What are the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015?

Posted 6 years ago

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, commonly known as CDM Regulations, set out the legal duties for managing health, safety, and welfare throughout construction projects. They are designed to make sure that projects are planned and managed safely from start to finish, protecting workers, clients, and the general public.

Introduced by the UK Government, the CDM Regulations place specific responsibilities on duty holders such as clients, designers, contractors, and workers to reduce risks and promote safer construction practices.

Why were the CDM regulations 2015 introduced?

The construction industry has long been recognised as one of the most dangerous sectors to work in, with a historically high rate of accidents, injuries, and fatalities. In 2024, 51 out of the 138 work related fatalities recorded were from the construction industry. Construction sites are complex environments where risks can change daily, from working at height and operating heavy machinery, to managing multiple contractors on-site at the same time.

Before the introduction of regulations like CDM, health and safety practices in construction were often not always well-planned and often only dealt with problems after they happened, rather than preempting problems beforehand. Poor planning, unclear roles and responsibilities, and a lack of coordination between different parties significantly contributed towards unsafe working conditions.

The CDM Regulations 2015 were introduced to address these issues and bring about a cultural shift in the way construction projects are designed, managed, and carried out. The key aims of the regulations are to:

Improve health and safety management across construction projects

The CDM Regulations ensure that health and safety considerations are a key part of every stage of a project, from design through to completion. Planning for safety early in construction projects helps to better control or remove dangers before work begins, instead of fixing problems later.

Clarify the responsibilities of everyone involved

Before CDM, it was often unclear who was responsible for managing specific health and safety risks on site. The regulations clearly define the legal duties of each party, including clients, designers, contractors, and workers, so that everyone understands their obligations and there is no ambiguity.

Reduce the number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities

Ultimately, the CDM Regulations aim to save lives and prevent harm. By improving planning, management, and cooperation, the goal is to significantly reduce the risk of accidents such as falls from height, equipment incidents, and manual handling injuries, some of the leading causes of workplace fatalities in construction.

Promote better cooperation and communication between all parties

Effective communication and cooperation are the core principles of the CDM Regulations. Duty Holders need to work together and share vital information about risks, site conditions, and project planning. This means fewer mix-ups and makes sure everyone always puts safety first.

Integrate Health and Safety into project planning

Before CDM, health and safety were often treated as something to be addressed once the design was complete or construction was underway. The CDM Regulations needed to change this mindset by making safety considerations an essential part of early design decisions. By “designing out” risks where possible, safer workplaces are created, and costly changes later in the project are avoided.

Who do the CDM regulations apply to?

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 apply to all construction projects, regardless of their size, scope, or duration. This includes new builds, refurbishments, maintenance work, demolitions, and even domestic projects like home extensions.

No project is too small to be exempt from CDM duties; however, the level of paperwork and management required is proportionate to the project’s complexity and risks.

The regulations place legal duties on several key parties involved in any construction project. Here’s what each duty holder is responsible for:

What are the client’s duties under the CDM regulations?

Clients are the people who hire others to do construction work. They need to:

• Think about safety from the start
• Hire skilled people for key roles (like the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor, if needed)
• Give important project details to everyone involved, like site information and potential dangers
• Allow enough time and money to plan and do the work safely, without rushing

Clients are very important because they set the stage for a safe project

What are a designer’s responsibilities under CDM?

Designers (like architects and engineers) have to think about safety from the very start of a project. They need to:

• Try to get rid of or reduce any risks they can see when they are designing
• Tell other people involved (like builders) about any risks that are left, so they can deal with them safely during construction
• Design buildings so they are safe to build, look after, use, and take down in the future

When designers make safe choices early on, it can make a big difference to safety later when the building is being built and used.

What does a contractor need to do under CDM 2015?

Contractors are the companies or people who do the building work. They must:

• Plan and manage their work safely
• Make sure workers are properly supervised, informed, and trained about the risks and how to work safely
• Work with the main contractor and others involved to communicate well and work as a team on safety

All contractors, big or small, have these safety responsibilities under CDM.

What is the role of a principal designer?

When more than one contractor is involved in a project, a Principal Designer needs to be appointed. They are in charge of health and safety during the early stages, before construction begins. Their tasks include:

• Planning and overseeing safety during the design and pre-construction phases
• Spotting and dealing with potential risks before work starts
• Assisting the client with their safety duties and ensuring good teamwork among designers and contractors
• Putting together the Health and Safety file, which contains important safety information for the building’s future maintenance and use

The Principal Designer is key to preventing risks right from the start of a project

What is the role of a principal contractor?

When there’s more than one builder or contractor on a project, the client also needs to hire a Principal Contractor. This person is in charge of making sure everyone stays safe during the building work. They need to:

• Plan, manage, and watch over all the building work to make sure it’s done safely
• Make sure workers have supervisors, get the right training, and know about dangers and safety rules
• Talk to the client and the Principal Designer, sharing information so everyone agrees on safety
• Create and use the Construction Phase Plan, which is a key document explaining how to handle safety risks while building

The Principal Contractor’s job is to look after daily safety and make sure everything on-site is well-coordinated.

What are workers’ responsibilities on a construction project?

Workers, including employees and subcontractors involved in construction work, play a crucial role in maintaining site health and safety. Their duties include:

• Adhering to site rules and established safe work procedures implemented by dutyholders
• Collaborating with their employer and other dutyholders to ensure a safe working environment
• Reporting any health and safety risks, hazards, or concerns promptly to enable appropriate action

Workers’ active participation through their observations and actions is essential in preventing accidents and incidents on construction sites.

No matter what role someone plays in a construction project, the CDM Regulations 2015 place important legal responsibilities on them to help prevent any harm and make sure that work is carried out safely and efficiently.

By clearly defining each duty holder’s role, the CDM Regulations aim to create a safer, healthier construction industry for everyone.

What must be in place under the CDM Regulations?

No matter how big or small the job, all building work needs good planning. The CDM rules say these things must be in place:

For every building project:

• Skilled workers: Everyone working must have the right skills, know-how, and training for the job.
• Good supervision: Builders must have enough people checking and guiding the work.
• Important paperwork:
  • Client’s plan: This says what the project is for, what it will look like, and the safety rules.
  • Safety information before work: This is important information about dangers and how to stay safe before starting.
  • Construction safety plan: This is a detailed plan on how to manage safety while building.

For projects with more than one builder:

• A Lead Designer and a Lead Builder must be chosen.
• A Safety File must be created.
  • This file keeps all the safety information needed for any work on the building in the future (like fixing it or taking it down).

Key phases of a construction project under CDM

To handle dangers well, the CDM rules split building work into three main parts:

1. Pre-construction phase

• Collect and look at important details about where and what will be built.
• Find and remove any safety problems that can be seen early on.
• Put together a pack of safety information before any work begins.

2. During construction

• Use the plan for safe building to handle risks on-site.
• Make sure everyone involved talks to each other and works together.
• Check that workers are watched over and know how to do their jobs safely.

3. Post-construction phase

• Finish the safety file that contains all the important safety information.
• Give this safety information to the client for any future upkeep or fixes.

If any important details are missing at any point, the client needs to get them and share them with everyone involved. The main designer can help with this if needed.

Other important Health & Safety legislation in construction

While the CDM Regulations 2015 form the backbone of construction site safety, several other key pieces of legislation also apply. Together, they ensure that construction sites are as safe and well-managed as possible.

Here are three critical laws you should be aware of:

Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

This legislation defines manual handling (of an object, person or animal) as:

“…any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force”.

The Act also brought clear “ranking measures” for dealing with risks associated with manual handling.

Working at Height Regulations 2005

This legislation ensures that employers plan any activities performed at height and that they are supervised and carried out by competent people.

If you would like to learn more, we also have a CDM Whitepaper on offer free of charge.

LOLER Regulations 1998

This set of legislation covers lifting with cranes and heavy loads, as well as the correct operational procedures.

We have created our LOLER training course to help companies comply with this.

How do these regulations work together

The CDM Regulations 2015 provide a structure for handling safety throughout building projects. Other laws, like MHOR, WAHR, and LOLER, focus on specific dangerous tasks. Together, these rules ensure that risks are found, controlled, and dealt with at every step of a project to keep everyone safe.

Our CDM regulations training

Understanding and complying with the CDM Regulations 2015 is essential for anyone involved in a construction project. That’s where iHasco comes in. We offer a range of online training for the construction industry, from working at height training to mental health in construction to CDM regulations.

Our CDM Training Course covers:

• The purpose and scope of the CDM Regulations 2015,

• Roles and responsibilities of dutyholders,

• How to manage and plan construction projects safely,

• Key documentation required under CDM,

• Practical guidance on achieving compliance.

Whether you’re a client, contractor, or designer, this course will help you manage your legal duties effectively and contribute to safer construction sites.

Ready to take the next step into your employees training but not sure where to start? Get in touch with our team today for helpful, friendly advice, or, why not try our free, no obligation trial today!

Can legal action be taken against first-aiders? Does your School have Asbestos? COSHH Programme Launched