Are you a CDM co-ordinator (CDM-C)?

What you need to do

CDM co-ordinators (CDM-Cs)appointed by the project client are required to undertake the following actions:

• Advice and assistance – give advice and assistance to the client on what he needs to do to comply with CDM 2007.
• co-ordination and co-operation – ensure that arrangements are in place for co-ordination and co-operation during the planning and preparation phase;
• Pre construction information – identify and collect the pre construction information;
• Designer compliance – take steps to ensure that designers comply with their CDM duties.

What you need to know – three key questions

Question 1: Which projects require appointment of a CDM-C?

Answer: The client must appoint a CDM-C on notifiable projects. These are projects likely to involve more than 30 days or 500 man days of construction work.

Question 2: When should the CDM-C be appointed?

Answer: The client must appoint a CDM-C as early as possible and no later than after initial design work is completed.

‘Initial design work’ includes feasibility studies and any work necessary to identify the client requirements or possible constraints on the development.

Question 3: Who needs to be informed of the appointment?

Answer: The CDM-C must give notice to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as soon as is practicable after appointment.

Advice and assistance to the client

The CDM-C is required to advise and assist the client on undertaking the measures the client needs to take to comply with CDM 2007.

This includes advising and assisting the client on the:

• assessment of designer and contractor competence;
• adequacy of client management arrangements for the project and the management arrangements of contractors;
• maintenance and review of such arrangements throughout the project;
• adequacy of the principal contractor construction phase plan; and
• adequacy of the welfare facilities.

co-ordination and co-operation

The duty of a CDM-C is to ensure arrangements are made and implemented for the co-ordination of health and safety measures during planning and preparation for the construction phase.

These must include facilitating:

• co-operation and co-ordination between the project team; and
• application of the general principles of prevention by all involved

Pre construction information

The CDM-C must take steps to identify and collect the pre-construction information (PCI). PCI consists of all the information which is relevant to the health and safety of those engaged in, affected by the work or using the structure as a future workplace.

The relevant parts must be promptly provided, in a convenient form, to every:

• person designing the structure;
• the principal contractor; and
• any other contractor who has or may be appointed by the client.

Designer compliance

The co-ordinator must take all reasonable steps to ensure that designers comply with their CDM duties.

In particular the co-ordinator must make sure that designers have in place arrangements to avoid foreseeable risk in preparing designs, including arrangements for:

• eliminating hazards giving rise to risks;
• reducing risk from any remaining hazards; and
• providing information on residual risks.