Section 1 Construction Law and Management
Responsibilities
The CDM 2007 Regulations place legal responsibilities on the different groups who are involved in a construction project, some of these responsibilities have been around for some time and some are new, but what the CDM regulations try to do here is clarify both the responsibilities and the roles each party has to play on successfully managed project throughout its many phases.
Groups
- clients
- designers
- CDM co-ordinators
- principal contractor
- contractors, including the self-employed
Client Responsibilities
- Check competences of all appointees
- Allow sufficient time and resources for the Project
- Ensure there are suitable management arrangements for the project, this would include welfare facilities.
- Provide any information that is relevant to the project at early stage
Additional responsibilities for notifiable projects,
- Appoint a CDM Co-ordinator
- Appoint Principle contractor
- Provide information relating to H&S to CDM Co
- Remain custodians but provide access to the Project Health and safety file.
Designers
- Eliminate hazards wherever possible at the design stage
- Provide information of any remaining risks
Additional responsibilities for notifiable projects,
- Ensure the client is aware of his responsibilities and has appointed a CDM Co-ordinator
- Provide information for the H&S file
CDM –Co-ordinator
- Advise and assist the client to his duties un CDM
- Notify the HSE
- Co-ordinate health and safety aspects of the design and co-operate with all other parties involve with the project.
- Become the communication route for between all parties for H&S matters
- Ensure any pre construction information is available to all parties involved
- Prepare and update the project health and safety file.
Principle contractor
- Plan, manage and monitor the construction phase
- Ensure welfare facilities are provided throughout construction phase
- Develop and provide appropriate site rules
- Provide any direction to contactors
- Ensure that every contractor is informed of the mobilisation and project plan
- Consult with other contractors regarding the construction phase plan
- Consult with other contractors regarding the construction phase plan
- Allow contractors sufficient time to comply with the welfare requirements, and preparation for carrying out the work without risk
- Ensure information for the health and safety file is identified and promptly provided to the CDM Co-ordinator
- Display the F10 Notification
so that it can be seen by all working on the contract
- Prevent unauthorised site access
- Site induction should include a site specific explanation of the senior management commitment to health and safety, an outline of the project, the individual's immediate line manager and any site specific health and safety risks
Site inductions should also include
- Site rules
- Permit to work systems
- Traffic routes
- Security arrangements
- Hearing protection zones
- Personal protective equipment
- Housekeeping
- Materials storage
- Welfare facilities
- Emergency procedures
Contractors
- A contractor must not carry out any construction work unless the client is aware of their duties under the regulations
- Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that they have
reduced health and safety risks by, Planning, managing and then monitoring their work
- Ensure that other (sub)contractors that they appoint are informed of the minimum amount of time that they will be allowed for planning and preparation before their construction work commences
- Ensure that construction work can be carried out safely and without risk to health, contractors must provide all workers under their control with information and training, including: a suitable site induction (when not provided by the principal contractor)
- Provide adequate welfare facilities and ensure they will be maintained for all persons under their control throughout the construction phase.
- check clients are aware of their duties
- satisfy themselves that they and anyone they employ or engage are competent and adequately resourced
- plan, manage and monitor their own work
- Ensure that workers under their control are safe from the start of their work on site
- Ensure that any subcontractor are aware of the project plan stages and content of the H&S file
This section of the course goes on to describe competence this will be discussed in a further post.
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