Ready or not: CDM 2015 has arrived

On October 6, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 came into full force, signalling the end of the six-month transition period. CDM 2015, as it is better known, governs the management of health, safety and welfare on construction projects and it’s important that those involved in this field understand what it means for them.

CDM2015 is the third iteration of the regulations since they were introduced in 1994 - an event which led to the formation of Aegis by a group of Lancashire construction professionals the following year.

There has been much discussion over the implications of CDM 2015, particularly over the increased emphasis on the legal duties of the client to ensure that suitable health and suitable arrangements are in place.

With the duties of project stakeholders being set out in much more explicit terms in the regulations there will be no hiding places in the event that the principles of prevention (eliminate, reduce, inform and control) are not followed.

It’s important to recognise that the Principal Designer role is a key one which clients should appoint early in the design process, and in selecting the Principal Designer, it’s crucial to choose a provider organisation which has the skills, knowledge, experience and training relevant to this role.