What are a client’s duties under CDM 2015 and how can you comply?
Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM), clients have a number of duties to ensure that construction work is carried out safely and without risk to health. The main duties of clients under CDM 2015 include the following:
- Appointing competent designers and contractors: Clients must ensure that the designers and contractors they appoint are competent and have the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to carry out the work safely.
- Providing information: Clients must provide designers and contractors with relevant information about the site, existing structures, and any hazards that may be present on the site. This information must be provided in a clear and accessible format.
- Ensuring adequate time and resources: Clients must ensure that there is adequate time and resources available for the work to be carried out safely and without risk to health.
- Ensuring cooperation and coordination: Clients must ensure that all parties involved in the construction project cooperate with each other and coordinate their work to ensure that it is carried out safely.
- Ensuring welfare facilities: Clients must ensure that suitable welfare facilities are provided for workers on the site, including toilets, washing facilities, and drinking water.
Examples of how client duties under CDM 2015 could be met:
- Appointing competent designers and contractors: Clients should check the skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience of the designers and contractors they are considering appointing. They can do this by reviewing their previous work, checking references, and asking for evidence of relevant qualifications and certifications.
- Providing information: Clients should provide designers and contractors with a clear and concise brief that outlines their requirements for the project. They should also provide any relevant information about the site or existing structures that could affect the safety of the work, such as information about buried services or hazardous materials.
- Ensuring adequate time and resources: Clients should ensure that there is sufficient time and resources available to carry out the work safely. This may involve allowing extra time for planning and risk assessments, or providing additional funding for safety equipment or training.
- Ensuring cooperation and coordination: Clients should encourage all parties involved in the project to work together and cooperate with each other. They should also appoint a principal designer and principal contractor to ensure that there is clear coordination between the different parties involved in the project.
- Ensuring welfare facilities: Clients should ensure that suitable welfare facilities are provided for workers on the site. This may involve providing portable toilets, washing facilities, and drinking water, or ensuring that these facilities are available nearby.
By complying with these duties, clients can help to ensure that construction work is carried out safely and without risk to health.
Read how MSAFE can assist clients with their duties under CDM 2015.
Contact MSAFE to discuss how we may be able to assist further.
