The Construction world is about to change! From Monday 6 April 2015 a number of changes are going to come into force and you need to be aware of what these changes are and how they may affect your Projects. The Regulations have still not been approved but the drafts have been published by the HSE and stated that they will be enforceable from 6 April 2015. We have summarised below the main points you need to know but if you require further clarification then please let us know.
CDM Coordinator (CDMC) – has been replaced with a new role of the Principal Designer (PD). They have the responsibility for coordinating the pre-construction phase with a member of the design team.
Client – they are now recognised as the head of the supply chain and therefore best placed to set the standards throughout the Project.
Domestic Clients – the CDM Regulations will now apply to these types of Projects. Their duties will normally be transferred to the Contractor or Principal Contractor, or if the Client wishes to make a specific appointment, the Designer.
Competence – the detailed requirements have been removed and replaced with a general framework.
Transitional Period – The transitional period for CDM 2015 is only 6 months – 6 April 2015 to 6 October 2015. Projects which started prior to 6 April, where the Construction Phase has not yet started and the Client has not yet appointed a CDMC, the Client must appoint a Principal Designer as soon as it is practicable. If the CDMC has already been appointed, a Principal Designer must be appointed to replace the CDMC by 6 October 2015, unless the Project comes to an end before then. During this transition time, the CDMC should comply with the duties contained within Schedule 4 of CDM 2015. After 6 October all ongoing Projects will have to comply with CDM 2015.
Construction Phase Plans – these will be required for all construction projects (including domestic client work) and a Principal Designer and Principal Contractor appointed when there is more than 1 Contractor on a Project.
Pre-Construction Information – The requirements have been expanded to include the planning and management of the Project.
Notification – You will only need to notify the HSE if it is a Project lasting longer than 30 days and has more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point in the Project or exceeds 500 person days.
What should you do?
• Ensure you and your team are familiar with the changes – provide a toolbox talk/training and keep evidence, as your Clients will be looking for evidence of this. We will be running open courses, so feel free to contact us to find out further information.
• Review your Projects and their start/finish dates to ensure that you will comply with the new requirements during this time.
• Update your documentation to ensure that it accurately reflects the changes in dutyholders accordingly.
More information can be found –
Draft Regulations – download your free draft copy here – http://bit.ly/CDMRegs
Individual dutyholder’s responsibilities – download the individual guides here – http://bit.ly/CDMGuidance