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New CDM 2015 Regulations Come Into Force
The new CDM regulations which came into force this week have significant implications for those involved in construction, particularly those with poor health & safety standards.
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 replaces the 2007 version with the aim of reducing bureaucracy and ensuring safer working practices within the construction industry. Under the new regulations, clients have a greater responsibility for the conduct and decisions of those they employ to oversee health & safety. In future the clients will need to:
- assemble a team of competent professionals and ensure that each of their roles are clear
- allocate sufficient time and resources at each stage of the project to ensure that health and safety issues are dealt with properly
- ensure effective project team communication
- provide suitable welfare facilities throughout the construction period
- make sure all involved have the skills, training and expertise to carry out the work
The role of an official CDM co-ordinator has been scrapped, clients will now need to appoint a ‘principal designer’ whose role will be to plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction phase and co-ordinate health and safety.
The industry has been given six months to implement the new regulations on existing projects. Projects which started before 6th April will have until 6th October to appoint a principal designer while any project which starts from the 6th April will need to ensure the new procedures are followed.
Click here for the HSE’s Guide on CDM 2015.
