22 Apr
The Construction Design and Management, or CDM, Regulations are put in place to increase the effectiveness of health and safety measures and give greater peace of mind to all workers involved. Recently, the biggest change to these regulations has been approved, which directly affects domestic projects and SMEs for the first time as of the 6th April 2015.
Prior to the 6th April, CDM regulations gave health and safety rules for large construction projects – meaning those lasting for more than 30 days, or those which involved more than 500 days on manpower onsite. Domestic clients, such as those working on their own property, were exempt from these obligations, but the latest guidelines cover projects of all sizes, durations and work types.
Due to these changes, many contractors and installers will find themselves included with these legal requirements. They cover build, demolition, refurbishment, extension, and repair & maintenance jobs. For example, even a small, self-build project needs to comply with CDM Regulations 2015.
These changes are most important for those working on smaller projects, who have previously not had to take CDM Regulations into consideration, but will now have to. This approach brings projects in-line with each other, both from a size point of view and across the EU. The processes are similar to those in place for larger projects already, but it is important to be aware of the regulations when working on smaller projects.
Previously, a CDM coordinator had to be appointed on projects to help advise the client on health and safety from a design and construction point of view. With the new regulations, these duties are shared amongst a designer, contractors and the client. The designer/architect ensures that the design accounts for factors which will reduce health and safety issues, whilst the main contractor must prepare a safety plan to manage the construction work. Any sub-contractors must then adhere to these rules to ensure that the CDM regulations are met.
Whilst it can be seen as another step to take before starting a project, the regulations are in place to increase the safety of all workers involved. For more information, take a look at the CITB page regarding the new regulations here, or check the official HSE site here.