Practical steps that can be undertaken in the Management of Contractors to discharge the relevant CDM 2015 duties

[edit] Summary

Contractors play a critical role in construction projects, from initial construction through to maintenance and repairs to alterations, upgrades and eventual demolition at the end of a structure’s life. Under CDM 2015, managing these Contractors effectively is essential to ensure compliance, safety and project success.

This technical information sheet, authored by Dr Mike Webster – who led the reviews of CDM 1994, CDM 2007 and the CDM 2015 PD role and is regularly instructed by Prosecution and Defence teams in relation to CDM 2015 – provides a practical guide to managing contractors in line with CDM 2015 duties. Covering both smaller and larger projects, it offers actionable steps for Principal Contractors and Contractors to meet their obligations. It also includes guidance for Operational Clients managing maintenance work with a single Contractor, focusing on identifying risks and implementing controls.

Whether you’re overseeing a small-scale repair or a complex new build, this resource equips you with the knowledge to manage Contractors efficiently while prioritising safety and legal compliance.

[edit] Availability

Only available electronically here.

CIOB members can access Technical Information Sheets for FREE and receive a 20% discount on our Codes and Guides. Your discount codes are in the members’ portal: https://portal.ciob.org/Learning12. If you experience difficulties accessing the portal, contact lis@ciob.org.uk.

[edit] Contents

• This Technical Information Sheet
• CDM 2015 and other health and safety legislation relevant to typical construction projects
• The influence of control on the Management of Contractors
• The Principal Contractor’s Management of Contractors
• The Contractor and its management of its sub-contractors
• Operational Clients where one Contractor is appointed to undertake maintenance work
• Reference material used in this TIS

[edit] About the author:

Dr Mike Webster has over 30 years’ construction-related experience. He is Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers.

He is a Director of MPW R&R Ltd; a company that provides Consulting, Forensic Engineering and Expert Witness services in the areas of construction and structural Safety, CDM, risk, and health and safety regulations.

Mike has published widely, led the independent evaluations of CDM 1994 and CDM 2007, and reviewed the use of CDM 2007 in the construction of London 2012. In 2021, he was appointed by HSE to lead a review into how the CDM 2015 Principal Designer role is working in practice.

Mike has been instructed as an expert witness by both prosecution and defence teams in cases involving allegations of corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Work at Height Regulations and the CDM Regulations (1994, 2007 and 2015) during construction projects. These cases have involved a range of collapses and hazardous situations.

Mike is a member of the Temporary Works Forum, the Institution of Structural Engineers Health and Safety Panel, and the Structures Expert Panel for Confidential Reporting on Structural Safety (CROSS).

This article was issued via press release and appears on the CIOB academy website as 'Practical steps that can be undertaken in the Management of Contractors to discharge the relevant CDM 2015 duties" dated 28 January, 2025.

--CIOB

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