CDM Consultancy

Q: Do all construction projects need to comply with CDM Regulations?

Yes. CDM Regulations apply to every construction project, from small refurbishment works to large commercial developments. The level of documentation and management required should be proportionate to the risks involved, but compliance is not optional, even for short-duration or low-value projects.

Q: When does a project need to be notified to the HSE?

A project must be notified to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) if construction work is scheduled to last longer than 30 working days with more than 20 workers on site at any one time, or exceeds 500 person-days of construction work. Notification does not increase legal duties — CDM applies whether a project is notifiable or not.

Supporting your duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

Our Health and Safety specialists have extensive experience across industry sectors and offer innovative, practical solutions to managing safety and health throughout the full lifecycle of projects that fall under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015).

Our collaborative and proactive approach helps to integrate health and safety into both the design and construction process, adding value and reassurance for our clients. We can act as duty holders on your behalf or provide targeted support to those already fulfilling these roles.

Principal Designer Role & Advisory Support

MAST Safety can deliver the full duty holder Principal Designer (PD) role, taking responsibility for planning, managing, monitoring, and coordinating health and safety in the pre-construction phase.

Where you already have a Principal Designer in place, we can provide PD advisory services to support them in discharging their duties, including:

Reviewing existing design risk management arrangements.
Supporting design reviews and design risk workshops.
Providing specialist health and safety input into design decisions.
Helping to coordinate information between designers, contractors, and the Client.

Our goal is to integrate health and safety into design in a way that is practical, proportionate, and aligned with your project objectives.

CDM Client Advisor Services

We can help you, as the Client, to discharge your duties under CDM 2015 by acting as a CDM Client Advisor throughout the project.

Typical activities include:

F10 notification: Preparing and uploading the F10 notification to the HSE on your behalf.
Competency assessments: Assessing designer and contractor competence and capability.
Construction Phase Plan reviews: Reviewing Construction Phase Plans to ensure they are suitable and sufficient.
Monitoring and inspections: Undertaking on-site inspections of the Principal Contractor to verify CDM compliance and provide clear, actionable feedback.

This support gives Clients confidence that their legal duties are being met and that appropriate arrangements are in place from project start to completion.

Our Collaborative Approach

At MAST Safety, we aim to become an extension of your project team, working closely with Clients, Principal Designers, Designers, and Contractors to achieve safe, compliant, and efficient projects.

Our approach is:

Collaborative: We work with all parties to find solutions that support design quality, buildability, and safety.
Proactive: We focus on early identification and management of risks, rather than reacting to issues later on site.
Practical: Our advice is grounded in real project experience across multiple sectors, ensuring it is realistic and achievable.

If you already work with us through our Health & Safety Consultancy services, we can seamlessly integrate CDM support into your existing arrangements.

CDM Support for All Duty Holders

We also offer a range of CDM-related services for Clients, Designers, and Contractors who are striving for best practice and enhanced project performance. These include:

Client CDM management arrangements gap analysis

Reviewing your existing arrangements against CDM requirements.
Identifying gaps and developing practical improvement plans.
Producing supporting documentation to embed best practice.

Document development and awareness training

Developing or updating CDM procedures, templates, and guidance.
Delivering tailored awareness sessions for all CDM duty holders.

CDM awareness training (all duty holders)

Focused training for Clients, Principal Designers, Designers, Principal Contractors, and Contractors.
Helping your teams understand their roles, responsibilities, and interfaces with others.

Principal Designer health and safety in design strategy development

Supporting the PD to create a clear, project-specific strategy for managing health and safety in design.
Embedding risk management into the design process and documentation.

CDM compliance verification audits (pre-construction)

Auditing pre-construction arrangements to verify compliance before work starts on site.
Providing clear reports, action plans, and follow-up support.

Enhanced construction phase monitoring and reporting

Ongoing monitoring of CDM compliance during the construction phase.
Producing structured reports, dashboards, and trend analysis to track performance and demonstrate improvement over time.

CDM Consultancy — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the CDM Regulations 2015 and who do they apply to?

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 apply to all construction projects, regardless of size, duration or value. They set out clear health and safety responsibilities for everyone involved in a project, including Clients, Designers and Contractors. The aim of CDM is to improve planning, coordination and risk management so that construction work is carried out safely from design through to completion.

Do I still need a CDM Coordinator under CDM 2015?

The CDM Coordinator role was removed when CDM 2015 came into force and replaced by the Principal Designer. If you are looking for the kind of pre-construction coordination support that a CDM Coordinator used to provide, the Principal Designer role now carries those responsibilities. Mast Safety can fulfil the Principal Designer role on your behalf or provide advisory support to your existing duty holders.

What are my responsibilities as a Client under CDM Regulations?

As a Client, you are responsible for making sure suitable arrangements are in place to manage health and safety throughout the project. This includes appointing competent duty holders, allowing sufficient time and resources, and ensuring risks are properly managed. Clients do not need to be health and safety experts, but they do retain legal responsibility for ensuring CDM duties are fulfilled.

Do all construction projects need to comply with CDM Regulations?

What is the difference between a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor?

The Principal Designer is responsible for planning, managing and monitoring health and safety during the pre-construction phase, focusing on design risk. The Principal Contractor is responsible for managing health and safety during the construction phase, including site control and supervision. Both roles are legal duty holders and must be appointed in writing on projects involving more than one contractor.

When does a project need to be notified to the HSE?

What does a CDM consultant actually do?

A CDM consultant provides practical support to help duty holders meet their legal responsibilities under CDM Regulations. This may include advising Clients on their duties, supporting Principal Designers, reviewing design risk, preparing or reviewing pre-construction information, and ensuring suitable management arrangements are in place. The focus is on proportionate, workable compliance — not unnecessary paperwork.

Talk to us about your CDM requirements

Whether you need a full Principal Designer service, a CDM Client Advisor, or targeted support for specific projects, MAST Safety can provide flexible, proportionate help tailored to your organisation.

Get in touch to discuss your upcoming projects and find out how we can support you in meeting your CDM 2015 duties with confidence.

020 3225 3078

info@mastsafety.co.uk

Visit our contact page for more details

Monday-Friday 8.00 am to 5.00 pm

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