Project clients are required to undertake the following actions:
Answer: A client is someone who is having construction or building work carried out, unless they are a domestic client. A domestic client is someone who lives, or will live, in the premises where the work is carried out. The premises must not relate to any trade, business or other undertaking. Although a domestic client does not have duties under CDM, those who work for them on construction projects will.
Client duties apply to any business that seeks or accepts the services of architects, builders or workers to carry out construction project work. This definition is very wide and includes companies, partnerships and sole traders.
Answer: Client duties apply on all projects and there are additional requirement on notifiable projects.
The client duties therefore apply on:
Some of the most hazardous work takes place smaller projects, e.g. repair of fragile roofs and fragile rooflights on business premises. Around 7–10 workers die each year after falling through such roofs and rooflights.
Answer: Client duties apply from project conception through to completion. Most client duties require action well before work starts on site.
The client is critical to securing project safety and achieving compliance with all other aspects of CDM 2007. The extent of client duties will be affected by the scale and nature of the project.
Clients must ensure that those appointed or engaged on the project are competent to comply with health safety requirements.
In practical terms, this means the client must implement procedures that check the CDM Competence of others.
Appointments may not be made until the client has taken steps to establish the competency of others.
The client must ensure that CDM co-ordinators, designers and contractors are promptly provided with 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.
This will include the information in any relevant existing health and safety file.
On notifiable projects, the CDM co-ordinator appointed by the client will collect and provide the PCI.
The client must appoint a project CDM Co-ordinator (CDM-C) at a very early stage and subsequently appoint a Principal Contractor (PC). This requirement applies on notifiable projects.
If others are not appointed the project client becomes both CDM-C and PC and takes on the duties of both roles.
Finally, the client must take steps to ensure there are suitable arrangements for managing project health and safety matters. These must cover:
The client must also take steps to ensure that these arrangements are maintained and reviewed throughout the project.
Clients must also:
