Whilst we provide services to a wide range of sectors, we do undertake a lot of work in the construction field.

Building Projects and Maintenance Work

If your company has anything to do with construction work, building or premises maintenance (either delivering it, designing it or instructing it to be done), then the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) will apply to what you do.

Clients

If you ask contractors or designers to do work for you, then you need to make sure they're competent to do the work (the only exception if it's work on your own domestic premises).

And there's more…… if you're responsible for a project that lasts more than 30 days (or 500 person days – call us, we'll explain), then you have a whole load of extra responsibilities to appoint a Principal Contractor, CDM Co-ordinator and ensure the project is notified to the HSE. www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm.htm

We'll guide you through the whole process and explain what you need to do, in line with our approach on our Advice and Support page (our initial guidance is free of charge and it just may help you to understand what you need, to do it all yourself).

Contractors

If you do building or maintenance work, then you've got very clear responsibilities under health and safety law.
www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/contractors.htm

Amongst other things, you have to ensure you don't take on work that you are not competent to undertake and that you have an appropriately trained workforce.

Some clients, particularly larger ones or those in the public sector, insist that their contractors hold health and safety accreditation to an appropriate scheme (such as CHAS, Constructionline or SafeContractor) and that all contractor personnel hold CSCS or CPCS cards.

If you don't have this accreditation or these cards, then you could be missing out on opportunities to bid for work.

On top of that, you have to be thinking about risk assessments, specialist training (eg IPAF, PASMA, CITB) and maybe even health and safety plans for larger projects.

We can help you with all these areas. Just get in touch to chat it through.