The OTR GroupMost project problems trace back to unclear responsibility. On construction work in Great Britain, health and safety law tries to prevent that by naming roles and giving each one defined duties. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, usually shortened to CDM 2015, are the main set of rules. This article gives a plain-English introduction to the client''s part in them. It is general information, not legal advice, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance is the authoritative source.
When do the rules apply?
One university health and safety service describes CDM 2015 as applying where you commission or undertake construction, maintenance, remodelling, minor construction works, refurbishment or re-fitting, and says that if you do any of these the regulations will probably affect you. That is a useful reminder that CDM is not only about large new buildings. A modest refurbishment can bring duties with it.
The client is a duty holder
The client is the person or organisation for whom the work is carried out. Under CDM 2015, the client has real responsibilities rather than a passive role. According to the guidance read for this article, a client should:
- make sure the key people involved have the required skills, knowledge, training and experience for their roles;
- notify the HSE of projects, and make sure those involved know their duties;
- appoint a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor as early as they can;
- provide the necessary pre-construction information and make sure duty holders comply with their obligations; and
- make sure a construction-phase health and safety plan is drawn up by the Principal Designer, and that minimum health and safety standards are maintained on site.
What changed from earlier rules
The same guidance notes that the CDM Co-ordinator role has been removed, with its duties shared between the client and the Principal Designer. For clients who were used to handing responsibility to a co-ordinator, that is a real change in practice: the appointments need to be made deliberately and early.
Why early appointments help
Appointing the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor early gives them time to plan. Risks that are spotted at design stage are usually cheaper and safer to deal with than those found on site. From a project management point of view, early appointment also settles a question that otherwise causes delay: who is coordinating what, and who do the others report to?
Practical steps for clients
Whatever the size of the project, a few habits help. Write down who holds each role and keep that record with the project file. Share the pre-construction information in good time and in writing. Check that those you appoint can show relevant experience. Ask for the construction-phase plan before work begins and check that it exists. These are common-sense steps, but putting them on a checklist makes them harder to forget when deadlines tighten.
What this article does not cover
The source read for this article does not describe the duties of designers, contractors and workers, or set out the thresholds for notification and for the construction-phase plan. Those details matter, and they are set out in the HSE''s detailed guidance and summary of duties. Before you rely on any of this for a live project, read the HSE material or take advice from a competent health and safety adviser.
Source: University of Warwick Health, Safety and Wellbeing, "Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015" (https://warwick.ac.uk/services/healthsafetywellbeing/guidance/cdm15/), read 15 October 2026, which points to HSE guidance for detail. General information only; please check the HSE website.