Am I the principal contractor? CDM role finder

Your duties as the client

A business or organisation that has construction work done is a commercial client, and the client duties apply to it in full.

• Make suitable arrangements for managing the project, including enough time and other resources. (reg 4(1))
• Make sure those arrangements provide the welfare facilities in Schedule 2 for everyone carrying out construction work. (reg 4(2))
• Keep the arrangements in place and review them throughout the project. (reg 4(3))
• Give pre-construction information as soon as practicable to every designer and contractor appointed, or being considered for appointment. (reg 4(4))
• Make sure a construction phase plan is drawn up before the construction phase begins: by the contractor where there is only one contractor, or by the principal contractor where there is more than one contractor. (reg 4(5)(a))
• Take reasonable steps to check that the designers and contractors you appoint have the skills, knowledge and experience for the role. (reg 8(3))

Because there is more than one contractor

• Where there is more than one contractor, appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing, as soon as practicable and before the construction phase begins. (reg 5(1) and (2))
• If you do not appoint a principal designer, you must carry out the principal designer's duties yourself. The same applies to the principal contractor's duties. (reg 5(3) and (4))
• Make sure the principal designer prepares a health and safety file for the project, keeps it up to date, and that it is kept available for anyone who needs it. (reg 4(5)(b))
• Take reasonable steps to make sure the principal designer and principal contractor carry out their duties. (reg 4(6))

You are a domestic client

CDM 2015 still applies to work on your home, but your client duties are carried out by someone else.

• Where there is only one contractor, the contractor carries out your client duties. (reg 7(1)(a))
• Where there is more than one contractor, the principal contractor carries out your client duties. (reg 7(1)(b))
• Where there is more than one contractor and you have a written agreement with the principal designer that they will carry out your client duties, the principal designer carries them out instead. (reg 7(1)(c))
• Contractors and designers must not start work until they are satisfied you know about the client duties. (reg 9(1) and reg 15(1))

Because there is more than one contractor

• Where there is more than one contractor, the client must appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing before the construction phase begins. (reg 5(1) and (2))
• If you do not make those appointments, the designer in control of the pre-construction phase is the principal designer, and the contractor in control of the construction phase is the principal contractor. (reg 7(2))
• You do not have to carry out the principal designer's or principal contractor's duties yourself if you do not appoint them. (reg 7(3))

Your duties as a contractor

• Do not start work until you are satisfied the client knows about their duties under CDM 2015. (reg 15(1))
• Plan, manage and monitor your work, and the work of people under your control, so it is carried out without risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable. (reg 15(2))
• Only employ or appoint people who have, or are getting, the skills, knowledge, training and experience for their tasks. (reg 15(7))
• Give your workers appropriate supervision, instructions and information, including a suitable site induction if the principal contractor has not already given one. (reg 15(8) and (9))
• Do not begin work on site until reasonable steps have been taken to stop unauthorised people getting on to it. (reg 15(10))
• Make sure the Schedule 2 welfare requirements are met for you and your workers, so far as is reasonably practicable. (reg 15(11))

Because you are the only contractor

• As the only contractor, draw up a construction phase plan, or arrange for one to be drawn up, as soon as practicable before setting up the site. (reg 15(5))
• Take account of the general principles of prevention when planning the work and estimating how long it will take. (reg 15(4))

Working for a domestic client

• Where there is only one contractor and the client is a domestic client, the contractor carries out the client duties as well as their own. (reg 7(1)(a))

Because there is more than one contractor

• Where there is more than one contractor, follow any directions from the principal designer or principal contractor. (reg 15(3)(a))
• Follow the parts of the construction phase plan that apply to your work. (reg 15(3)(b))
• Cooperate with the other people working on the project. (reg 8(4))

Your duties as principal contractor

• Plan, manage and monitor the construction phase, and coordinate health and safety during it. (reg 13(1))
• Where there is more than one contractor, the principal contractor must draw up a construction phase plan before the site is set up, and keep it under review. (reg 12(1) and (4))
• Organise cooperation between contractors and coordinate their work on health and safety. (reg 13(3))
• Make sure a suitable site induction is given, unauthorised access to the site is prevented, and Schedule 2 welfare facilities are provided throughout the construction phase. (reg 13(4))
• Consult and engage with workers on their health, safety and welfare. (reg 14)
• Liaise with the principal designer, and give them information for the health and safety file. (reg 12(7) and reg 13(5))

Working for a domestic client

• Where there is more than one contractor and the client is a domestic client, the principal contractor carries out the client duties as well as their own, unless the client has a written agreement for the principal designer to carry them out. (reg 7(1)(b) and (c))

Your duties as a designer

• Do not start design work until you are satisfied the client knows about their duties under CDM 2015. (reg 9(1))
• When you prepare or change a design, take account of the general principles of prevention and any pre-construction information, to eliminate foreseeable risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable. (reg 9(2))
• Where a risk cannot be eliminated, take steps to reduce or control it through the design, so far as is reasonably practicable. (reg 9(3)(a))
• Give enough information with your design to help the client, other designers and contractors meet their duties. (reg 9(4))
• Only accept the appointment if you have the skills, knowledge and experience to do the work safely. (reg 8(1) and (2))

Because there is more than one contractor

• Give the principal designer information about the risks your design could not eliminate. (reg 9(3)(b))
• Make sure appropriate information about those risks goes into the health and safety file. (reg 9(3)(c))
• Cooperate with the principal designer and everyone else working on the project. (reg 8(4))

Your duties as principal designer

• Plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction phase, and coordinate health and safety during it. (reg 11(1))
• Identify and eliminate or control foreseeable risks, so far as is reasonably practicable. (reg 11(3))
• Make sure all designers carry out their duties. (reg 11(4))
• Help the client provide pre-construction information, and give it to every designer and contractor, so far as it is within your control. (reg 11(6))
• Give the principal contractor the information you hold that is relevant to the construction phase plan. (reg 12(3))
• Prepare the health and safety file, keep it up to date, and pass it to the client at the end of the project. (reg 12(5), (6) and (10))
• Liaise with the principal contractor and share information about the construction phase. (reg 11(7))

Working for a domestic client

• If you have agreed in writing with the domestic client that you will carry out the client duties, you carry them out as well as your own. Without that written agreement, where there is more than one contractor the principal contractor carries out the client duties. (reg 7(1)(b) and (c))