The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, better known as CDM 2015, form a crucial part of health, safety, and welfare compliance across all UK construction projects. These regulations apply regardless of the project's size, type, or duration and are designed to ensure that health and safety is integrated into every stage of the construction process - from the initial concept through to completion and beyond.
CDM 2015 places legal responsibilities on a wide range of individuals and organisations involved in construction work, including commercial clients, principal designers, contractors, and even individual workers. The aim is to improve risk management, encourage collaborative working, and ensure that those involved in delivering projects have the right level of competence and understanding of the potential hazards.
RAM Building Consultancy partners with clients across sectors to help navigate CDM requirements efficiently and confidently. With practical, hands-on support that ranges from role allocation and F10 notifications to welfare auditing and document preparation, we enable our clients to stay compliant and reduce risk, without slowing down project progress.
Dutyholder Roles under CDM 2015
CDM Dutyholders at a Glance
One of the key strengths of CDM 2015 is that it clearly outlines who is responsible for what during the lifecycle of a project. However, this clarity only works if dutyholders understand and accept their roles. The main roles include:
Clients have overall responsibility for ensuring that the project is set up to comply with CDM from the outset. This includes appointing competent Principal Designers and Principal Contractors, providing necessary information about the site and project (known as Pre-Construction Information), and ensuring that welfare facilities are in place.
Principal Designers (PDs) are responsible for health and safety during the pre-construction phase. Their job is to identify and manage potential design risks, coordinate input from other designers, and ensure that relevant information is passed to those planning and managing construction work. They also lead the compilation of the Health and Safety File.
Principal Contractors (PCs) take over during the construction phase, ensuring that site operations are safe and compliant. They produce and maintain the Construction Phase Plan (CPP), manage welfare facilities, deliver inductions, and oversee safe working procedures on site.
Designers and Contractors are responsible for ensuring that their work does not introduce foreseeable risks. They must coordinate with others, follow site rules, and confirm that their workers are adequately trained and competent.
Why Clear Roles Matter
Without a clear understanding of who is responsible for what, CDM compliance quickly breaks down. Overlapping responsibilities often result in duplicated paperwork, missed risk controls, and confusion about who is managing safety on site.
More seriously, this can lead to intervention from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), including formal notices, stop-work orders, or prosecution.
RAM Building Consultancy helps clients avoid this by clearly defining CDM roles at project kick-off. We provide tailored role briefings, model appointment letters, and structured templates for role acceptance and competence declarations. This not only improves legal compliance but also ensures smoother project delivery and reduced on-site risk.
When is a Project Notifiable and F10 Notification Explained
Understanding Notifiable Projects & F10 Thresholds
Not every construction project is classed as "notifiable" under CDM 2015, but when a project crosses certain thresholds, the client must formally notify the HSE using an F10 form.
A project becomes notifiable if it is expected to:
- Last more than 30 working days and involve more than 20 workers on site at any one time; or
- Exceed 500 person-days of construction labour.
Failing to recognise a project's notifiable status is a common pitfall. It can result in serious legal consequences, especially for clients who overlook their responsibility to notify or fail to delegate that responsibility in writing on domestic jobs.
Submitting an F10 Notification
The F10 form must be submitted online via the HSE’s website before construction work begins. It includes details about the:
- Type and scope of the project
- Location and planned start date
- Estimated duration and workforce numbers
- Contact details for the Client, Principal Designer, and Principal Contractor
- Declaration confirming that the client is aware of their CDM duties
Once submitted, the acknowledgement must be displayed visibly on-site, typically in the site office. It must also be updated if key project details change.
RAM supports clients by managing the full F10 submission process, including updates and producing site-display formats. This ensures no detail is missed and reduces the risk of regulatory delays.
Mandatory CDM Documents & When They Are Required
Pre-Construction Information (PCI)
PCI is essential to a safe, well-managed construction project. It provides designers and contractors with the information they need to plan and carry out their duties effectively and safely.
This may include site constraints, existing structures, ground conditions, and known hazards like asbestos or overhead cables. The PCI must be provided early enough to influence the design and planning stages.
RAM assists clients and Principal Designers by collecting relevant information through site surveys and documentation reviews. We then present this data in a structured PCI pack, formatted for use by all relevant parties.
Construction Phase Plan (CPP)
Before any work begins on site, the Principal Contractor must prepare a CPP. This document sets out how health and safety will be managed during construction and must be proportionate to the complexity and risks of the work involved.
The CPP should address site rules, emergency arrangements, welfare provision, supervision plans, and how information will be communicated to the workforce.
RAM helps contractors develop robust CPPs that meet the expectations of regulators and clients, while also being practical and easy to follow. We also offer support to update the plan as the project evolves.
Health and Safety File
The Health and Safety File is often overlooked but is vital for long-term safety. It contains information required for future maintenance, alterations, or demolition of the building.
The file should include details about structure, materials, fire safety, residual risks, and plant or equipment installed during the build.
RAM prepares digital H&S Files that are clear, compliant, and easily accessible - saving time for facilities managers and helping building owners stay compliant post-handover.
Competence, Risk Management & Site Welfare
Competence & Skills Requirements
A central principle of CDM is that everyone working on a construction project must be competent. This doesn’t just mean qualifications; it also includes relevant experience, awareness of health and safety issues, and the organisational capability to manage risk.
RAM supports this requirement by offering:
- Competence assessment templates for dutyholder appointments
- Vetting processes for subcontractors
- Audit-ready competence records
This gives clients the confidence that their supply chain is capable and compliant.
Site Welfare & Induction
The provision of basic welfare facilities is a legal requirement. Construction sites must have accessible toilets, handwashing, rest areas, and drinking water. Yet these basics are often overlooked or inadequately maintained.
Equally, all personnel must receive a proper induction before accessing the site. This includes information on hazards, emergency procedures, and specific site rules.
RAM carries out welfare audits to ensure facilities are suitable, maintained, and documented. We also develop induction materials tailored to each site, helping ensure a consistent and compliant onboarding process for workers and visitors alike.
Practical Tools: Checklists, Templates & Audit Schedules
Downloadable Tools & Templates
CDM compliance becomes significantly easier when supported by structured tools. HSE’s L153 guidance and templates from organisations like CITB and APS offer a helpful starting point, but often require tailoring.
RAM builds on these by offering:
- Pre-filled templates for PCI, CPPs, and H&S files
- F10 trackers and submission logs
- Sector-specific tools for education, healthcare, housing, and commercial projects
- Branded digital toolkits for use across your organisation
These resources help standardise processes and reduce time spent chasing paperwork.
Audit & Review Schedules
Compliance is not a one-off activity. CDM demands continuous monitoring throughout the project. Regular audits help ensure documentation is current, procedures are being followed, and any emerging risks are addressed promptly.
RAM designs tailored audit schedules aligned to key project milestones. We carry out competence checks, welfare reviews, document audits, and safety file inspections. Using drones and digital reporting, we capture real-time insights and present clear recommendations.
How RAM Building Consultancy Can Help – Your CDM Partner
RAM Building Consultancy delivers practical, responsive CDM support across every phase of your project.
We offer:
- Site diagnostics using drone, thermal, and structural tools to inform PCI and safety planning
- F10 submission and tracking with display-ready outputs and update support
- Document preparation including PCI, CPPs, H&S Files, and audit logs
- Competence frameworks for vetting contractors and in-house teams
- Welfare and induction auditing to ensure on-site standards are met
- Branded toolkits and templates for consistent CDM compliance across your portfolio
We work across the UK with clients in public, private, and third sectors. Our team is made up of RICS-qualified professionals with a digital-first mindset. We keep compliance simple, streamlined, and scalable.
Conclusion
CDM Regulations 2015 are more than just a regulatory requirement; they are a practical framework for safer, better-managed construction projects. From role clarity and F10 notifications to structured documents and site welfare, compliance means managing risk proactively and ensuring everyone involved is working to the same safety standard.
RAM Building Consultancy helps clients deliver on these expectations with confidence. We combine sector expertise, technology, and human support to simplify compliance, without compromising quality or pace.
Need help getting your next project CDM-ready? Contact RAM today for a free compliance audit, downloadable toolkits, or a one-to-one project briefing.
