Construction is one of the most high-risk industries, with projects often involving heavy equipment and potentially hazardous materials. In the UK, CDM regulations aim to protect everyone who’s involved in a construction project, from clients to contractors and workers. Its focus is on properly managing health and safety risks throughout the whole project.
This guide will explain in more detail what CDM regulations are, as well as major compliance requirements and responsibilities. You’ll also find out how to conduct CDM risk assessment to strengthen your safety measures.
What are CDM regulations?
The CDM Regulations, or Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, is a law in the United Kingdom (UK) that applies to all the processes involved in construction projects-from its conception (planning and designing) to its completion. For example, it contains guidelines regarding key elements on how to ensure workers’ health and safety on the construction site. The law also talks about how to select and appoint the right person or group to a key position like safety coordinator, contractors, and designers.
If an entity fails to fully comply with the CDM Regulations, penalties may range from fines up to £800,000 to a sentence of eight months in prison. So, to ensure compliance and prevent the mentioned penalties, it is crucial to conduct updated and thorough CDM audits.
What are the requirements in the CDM regulations?
The CDM regulations set out clear requirements from the start of a construction project to its completion. You can divide the requirements into several categories:
Working environment
These ensure that safety is a construction site’s number one priority. Below are some of the requirements:
- Every area should have inspected for safety hazards
- The workplace should be organized, with security measures in place
- Structures should be stable and have a solid foundation
- During demolitions and dismantling activities, warning measures are in place
- Staff members should be well-trained in emergency procedures
- The workplace should have fire protection plan in place and visible fire exits
- All areas should have sufficient ventilation
First aid and welfare
There should always be a first-aid kit on hand in case of an emergency. Below are some of the related requirements:
- A staff member trained in first aid should always be present in the workplace. Ideally, all staff members would attend a training course.
- Emergency procedures should be in place so that a worker who needs medical treatment can be brought immediately to a hospital
- The workplace would ideally have a first-aid station or facility that is complete with all first-aid tools and equipment
Mitigation of specific risks
It’s critical to address specific risks that are always present on construction sites. Below are some examples of these:
- Loud noise and intense vibration
- Falling objects
- Working from high places
- Usage of scaffoldings, ladders, and lifting equipment
- Excavation activities
- Activities in tunnels, wells, and underground areas
- Demolition works
Management arrangements
Clients, health coordinators, project coordinators, designers, and contractors all have specific duties during the pre-construction and construction phase. The regulations also emphasize that maintaining health and safety on the construction site is a collaborative effort of every party.
There are also required legal documents. An example of this is the construction phase plan which should contain the contact information of all the parties involved, dates, hazards on site, and the risk controls to implement during the construction phase.
Roles and responsibilities under CDM regulations
The CDM Regulations 2015 set clearly defined responsibilities of everyone involved in the construction project. These obligations apply to all projects, whether large or small. Here’s a closer look:
Client
The client is the person or organization who’s commissioning the construction work. Clients need to make sure the right people are in place, like a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor (especially if there are multiple contractors).
Clients are also responsible for providing enough time, resources, and budget to manage health and safety effectively. Importantly, construction work can’t start unless a Construction Phase Plan is ready. For domestic clients, many of these responsibilities automatically shift to the contractor or designer in charge of the work.
Principal designer
The principal designer is in charge of safety during the design phase. Their job is to identify potential risks early on and find ways to eliminate or reduce them through smart design choices.
Principal Designers also make sure that they share safety information clearly with contractors and other team members. Plus, they help create the Health and Safety File, which includes important details about managing risks even after construction is complete.
Principal contractor
Once construction starts, the principal contractor takes the lead on health and safety. They oversee day-to-day activities, making sure work is carried out safely and that everyone on-site knows the risks and how to manage them.
Their responsibilities include preparing and regularly updating the Construction Phase Plan, running site inductions for workers, and making sure that welfare facilities (like toilets, clean water, and rest areas) are available. They also need to coordinate closely with the principal designer, especially when there are design changes that might affect safety on-site.
Designers
Designers might be architects, engineers, or consultants. They’re responsible for designing buildings, structures, and systems that are not just functional but also safe to build, use, maintain–and eventually demolish.
Designers must eliminate risks where possible and clearly communicate any hazards that they can’t design out. They also need to work closely with the Principal Designer to consider safety at every stage of the project.
Contractors
Contractors—including subcontractors—are the people doing the actual construction work. Their main job is to carry out tasks safely while managing the risks associated with their activities. This means planning their work carefully, following the Construction Phase Plan, and making sure workers have proper training and supervision.
Contractors must also carry out regular risk assessments to identify hazards on-site and put control measures in place. Good communication with the Principal Contractor is key to making sure everyone’s on the same page when it comes to safety.
Workers
Workers need to follow safety instructions, attend required training, and use equipment properly. If they notice hazards, unsafe conditions, or near-misses, they should to report these immediately. Their cooperation is essential for making sure health and safety measures are effective on the ground.
How to conduct a comprehensive CDM risk assessment
CDM Risk Assessment is a documented evaluation of a workplace to see if it complies with the practical guidelines stated in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations of 2015.
According to UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there are five steps when conducting a CDM risk assessment:
1. Identify the hazards
The first step in a CDM assessment is identifying the hazards in the workplace. This involves conducting a facility walkthrough to identify what elements can cause harm to workers.
While doing walkthroughs, carefully observe how people move and use equipment, current work practices, and workplace layout. Then think of all the possible scenarios that may cause accidents involving these factors and document them.
Then, check the company’s inventories for any hazardous materials or substances that are being stored and manually handled. Examples of these are asbestos, paints, lacquers, fumes, and dust.
It’s also ideal to interview workers to get their input regarding the safety of current work practices. This will provide insight into where you can instate corrective actions to prevent workplace injury and death.
Take into consideration vulnerable workers too, like those with disabilities, health conditions, or pregnant women.
2. Assess the risks
The second step in a CDM assessment is to assess the risks involved. This involves analyzing two factors, severity and probability, to create a hazard priority list.
When assessing the risks, you can use the following questions:
- Who is at risk from the present hazards?
- What are the current risk controls in place?
- Do the current controls need improvement?
- How urgent is each hazard and when you should address them?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also provides help in this area. On their website, there is an available resource called HSE Risk Assessment Tool. This tool guides how to assess hazards and create a risk matrix based on severity and probability.
3. Control the risks
After assessing the risks, it is now time to formulate and improve new and existing controls. During this step, the goal is to eliminate hazards as much as possible. And if it’s not possible, the second goal is to eliminate any consequential harm if an accident occurs.
There are many ways of accomplishing this; below, are some of them:
- Replacement of materials, equipment, or processes that are the source of a hazard
- Changing the work procedures to eliminate a hazardous work element
- Optimization of work schedules and workflows to reduce exposure to hazardous materials or equipment
- Strict implementation of personal protective equipment usage (PPE)
- Setting up new work policies and guidelines that promote health and safety
4. Record the findings
After performing a risk assessment and creating controls, the next step is to record and document the findings. These are significant details that you should include:
- Hazards
- Affected Workers
- Current Risk Controls
- Control Improvements
- Key Person Responsible for the Hazard
- Target Completion Date
- Actual Completion Date
The website of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides a free template for this step. And there are also example templates that you can use as references for various businesses like offices, food services, factories, and warehouses. You can also download any of these risk assessment templates from Lumiform.
5. Review the controls
Finally, the last step in a CDM risk assessment is reviewing the controls. This step involves continuously monitoring the newly created risk controls as well as the improved ones.
The reason for this is to make sure that the controls are working effectively. And if the controls in place aren’t effective, then it is imperative to review the controls and make the necessary changes.
Reviewing the controls is also essential when addressing any changes in the workplace. For example, if you’ve introduced new work processes or made renovations that changed the overall layout of the workplace, then you should include these in your review.
How can a digital CDM compliance tool improve efficiency?
Managing construction projects from beginning to end can be a logistical nightmare. Being responsible for the health and safety of all whom you employ? Now, that can be downright terrifying. Companies are liable for any accidents, injuries, or deaths that befall their workers at any point during the construction process. Conducting risk assessments is perhaps the most important part of the job because it ensures safety and protects the company’s reputation in the meantime.
However, conducting inspections i harder when you have to lug around a clipboard, paper, and pencil. Paper is susceptible to damage, and it can blow around on a windy day, not to mention that handwriting can often be illegible.
With the Lumiform app, you can conduct inspection in the field on any mobile device – online or offline. A digital checklist also offers the following benefits:
- An AI form builder kit allows you to convert all your old paper checklists into digital ones within minutes with our easy-to-use software.
- All results, images, and comments are automatically bundled into a digital report. If you identify any safety hazards on-site, the app will immediately notify your teammates so they can correct the problem.
- Since the app creates charts and graphs for you, you no longer have to process the data on your own, saving you time.
- Lumiform gives you complete oversight of the inspection process, alerting you to any missed or skipped inspections. This feature protects your brand from any reputational harm as a result.
Try Lumiform now and improve your construction site’s safety with a streamlined compliance process!