Duties as defined by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

Client

Description: Individual or organisation for whom a construction project is carried out.

Summary: Make suitable arrangements for managing a project, including ensuring that

• other duty holders are appointed;
• sufficient time and resources are allocated;
• relevant information is prepared and provided to other duty holders;
• the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor carry out their duties;
• welfare facilities are provided.

Designer

Description: Those that prepare or modify designs for a building, product, or system relating to construction work.

Summary: When preparing or modifying designs, to eliminate, reduce or control foreseeable risks that

• may arise during:
• construction; and
• the maintenance and use of a building once it is built.
• Provide information to other members of the project team to help them fulfill their duties.

Principle Designer

Description: Designers appointed by the Client in projects involving more than one contractor. Can be an organisation or individual with sufficient knowledge, experience, and ability to carry out the role.

Summary: Plan, manage, monitor, and coordinate health and safety in the pre-construction phase of a project. This includes

• identifying, eliminating, or controlling foreseeable risks;
• ensuring designers carry out their duties.
• Prepare and provide relevant information to the Principal Contractor to help them plan, manage, monitor, and coordinate health and safety in the construction phase.

Principal Contractor

Description: Contractors appointed by the Client to coordinate the construction phase where it involves more than one contractor.

Summary: Plan, manage, monitor, and coordinate health and safety in the construction phase of a project. This includes:

• Liaising with the Client and Principal Designer;
• Preparing the Construction Phase Plan (CPP);
• Organising cooperation between contractors and coordinating their work.
• Ensuring suitable site inductions are provided;
• Ensuring reasonable steps are taken to prevent unauthorised access;
• Ensuring workers are consulted and engaged in securing their health and safety; and
• Ensuring welfare facilities are provided.

Contractor 

Description: Those who do the actual construction work and can be either an individual or a company.

Summary: Plan, manage and monitor construction work under their control so that it is carried out without risks to health and safety. For projects involving more than one contractor, coordinate their activities with others in the project team – in particular, comply with directions given to them by the Principal Designer or Principal Contractor. For single-contractor projects, prepare a construction phase plan.

Worker

Description: The people who work for, or under the control of, contractors on a construction site.

Summary: They must

• Be consulted about matters which affect their health, safety and welfare;
• Take care of their own health and safety and others who may be affected by their actions;
• Report anything they see which is likely to endanger either their own or other’s health and safety;
• Cooperate with their employer, fellow workers, contractors, and other duty holders.

Organisations or individuals can carry out the role of more than one duty holder, provided they have the skills, knowledge, experience and (if an organisation) the organisational capability to carry out those roles in a way that secures health and safety.

Principal designers are not a direct replacement for CDM co-ordinators. The range of duties they carry out is different to those undertaken by CDM co-ordinators under CDM 2007.