CDM 201X Regulations

The much awaited ‘CDM 201X’ consultation is currently underway. The consultation started on 31^st March and ends on 6^th June, which means you barely got a month to participate in the consultation. The consultation is open to the public.

The drafting of the new Construction (Design and Management) Regulations document started sometime back in May 2013 when the policy team from HSE prepared and presented an impact assessment and proposed changes for new regulations to the HSE board. After a couple of consultation with the relevant stakeholders, the proposed ‘CDM 201X’ is now available to the public for scrutiny, views and recommendations. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) encourages everyone to participate in the ongoing consultation as this is the only way the policies and decisions will reflect the needs and aspirations of the people it affects. 

A deeper look into the journey the CDM has taken

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with a step, well the CDM regulations first came into place in 1994 right after the publication of the 1992 European Directive 92/57/EEC on minimal health and safety standards for mobile or temporary construction sites. Like any other new born baby, the CDM94 had its fair share of teething problems and it was for a while termed by critics as highly complex and bureaucratic in nature.

After a lot of alterations and consultation the CDM 2007 regulations came into effect and some of its main aims were to reduce bureaucracy, improve focus on client and competence assessment, simplify the regulations for easy understanding, and to improve co-ordination by introducing the CDM co-ordinator role.

More changes are still happening and currently, the ‘CDM 201X’ consultation is underway. The ‘CDM 201X’ draft regulations propose a number of changes, including:

• Further simplification of the regulations
• The threshold for appointments
• Specific skill sets to replace explicit competence requirements
• The ACoP to be replaced with industry targeted guidance
• Principal designer role to replace the CDM co-ordinator role

It is highly advised that you participate in the ongoing consultation as nothing is set on stone and your views might actually tilt the final document to be friendlier. Before its approval, the proposed regulations will go through the HSE board and finally parliament for approval.

Possible implications of the CDM 201X

If the document is passed into law at its current state, this would have a couple of implications on the industry. For instance, replacing CDM co-ordinator with a principal designer will mean that CDMCs may need to learn new skills to fit other roles.

Also, the repeal of two contentious CDM 2007 regulations means that a business will have a chance to grow as you will be able to save more money.

Overall, further simplification of the regulations could only mean reduced paperwork and increased effectiveness.

Points to Note 

There will be no transitional period/grace period for businesses to adopt the proposed regulations once passed into law. That being the case, you should ensure your business participates in the ongoing consultation and more so, start streamlining your business to adapt to the forth coming changes.

Also, take note that the CDM regulations are one small bit of your obligations, adhering to the Health & Safety at work Act is key to compliance.

Final word

Take part in the ongoing CDM consultation as your views may go along way in ensuring the final draft is friendly and easy to follow. Veritas Consulting strongly encourages all parties involved in building and construction to participate in the ongoing consultation. If you require help understanding the proposed draft, please reach us by commenting below or if it is urgent you can call us on 0800 1488 677.

About David Cant

A chartered (fellow) safety and risk management practitioner with 20+ years of experience. David provides a healthy dose of how-to articles, advice and guidance to make compliance easier for construction professionals, Architects and the built environment. Get social with David on Twitter and Linkedin.