Simplify the health and safety risk management on construction projects with CDM 2015

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The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) was implemented from 6th April 2015. CDM 2015 is the superior version of the 2007 Regulations. It transforms the 2007 regulations more user-friendly as well as more fruitful by maintaining the perfect health & safety risk management toward all construction projects.

The following are the new updates in CDM 2015 :-

1. With CDM 2015, the role of CDM Co-ordinator is no longer available. It presents the new role of 'Principal Designer':
   • The Principal Designer is characterized by the CDM 2015 and he/she has to take liability for synchronizing health and safety in the design and pre-construction stage.
   • The Principal Designer will be liable for preparing, controlling and supervising the design and pre-construction stage to make sure that the project is executed devoid of any risk associated with health or safety.
   • It is predicted that the role is assigned to a pre-existing member of the design team without requiring an external 'add on'.
2. Notification: Under CDM 2015, a project is notified if construction work continues minimum 30 working days and engages 20 or more workers working all together in tandem, or engages 500 person days of construction work. So there is a possibility that the number of notifiable projects are reduced significantly.
3. Competence: CDM 2015 is based on the duty holder's competence, acquaintance, experience and organisational skill.
4. CDM 2015 also eliminates the Approved Code of Practice, and put it back instead with targeted guidance (presently available only in draft form).
5. CDM 2015 is also compatible with "domestic" clients too. Hence any person for whom a construction project is accomplished (even if on their personal residence) will be caught assuming that the project is notifiable. It helps to find out how this alteration affects small domestic projects.
6. Besides, as a client you have to take liability for disclosing the Health and Safety Executive of a notifiable project and you must give guarantee that the construction phase plan and health and safety file are generated by others.

Projects already in progress: Transitional provisions.

CDM 2015 is formed with transitional provisions applicable for projects already in progress (weather it is in design or construction stage):

• For projects where the construction stage is not yet initiated and a CDM Co-ordinator is not employed, as the client you have to employ a Principal Designer immediately.
• If a CDM Co-ordinator is already assigned, as the client you have to appoint a Principal Designer to substitute the CDM Co-ordinator within 6 October 2015 (unless the project is finished prior to this time).
• In the meantime, the Principal Designer must be appointed and the CDM Co-ordinator's duties carry on following the CDM 2007 requisites (as modified with the transitional provisions contained in CDM 2015).

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