Richard Turner & Associates Limited

CDM 2007 and the role of CDM co-ordinator

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM2007) came into force on 6^th April 2007 replacing the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 (CDM94) and the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 (CHSW).

The Regulations apply to all construction work in Great Britain and its territorial sea and apply to both employers and the self-employed without distinction.

Please click here to download a copy of the CDM2007 Regulations.

The key aim of CDM2007 is to integrate health and safety into the management of projects and to encourage all parties involved to work together to:

• Improve the planning and management of construction projects from the beginning
• Identify hazards early on so that they can be eliminated or reduced at the design or planning stage and so that any residual hazards may be properly managed
• Concentrate effort where it can do the most good in terms of health and safety
• Discourage unnecessary bureaucracy

CDM co-ordinator

The CDM co-ordinator is appointed to provide the client with a key project advisor in respect of construction health and safety risk management matters. Their duties include:

• Assisting and advising clients on the appointment of competent contractors
• Advising on the adequacy of h&s management arrangements
• Ensuring the proper co-ordination of the h&s aspects of the design process
• Facilitating good communication and co-operation between project team members
• Preparing the h&s file

We have extensive experience and knowledge of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations having fulfilled the role of planning supervisor and, more recently, CDM co-ordinator, since the implementation of the Regulations in 1994.

In our role as CDM co-ordinator we work across the UK on a wide range of schemes including large scale retail, commercial and public sector projects. We are an approved consultant for Marks & Spencer plc.

Our projects range from demolition works to new builds and include major refurbishments and fit-outs, chiller and plant replacements, lift installations, roof repairs, building services installations and energy efficiency initiatives.

We are experienced at working in a variety of environments that include confined spaces, sewers, construction sites, business centres, leisure centres and sports grounds, retail centres, schools and universities, factories, railways, docklands, listed buildings, high security premises, detention centres, pumping stations, IT and data centres as well as hazardous environments (asbestos, high/low voltage).

Our extensive knowledge of CDM and the construction process is shared across all areas of the business to provide added value services to clients.

RTAL is extensively involved in the processes relating to the selection of competent designers and contractors. The company also regularly checks, reviews and verifies policy statements, risk assessments and method statements on behalf of client and principal contractor duty holders.

In addition, we have recently designed brand new guidance and safe working procedures on behalf of a major UK retailer.

We are accredited to the SAFEcontractor scheme and hold chartered membership of CIBSE, the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) and the Association of Project Safety (APS).

Our team is fully qualified to perform the role of CDM Coordinator in accordance with the Construction and Design Management Regulations (2007). All staff hold current CSCS cards and NEBOSH health and safety qualifications.