Architects
b) Civil and structural engr,s
c) Building surveyors
d) Landscape architects
e) Design practices (whatever discipline) contributing or controlling any
part of works –eg drainage engineers.
f) Any one who specifies or alters a design
g) Building services design engineers (fire, electrical, mechanical)
h) Those purchasing materials
i) Temp works engineers
j) Interior designers, including shopfitters
k) Anyone specifying how demolition, dismantling or structural alterations.
NB local authority or government officials may provide
advice relating to designs and relative statutory requirements eg building
regs, but this does not make them designers.
DESIGNERS MUST:-
A) Take reasonable steps to ensure that client are aware of
their duties under CDM.
B) Prepare designs with adequate regard to H & S, and to the
information supplied by the client
C) Provide adequate information in or with the design
D) Co-operate with the planning supervisor and with any other designers so
that each of them can comply with their duties under the regs. This
includes providing information for the H & S file.
THE PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR
WHO ARE PRINCIPAL CONTRACTORS?
REG 6(2)
They are usually the main or managing contractor.
A PC must be a contractor; that is someone who undertakes
carries out or manages construction work.
PC needs to satisfy prospective clients that they are competent and
adequately resourced.
If clients manage their own construction work and are
competent to manage the project in hand they may appoint themselves.
WHAT THE PC MUST DO.
REG 15,16,17,& 18.
THEY MUST;
a) Satisfy themselves that any designers or contractors they
engage are competent and adequately resourced.
b) Ensure that a suitable construction phase H & S plan (‘the plan’)
is- 1) prepared before construction begins 2) implemented; and kept up to
date.
c) Promote co-operation between all contractors
d) Restrict entry to the site to authorised people.
e) Enforce site rules
f) Display the project notification on site.
g) Provide relevant information to contractors, including self employed.
h) Provide the PS promptly with any information relevant to the H & S
file.
i) Encourage people at work, or their reps, to offer advice on H & S
j) Ensure that people at work receive information and training on H &
S.
k) Ensure that the workforce is consulted on H & S matters.
CONTRACTORS
WHAT CONTRACTORS MUST DO?
All contractors must:
a) Co-operate with the PC
b) Provide information to the PC about risks to others created by their
work.
c) Comply with reasonable directions from the PC and relevant rules in the
safety plan
d) Tell the PC about any accident and dangerous occurrences.
e) Provide information for the H & S file
f) Ensure that projects for domestic clients are notified to the HSE in
good time and;
g) Provide information and training to their employees..
Contractors must not start work on a construction site, or allow employees
to start work, until they have been provided with basic information. This
must include the names of the PS and PC and relevant parts of the H & S
plan.
Contractors MUST provide, promptly, to the PC any
information, which might affect the H & S of workers or the public.
This includes anything, which may need a review or update the H & S
plan.
Eg COSHH, or risk assessments.
DOCUMENTATION
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN
Reg 15
This requires that a H & S plan is to be prepared and maintained until
the end of the construction phase.
It is developed in two stages;
1) A pre tender.
2) Construction phase.
Both have a common goal of ensuring the H & S of those
involved in the project.
In the pre tender stage it must be project specific and address key H &
S issues, in particular those, which contractors could not reasonably be,
expected to identify.
Its purpose to ensure that these can be taken into account when preparing a
tender or bid to the client.
The construction phase safety plan builds on the information
contained in the pre tender plan and sets out arrangements for managing the
project.
It must include details of arrangements for welfare facilities. It is
developed as the work progresses.
At the pre tender stage the plan should include general information on the
project, including brief programme details.
The complexity of a project will affect the amount of information and hazards
involved.
Its aim is to identify and target key project specific
issues, while avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Within reg 3 of the management regs, the Pc and other
contractors must Id the hazards and assess the risks associated with their
work, including those, which they create for others.
The amount of detail depends on the nature and complexity of
the project.
It should be clear in its purpose, well structured and
relevant, easy for all to understand.
As a minimum the plan should include the following from the start of the
construction phase:-
a) General info about the project, details of the programme
b) Specific procedures and arrangements for the early work
c) General procedures and arrangements which apply to the whole construction
phase
d) Welfare arrangements
e) Emergency procedures
f) Arrangements for communication.
A plan is no use if treated as a paper exercise.
To improve standards, it must be a practical aid to the management of H
& Son site.
Monitoring may show shortfalls in the plan and require
modification. All significant changes should be brought to the attention of
all those affected.
A more detailed outline of requirements can be obtained from the ACOP HSG
224.
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FILE
This is the ‘MOT’ for the building. It will contain the relevant
information on how it was built and is to be maintained.
The information, and its format to be decided by the client.
Example of information held: -
As built drawings
Manuals of equipment installed (boilers etc)
Test certificates, gas, electric etc
Specific maintenance requirements.
Guarantees.
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