PRINCIPAL DESIGNER CDM
Ensuring Safe and Compliant Construction Projects
At INform Surveying, we take on the critical role of Principal Designer (PD) under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). Our responsibility is to ensure that health and safety risks are effectively managed from the initial design stage through to project completion, safeguarding everyone involved in the construction process.
As property consultants, chartered surveyors, and project managers, we understand that managing CDM compliance isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about embedding safety and compliance into the very fabric of every project, helping clients achieve success through informed decisions, proactive risk management, and thorough oversight.
In this blog, we examine the significance of the Principal Designer role, outline effective CDM management, and demonstrate the value of professional CDM oversight through a structured case study.
- Complementary services:
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+ PD – BR
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+ Contract Admin
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+ Project Management
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+ Measured Surveys
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+ Party Wall
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+ Neighbourly Matters
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+ Schedule of Condition
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+ Landlord & Tenant Alterations
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+ RCA
KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE CDM MANAGEMENT
01 Early Design Risk Assessments :
Conducting thorough risk assessments at the design stage is critical. We identify potential hazards and develop risk mitigation strategies before construction begins, preventing delays and safety issues.
02 Collaboration and Co-ordination :
A successful Principal Designer must effectively coordinate with the wider project team. This involves managing communications among clients, designers, and contractors while ensuring that everyone understands their responsibilities under CDM 2015.
03 Ongoing Safety Reviews :
CDM compliance isn’t a ‘one-time’ effort at the start of a project; it should be regularly reviewed and assessed. We conduct ongoing safety reviews throughout the project’s lifespan, continually assessing and updating safety protocols as necessary to reflect changing site conditions or new risks that arise.
04 Health and Safety Files :
As Principal Designers, we are responsible for compiling and maintaining the Health and Safety File—a critical document that outlines how the building can be safely used, maintained and eventually demolished. This ensures that clients and future users remain informed by referencing a managed document of key safety considerations.
05 Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Standards :
Ensuring compliance with CDM 2015 is a fundamental responsibility of the Principal Designer. We strive to ensure that the project adheres to all legal requirements, aiding clients in avoiding penalties and promotingsafe project execution.
WHY THE ROLE OF PRINCIPAL DESIGNER MATTERS
The Principal Designer is a legal duty holder under CDM 2015, responsible for managing health and safety risks during the pre-construction phase. This role is vital in ensuring that safety considerations are integral to the design process and that the project complies with CDM regulations. Here’s why having an experienced Principal Designer is crucial:
As Principal Designers, we collaborate closely with architects and specialist designers, engineers, consultants, and contractors to identify and mitigate risks early in the design process. By incorporating health and safety considerations at this stage, we help prevent costly changes and reduce on-site accidents, ensuring that safety is embedded from the outset.
Ensuring CDM Compliance
CDM regulations exist to enhance health and safety across all stages of construction. Our role as Principal Designer ensures that projects comply with these regulations, minimising the risks of accidents, ensuring future safe maintenance, and availability of management documentation. We ensure all duty holders understand their responsibilities, keeping the project safe and compliant during construction and setting up the property to be effectively managed in the future.
Collaborating with the Project Team
A key aspect of the Principal Designer role is collaborating with the entire project team—clients, designers, and contractors—to integrate health and safety considerations into each project phase. This involves co-ordinating efforts, reviewing design plans, and advising on safety enhancements.
Site Safety and Worker Wellbeing
Beyond mere compliance, we ensure that construction sites are safe environments. This involves identifying risks to workers’ health and safety, taking into account both the construction and operational phases.
Creating Safer, Smarter Designs
Incorporating safety considerations during the design phase improves project outcomes. Our role as Principal Designers balances safety, compliance, and functionality, guaranteeing that the final design is efficient, fit for purpose, and legally compliant.
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CASE STUDY: PRINCIPAL DESIGNER FOR CDM
INform Surveying were appointed by a restaurant specialist to undertake the role of Principal Designer and Health and Safety Auditor as part of the refurbishment of a number of existing pub/restaurant facilities to ensure CDM compliance was achieved.
Objectives of the Principal Designer Role
As Principal Designer, our role involved overseeing the pre-construction phase of the various projects with the aim of achieving CDM 2015 compliance whilst ensuring health and safety were placed at the forefront of project considerations. It was also important that we ensured all stakeholders were aware of their duties under CDM 2015 (including client duties).
Process and Approach
As part of our role, we undertook a preliminary assessment of the works, attended a design team meeting and prepared a full Pre-construction Information package to identify all construction health and safety matters along with residual risks with the project as part of our risk management strategy. We issued the Pre-Construction Information to the preferred contractor and assessed their Construction Phase Plan to ensure it was suitably developed. As part of our role, we also undertook regular Health and Safety Audits to ensure on-site H&S is upheld. At project completion, we work with all parties to ensure a Health and Safety File is compiled.
Challenges and Solutions
The project involved many challenges that had to be overcome, no more so than the involvement of numerous stakeholders and tight project deadlines. To ensure effective management of residual risk and health and safety matters, we worked collaboratively with all stakeholders and lead designers to prepare a detailed design risk assessment drawing. The drawing was included in the pre-construction phase documents and displayed on site so that the contractors could review it throughout the project. Through preparing the designer’s risk assessment, we were able to identify compliance matters and safety solutions.
Outcome and Client Feedback
Our role successfully achieved CDM 2015 compliance and mitigated residual risks and health and safety concerns throughout the project. We conducted several H&S audits, which highlighted H&S issues on site (such as a lack of PPE and missing documentation). Our safety oversight ensured that matters were relayed to the contractors and addressed with urgency. The projects were completed successfully without serious H&S issues, and we ensured that all documentation (H&S Files) was produced at completion.
CONTACT US
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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102-103 Hague, Park Hill,
South Street, Sheffield S2 5AS
What 3 words: placed.backed.agenda
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