Construction (Design and Management) Regs. 2015
On 6th April 2015 the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 – known as CDM will be updated to CDM 2015.
The updated regulations are an attempt to ensure that safety and welfare are placed at the heart of every building and maintenance project, and impose huge new responsibilities on the client. The client is now responsible for everything that happens on the project, so it is vitally important that they employ competent professionals to advise them from the start.
New Roles Under The Regulations
CDM 2015 has created a new role, that of Principal Designer and removed the role of CDM Coordinator. However, this is not just a change of name. Every project, even the smallest, will now require a Principal Designer to oversee the design and the implementation of health and safety into it and a Principal Contractor to carry out or oversee the works.
Maintenance Works
Another major change is that maintenance works which include “the installation, commissioning, maintenance, repair or removal of mechanical, electrical, gas, compressed air, hydraulic, telecommunications, computer or similar services which are normally fixed within or to a structure…” will now require a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor.
Impact On The Domestic Building Sector
For the first time, the domestic building sector has been brought into CDM. Until now many local builders working on domestic extensions or similar jobs may not have embraced the safety and welfare requirements of CDM. They will all now need to be compliant, and have a named Principal Designer and Principal Contractor.
New and Updated Documents
Simply Docs has reviewed and updated all its documents in accordance with CDM 2015 and the updated documents are available to download from the website. In addition, in the “Information” section of the website you can find a detailed set of information sheets explaining how the new regulations will affect builders, architects/designers and those potential clients who want to be developers.
The contents of this Newsletter are for reference purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Independent legal advice should be sought in relation to any specific legal matter.