Health and Safety - Online Library

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 (Amended 2000)

These regulations apply to the most common building, civil engineering and construction work. This does not apply to construction work where the local authority is the enforcing body for health and safety purposes. This means where work is not notifiable and is either:

Carried out in offices, shops and similar premises where the construction work is done without interrupting the normal activities in the premises or
The maintenance or removal of insulation on pipes, boilers or other parts of heating or water systems

As far as contractors are concerned the CDM Regs apply

To all demolition and dismantling work
To other construction work unless

The work will last 30 days or less and
It involves less than 5 people working on a site at any one time

The work is being done for a non-domestic client

Clients Responsibilities

Clients should, as so far as is reasonably practicable:

Select and appoint a planning supervisor and principal contractor
Be satisfied that the planning supervisor and principal contractor are competent and will allocate adequate resources to health and safety
Be satisfied that designers and contractors appointed are competent and properly resourced
Ensure that construction work does not start until the principal contractor has prepared a satisfactory health and safety plan
Ensure that the health and safety file is available for inspection, after the project is complete

Planning Supervisors Responsibilities

This person is appointed by the client and may be taken on by an individual or by a company, the role involves:

Coordination of health and safety issues during the design and planning phases of the project to ensure that risks are appropriately assessed and steps are taken to reduce risks as far as is reasonably practicable
Ensuring the pre tender stage health and safety plan is produced in time for the contractors bidding for work to use in preparation for their tender
Giving advice about health and safety competences and resources required during the project
Making sure the project is notified to the HSE
Arranging to collect information for inclusion in the health and safety file which they must ensure is prepared and delivered to the client at the end of the project

The Designers Responsibilities

Designers are expected to p[lay a key role under the CDM Regs to ensure the design allows the construction work to be carried out in a safe manner, often by careful design risks can be eliminated or significantly reduced, main responsibilities include:

Alert clients to their duties under CDM Regs
Consider the hazards and risks which may arise to those constructing or maintaining the premises or structure
Design in such a way that risks are avoided as far as is reasonably practicable
Reduce risks at source if it cannot be reasonably avoided
Consider measures to protect all workers if avoidance or reduction is not possible
Pass health and safety information to the planning supervisor for inclusion in the safety file
Cooperate with all involved parties

The Principal Contractor

The contractor is appointed by the client to plan, manage and control Health & Safety during the construction of the project, the main responsibilities of the principal contractor are:

Develop and implement the health & safety plan from the pre-tender plan;
Ensure that competent and adequately resources sub-contractors are used when necessary
Ensure the coordination and cooperation of all contractors
Obtain risk assessments and method statements from contractors
Ensure all workers have received the appropriate level of training
Monitor health and safety performance
Display the notification of the project to the HSE
Ensure all information is passed to the planning supervisor for the health and safety file

Pre-tender stage Health & Safety Plan

The planning supervisor is responsible to ensure that the pre-tender stage health and safety plan is prepared so that prospective principle contractors can be fully aware of the requirements that need to be fulfilled.

Contents will depend on the actual project but the following can be used as guidance:

General description of the project including name and location
Planning restrictions, traffic problems and access, ground conditions, materials being used
All drawings and plans including plans of any existing buildings
The design including any hazards which cannot be avoided through the construction stage and proposals of how hazards will be monitored
Construction materials including any potential health hazards which cannot be avoided
Site access and egress, site accommodation, loading and unloading areas, traffic and pedestrian routes
Site rules, including permits to work

Construction stage – Health & Safety Plan

The principal contractor must develop the health and safety plan so that it addresses all potential issues of the project, this will include:

How health and safety will be managed during construction to protect the health and safety of all persons
How information will be distributed and monitored
All risk assessments and method statements
Welfare arrangements in appropriate detail
Health and safety training requirements
Arrangements for monitoring compliance with health and safety law
Procedures for delivering information for the health and safety file

Health and Safety File

This is the record of information provided for the client or end user. The planning supervisor ensures that the file is produced at the end of the contract and passed to the client, it should include the following:

All drawings and plans used throughout construction
Details of construction method and materials used
Details of the construction methods and materials used
Details of structures equipment and maintenance facilities
Maintenance procedures and requirements for the structure
Details on location and nature of utilities including emergency and fire fighting systems

This can be stored as an e copy if required