If you own or manage a building that requires construction work, you will undoubtedly heard of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. A set of guidelines created by the Health and Safety Executive, the document outlines the responsibilities that a building owner or manager (called the ‘client’ in the document) must adhere to, in order to protect everyone working in and using the building in question.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 can be found online and contain a great deal of helpful information around ensuring health and safety protocols are met and everyone involved is protected from harm. Here is a run-down of some of the main points of advice it contains.
Appoint the right people to oversee and run your project
As the client, the building owner or manager’s first priority when it comes to planning a construction project is to appoint a principal contractor and a principal designer. According to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, this must be done in writing and those chosen must oversee the planning, managing and designing of the project. They should be chosen and appointed early on in the process so they can gather information, check plans and confirm that everything is proceeding according to industry regulations and best practice, right from the start.
You can choose an individual or an organisation to fulfil these roles. Either way, those chosen must have demonstrable experience and skills in all required areas and be able to take on a leadership role. You can seek references from previous clients and/ or work with a professional body to find approved and competent people or companies for this.
Make sure the right resources and plans are in place
Another essential piece of advice contained in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 is to make sure that you have everything you need to work safely before starting the construction project. This includes resources, people, time and money. Time is especially important, as rushed work is often unsafe and of lower quality. The project must be properly planned, with a full risk assessment carried out and all hazards and risk factors identified and mitigated against.
Some examples of risks include falling from height, collapsing buildings and excavations, exposure to dust and other harmful substances, working with electricity and risks to the general public who might be walking past the site, or could be accidentally exposed to something harmful from the work. All of these risks must have action plans written against them to control and prevent them as far as possible.
Effective sharing of information and communications
You must ensure your principal contractor and designer receive the right information in a timely and clear manner to help them make safe decisions and manage quality standards. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 suggests drawing up a client brief early on in the process with everything they need included in it.
The brief can be updated, and you should hold regular meetings to keep everyone up to date with progress, changes and key decisions needing to be made. Equally, a health and safety file must be kept to document risks, mitigating actions, incidents and decisions made. This not only acts a s a comprehensive record of the current project, but can inform future construction works as well.
Finally, it is key to ensure that the general public is protected from danger, including people visiting the site and using the building after the project is complete; This responsibility does not end at the conclusion of the construction phase. It is essential that the finished building does not pose any risks to people entering it to live, work or pursue other activities. More details about the contents of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 can be found online, along with a full copy of the publication.
