Revisions to the CDM regs aim to clarify responsibilities, improve planning and risk management and lessen paperwork. The new laws came into force on 6 April.

Stephen Williams, chief inspector of construction at the HSE said: “Underlying all the changes is one simple aim: to reduce the unacceptable number of fatalities and injuries in the construction industry.”

The revised CDM regs will:

  • clarify construction clients’ responsibilities when they are exercising their influence over health and safety standards;
  • replace the role of planning supervisor with that of CDM co-ordinator. The co-ordinator will act as the client’s adviser;
  • emphasise the importance of competence schemes while simplifying the assessment of competence;
  • simplify when a project is notifiable.
Projects will be notifiable if they involve more than 30 days or 500 person days of construction work. No projects for a domestic client will be notifiable. Formal plans and appointments are only required for notifiable projects.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor