Free CDM Checklist Template | Editable & Free Download

CDM checklist template

About the CDM checklist template

This CDM checklist is a tool used for assessing the safety and compliance of a construction site. It covers a variety of topics such as health and safety, hazardous materials, and construction site management. You’ll find a comprehensive list of checks to ensure that a construction site meets industry standards.

Disclaimer: This template is based on the construction design and management regulations of 2015, but is not an official document.

How to use the CDM checklist template

Here’s a quick guide to making the most of it:

Customize the template to fit your project. Start by tailoring the checklist to your specific project type—whether it’s residential, commercial, or infrastructure. Add or adjust sections to reflect local regulations, project scope, and unique risk factors. In Lumiform’s app, you can easily modify fields, add instructions, and set up response types.
Assign the checklist to project leads. Once customized, assign the checklist to the responsible site manager or project lead. They’ll use it to track regulatory compliance, design reviews, procurement status, and safety measures throughout each project phase.
Conduct regular site inspections. Use the checklist during site visits to capture real-time data. Document observations with photos, notes, and even GPS locations directly from the mobile app.
Track progress and flag issues. While completing the checklist, monitor progress within the app. If you identify any non-compliance or risks, create action tasks to address them immediately, assigning follow-ups to the right team members.
Analyze data for continuous improvement. After project closeout, review the collected data to identify patterns—recurring risks, process gaps, or compliance issues. Use these insights to refine future checklists and improve overall project management practices.

Why you should use the CDM checklist template

The CDM checklist template is designed to help identify gaps in your organization’s construction design and management processes and take corrective action to improve safety and compliance. It’s also beneficial for organizations managing complex construction projects, since they can assess health and safety risks better.

With the CDM checklist, you can manage construction projects with more accuracy and efficiency. Instead of dealing with scattered notes and relying only on memory, you have a structured framework that keeps critical tasks, safety measures, and compliance checks organized in one place. This not only reduces the risk of missing key details but also helps you maintain consistency across different projects.

The digital format also allows you to easily track progress, document site conditions with photos, and assign follow-up actions—all from your mobile device. This improves communication within your team and saves time during audits.

Smoother project oversight with Lumiform’s tools

Stay ahead of project deadlines, safety checks, and compliance requirements with a CDM checklist for keeping your workflow on track. It’s fully customizable, so you can adapt it to fit the unique demands of your project—whether you’re managing a single site or juggling multiple projects. Assign tasks, track progress, and document key project details with ease.

Related categories

Preview of the template

Audit

Name of Inspector

Date & Time

Pre Construction Requirements

Construction phase plans

Location & Address

Please describe the construction site and the types of materials and load-bearing equipment and structures present onsite

General Requirements

Site Safety

The construction site is free from hazards that pose a risk to worker’s health and safety

There are available entry and exist points that are free from obstruction and readily accessible

There’s sufficient space for employees to work safely, taking into account the space taken up by machinery or tools that are required to perform the tasks

Site Security

The construction site is organized, clean, and tidy

The site’s perimeter is clearly marked with the correct postage or is fenced off

Construction materials do not include timber with projecting nails

Structure Stability

All necessary precautions are taken to ensure stability of all onsite structures

All buttresses and temporary structures are installed to withstand maxim load capacities of heaviest onsite materials or equipment

All buttresses and temporary structures are only used for their intended purpose

All structures do not exceed maximum load-bearing weight to maintain worker and pedestrian safety

Demolition & Dismantling

The demolition of a structure is carefully planned and recorded ahead of time

The dismantling of a temporary structure is carefully planned and recorded ahead of time

All steps are taken to ensure worker safety during dismantling or demolition

If danger from dismantling or demolition can not be avoided, it is reduced as much as possible

Explosives

The transportation, storage, and use of explosives are done as safely as possible

All other dismantling or demolition options have been exhausted

The use of explosives onsite have been sufficiently mapped, planned, and documented before demolition

No person is exposed to the risk of injury by flying debris

Excavations

All precautionary steps have been taken to prevent the collapse of the excavation

All precautionary steps have been taken to prevent construction materials, roofs, walls, etc. from falling into the excavation

All precautionary steps have been taken to prevent the entrapment of a person during excavation by falling debris or construction materials

All precautionary steps have been taken to prevent a person, equipment, or construction material from falling into the excavation

No field adjacent to the excavation site is overloaded with equipment or materials

Excavation work stops if any work equipment or materials pose a threat to the health and safety of the workers until it is deemed safe again by an authorized inspector

Excavation work stops if any event affects the stability of the excavation until it is deemed safe again by an authorized inspector

Excavation work stops if any material, equipment, or person falls into the excavation until it is deemed safe again by an authorized inspector

Cofferdams & Caissons

Cofferdams & caissons are soundly constructed and properly maintained

Cofferdams & caissons have an accessible entry and exit point in case of unexpected entry of water or materials

Cofferdams & caissons are inspected before every use with an authorized person’s sign off

Cofferdams & caissons are inspected after an inciting incident is suspected to have affected the integrity of the structure

Reports & Inspections

Inspector and employees inform each other of objects or activities that are a danger or have the potential to be dangerous

These dangers are documented in a report

The location of the danger is documented

A description of the danger is documented

The date and time of the inspection is documented

Details of correction action to mitigate danger is documented

A list of further actions, if any, is documented

The report is completed within twenty-four hours after the notification of the danger

Site mangers has ensured that the inspector has carried out the inspection to the correct specifications

A copy of the report is on hand for review up until three months after construction has been completed

Energy Distribution Installations

All precautionary steps have been taken to ensure safety of energy distribution installations

Employees do not come in contact with any area that has exposed overhead electric cables

Energy sources are isolated

Energy distribution installation areas are clearly marked with signage and a clear perimeter

Vehicles are redirected to an alternate route so they do not pass beneath exposed overhead electric cables

Drowning Prevention

All precautionary steps have been taken to minimize the risk of drowning when working near or in water or other liquids

All precautionary steps have been taken to minimize the risk of falling into a body of water

Rescue equipment, first aid kits, and emergency procedures are readily accessible and planned in the event of a fall

Water transportation is readily available for rescue in the event of an emergency

Water transportation vehicle is not overloaded or exceed maximum weight capacity when in use

Traffic Routes

Construction site roadways and paths have been planned out to minimize risk of traffic accidents

There are a sufficient number of roadways that are wide enough for the vehicles using them

Pedestrian walkways are clearly separate from traffic

Signage is posted warning pedestrians of areas where there is a higher risk of incurring bodily harm from a vehicle

Loading bays have at least one exit for the sole use by pedestrians

Traffic routes are clearly labeled with appropriate signage indicating high risk areas

All vehicles have permits to drive on the construction site

The roadways have all been cleared of obstruction

Vehicles

All precautionary steps have been taken to minimize the risk of unintended vehicle movement

Drivers and traffic officers give a verbal warning to pedestrians who might be at risk of getting struck by a moving vehicle

Vehicles are operated and towed as safely as possible

Vehicles carrying heavy or oversized loads are properly marked and does not exceed the vehicles maximum load capacity

Passengers are riding within the cab in the designated seating area

Passengers are not present when loading or unloading a vehicle with loose materials unless they can do so safely

Measures are in place to prevent vehicles from falling into an excavation pit or water or from veering off the road into unsafe conditions

Fires, Floods, & Asphyxiation

All precautionary steps have been taken to minimize the risk of fires, floods, or asphyxiation that might result in an injury or death

Emergency Procedures

Emergency procedures have been arranged to accommodate any eventual emergency that could befall the construction site

These arrangements take into account:

The type of construction work being performed onsite

The size of the construction site

The work equipment

The number of employees present onsite

The physical and chemical substances that are present onsite

Every employee has received adequate training and are knowledgeable about emergency procedures

The emergency procedures have been tested ahead of the incident

Emergency Routes & Exits

There is enough emergency routes and exits for every person, employee, and contractor to safely leave the construction site in the event of an emergency

All exit routes are as direct and short as possible and leads out safely out of range of the construction site

All emergency exit routes must be clearly lit and free from obstructions at all times, including traffic routes that are included in the plan

All emergency exit routes are clearly and legibly labeled

Fire Detection & Fire Fighting

There is a sufficient number of early fire detection systems and fire fighting equipment present on site

All early fire detection systems and fire fighting equipment are regularly inspected to ensure they are in proper working condition in the event of an actual fire

Fire fighting equipment is easy and readily accessible

All employees have received instruction on how to use emergency fire equipment

No one carries out work in area that exhibits a high risk of fire unless given the all clear by a safety officer

All fire fighting equipment is clearly and legibly labeled

Fresh Air

All areas of the construction site has access to fresh air

If a site does not have access to fresh air, then it is sufficiently oxygenated with the aid of ventilation devices

All ventilation devices used on site has a visual or audible warning system in case of malfunction

All warning systems are regularly inspected and tested to ensure they are in proper working condition in case of an emergency

Temperature & Weather Protection

All percatuionary steps have been taken to provide safe working conditions at a reasonable temperature in indoor construction sites

Workers are provided with protective clothing or equipment in the event of unsafe weather at outdoor construction sites

Lighting

Every part of the construction site is adequately lit by natural or artificial lighting

Any artificial lightning is not of a color that might affect the worker’s ability to read warning signage or signals

Secondary lighting is present in areas of the construction site where failure of primary lights would pose a danger to the workers

Completion

Additional Comments and/or Concerns

Attach Photo

Full Name & Signature of Inspector

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Frequently asked questions

What does CDM stand for in construction?

CDM stands for Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. These regulations are designed to improve health, safety, and welfare in construction projects. They apply to all types of construction work, from small renovations to large infrastructure projects, and focus on risk management throughout the project lifecycle.

Who is responsible for CDM compliance on a construction site?

CDM compliance is a shared responsibility among several key roles. The client must make sure that duties are assigned, while the principal designer manages risks during the design phase. The principal contractor oversees health and safety on-site, and all contractors must follow safe work practices.

What are the key principles of CDM regulations?

CDM regulations focus on managing risks rather than just reacting to them. This includes planning work to avoid hazards, coordinating between teams to reduce risks, clearly defining roles and responsibilities, providing the right information and training, and maintaining good communication throughout the project. The goal is to create a safer, more organized construction environment.

This template, developed by Lumiform employees, serves as a starting point for businesses using the Lumiform platform and is intended as a hypothetical example only. It does not replace professional advice. Companies should consult qualified professionals to assess the suitability and legality of using this template in their specific workplace or jurisdiction. Lumiform is not liable for any errors or omissions in this template or for any actions taken based on its content.