When is a construction phase plan required? CPP rules

When is a construction phase plan required? CPP rules

When is a construction phase plan required? Under CDM 2015, a Construction Phase Plan is needed for every construction project. It is not only for notifiable jobs, big commercial sites or work with a special high-risk trigger. The plan must be ready before construction work starts, and it should be proportionate to the job in front of you.

That is the bit that catches small builders out. A one-person domestic job still needs a plan. It just does not need to look like a tier-one contractor's site manual. For a small job, a short, clear CPP can cover the work, the people, the main risks, the site rules and what happens if something changes.

When is a construction phase plan required under CDM 2015?

A construction phase plan is required before the construction phase begins on any construction project. The rule applies whether the job is domestic or commercial, and whether there is one contractor or several.

The size of the plan changes with the size and risk of the job. Replacing a small bathroom for a domestic client will not need the same level of detail as a multi-trade extension. But both jobs still need a plan that shows how the work will be managed safely.

Do not mix this up with F10 notification. F10 is about notifying the HSE when a project meets the notifiable threshold. A CPP is separate. A job can be non-notifiable and still need a Construction Phase Plan.

Who has to prepare the CPP?

Responsibility depends on how the job is set up.

If there is only one contractor, that contractor must prepare the Construction Phase Plan. That includes a sole trader working directly for a domestic client. You are still expected to plan the work before you start.

If more than one contractor is involved, the Principal Contractor must draw up the plan. On small domestic jobs, that might be the builder coordinating the electrician, plumber, roofer or other subbies. If you are taking that role, the CPP needs to cover how the different trades will work without creating avoidable risk for each other.

The client has duties too, but most small builders should not rely on the client to sort this. If you are the person controlling the work on site, make sure the CPP exists and is usable.

What should a small-job CPP include?

A practical small-job CPP should explain the job clearly enough for the people on site to follow it. It should not be padded out with copied legal text.

Cover the basics first:

• the site address, client and expected dates;
• who is managing the work;
• which trades or workers are expected on site;
• the main tasks and sequence of work;
• key hazards, such as work at height, excavation, asbestos risk, services, plant, dust or hazardous substances;
• the controls you will use;
• welfare, access, parking, deliveries and storage;
• emergency arrangements;
• site rules and induction/sign-off;
• how the plan will be reviewed if the job changes.

For a low-risk domestic job, that may fit into a few pages. For a job with several trades, difficult access or higher-risk work, it needs more detail. The point is not the page count. The point is whether the plan matches the real site.

A domestic extension example

Say you are running a six-week rear extension. You have a bricklayer, electrician, plumber and roofer coming in at different stages. There will be excavation, deliveries, temporary works, dust, noise, welfare arrangements and clients living nearby.

That job needs a CPP before work starts. Because more than one contractor will be involved, the Principal Contractor should prepare and manage it. The plan should explain who is in charge, how subbies will be inducted, where materials go, how excavations are protected, how deliveries are controlled and how changes are recorded.

If the job starts as one trade and later brings in another contractor, review the plan. The responsibilities and coordination arrangements may need to change. The CPP should keep pace with the job, not sit forgotten in a folder.

What if you are a sole trader on your own?

You still need a Construction Phase Plan. It can be short, but it should be written down and checked before you start.

For example, if you are fitting a kitchen, your CPP might cover access, isolation of services, manual handling, dust control, waste, tools, client areas, first aid and emergency contacts. If you are working at height or using substances that need COSHH controls, include those too.

This is where a lightweight plan makes sense. You do not need a massive binder. You need enough detail to show that you have thought through the work, the site and the people affected by it.

The Site Book has a free CPP template if you want a simple starting point. If you want the app to build the plan from job details, the Construction Phase Plan workflow is the paid route.

CPP, RAMS and F10: what is the difference?

The CPP is the overall plan for managing health and safety during the construction phase. RAMS are usually task-specific: the risks and method for doing a piece of work. F10 is the HSE notification for jobs that meet the notifiable threshold.

On a small job, these often overlap in real life. The same hazard might appear in the CPP and the RAMS. That is fine. The important thing is that the documents agree with each other and match the work being done.

If you already have RAMS, do not assume that means the CPP is sorted. RAMS can feed the plan, but the CPP should also cover site arrangements, coordination, welfare and how the job will be managed.

How The Site Book helps

The Site Book is built for small UK construction firms that need CDM paperwork without spending Sunday night fighting old templates. You describe the job in plain English, then review the RAMS, CPP, site induction and related paperwork before sharing it.

You still need to check the output. The app does not replace your judgement or remove your CDM duties. What it does is help you get a clearer, site-specific first draft faster, using the same job details across the pack.

Start with one real job. Add the site, the people, the work sequence and the hazards. Then check the CPP like a client or Principal Contractor would: does it explain what is happening, who is responsible and how the risks are controlled?

Bottom line

A Construction Phase Plan is required for every construction project under CDM 2015. It must be ready before construction work starts. For a small job, keep it proportionate, practical and site-specific.

If you are the only contractor, you prepare it. If more than one contractor is involved, the Principal Contractor prepares it. Either way, do not wait for a notifiable job or a paperwork request before sorting it.

Create your first free job pack, then use the CPP as a live working document for the job, not a box-tick at the start.