The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 place clear duties on Clients who commission construction work. Understanding these obligations is essential for successful project delivery.
Who is a Client?
Under CDM 2015, a Client is anyone for whom a construction project is carried out. This includes:
- Property developers
- Landowners
- Organisations commissioning building works
- Domestic clients (though duties transfer to contractors/designers)
Key Client Duties
1. Make Suitable Arrangements
Clients must make arrangements for managing a project that are suitable, taking into account the nature of the project and ensuring:
- Adequate time and resources are allocated
- Competent contractors and designers are appointed
- Welfare facilities are available from the start
2. Appoint Duty Holders
For projects with more than one contractor, Clients must appoint:
- Principal Designer - to plan, manage and coordinate health and safety during the pre-construction phase
- Principal Contractor - to plan, manage and coordinate health and safety during the construction phase
3. Provide Pre-Construction Information
Clients must provide relevant information about the project to designers and contractors, including:
- Existing drawings and surveys
- Information about existing structures
- Known hazards and health risks
- Client requirements and restrictions
How Matthews & Roberts Helps
We provide comprehensive Client advisory services to help you meet your CDM duties:
- Gap analysis of current arrangements
- Development of project-specific CDM procedures
- Support with duty holder appointments
- Pre-construction information compilation
- Ongoing compliance monitoring
Contact our CDM specialists to discuss your project requirements: Get in touch
