NEW regulations aimed at reducing the number of deaths and accidents in the construction industry will come into force from April 6 following a comprehensive review by the Health and Safety Commission. 

Construction remains a disproportionately dangerous industry where improvements in health and safety are urgently needed.  A total of 59 people were killed and a further 3,677 suffered major injuries on construction sites in the UK in 2005/06. Of these, 25% involved falls from height and 27% slips and trips. 

The new Construction (Design and Management) Regulations aim to integrate health and safety into the management of a project from design concept onwards, re-emphasising the welfare and broader business benefits of a well-managed and co-ordinated approach to the management of health and safety in construction.

It is the first time the CDM Regulations have undergone a full review since they were introduced in 1994. The new statutory legislation has been combined with the Construction (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 into a single regulatory package.

The main change will see more responsibility placed on the Client Company and designers to ensure a coordinated approach to projects.

In the past a Planning Supervisor had to be appointed early in the project to provide clients with advice and information before the works started and with any design changes.

From April 6 onwards, that role will be undertaken by a CDM coordinator who will have greater powers in influencing the health and safety in projects from start to finish. It will be their role to bring together designers, construction teams and health and safety advisors prior to building work getting underway. They will also be responsible for reviewing changes to the design throughout the construction phase and for preparing the safety documentation relevant to the project on completion.

Until now companies would rely very much on the planning supervisor to ensure the right people were appointed and were competent to carry out their duties. That role has now been pushed back on the individual clients themselves who will be responsible for health, safety and welfare issues on their site, as well as any accidents. The CDM coordinator will be able to offer advice and opinion to assist the client in this role.

This will result in greater preparatory work carried out off-site prior to construction work getting underway.

Space Solutions is ideally placed to undertake this role for clients as the company has a wide range of specialists within the group, ranging from architects and quantity surveyors to construction specialists and health and safety advisors. Clients only require one point of contact rather than having to manage a team themselves and can be confident the new rules are being complied with.

If your business is undertaking a property project and believes that the new CDM regulations will apply, then it is sensible to seek professional advice.

Failure to comply with the CDM Regulations constitutes a criminal offence and can result in construction work being shut down and legal action being initiated by the Health and Safety Executive.

Download the Space Solutions Client Guide to the new regulations in our downloads section