The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (DETR, 1995)

The Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations apply throughout the UK. They were enacted to stem the increasing number of accidents and fatalities that occur on construction sites.

The regulations are relevant for all contracts involving demolition and all other projects which last more than 30 days or 500 person days, or involve having five or more people on a site at one time.

The accidents that may occur could affect construction workers, the public and maintenance workers.  Many accidents on construction sites can be prevented by giving due consideration to the safety of construction workers at the design stage.  The Regulations place duties on people involved in the construction including clients, designers, specifiers and contractors.  The Planning Supervisor appointed under the Regulations is responsible for overseeing the consideration of health and safety on a project and ensuring that Health and Safety Plans and files are maintained and implemented.

Designers must assess all foreseeable risks during construction and maintenance and the design must minimise them by the following (in order of preference):

  • Avoid
  • Reduce
  • Identify residual risks that require mitigation.

They must also make contractors and others aware of risks in the Health and Safety File, which is a record of the key health and safety risks that will need to be managed during future maintenance work.  For example, the file for a SUDS pond should contain information on the collection of hazardous compounds in the sediment so that maintenance contractors are aware of it and can take the appropriate precautions.

Pipex manholes and Catchpits avoid foreseeable risks such as working in confined spaces and in deep excavations as they are supplied as one piece fully finished units.

The units reduce foreseeable risks associated with heavy lifting, being considerably lighter than traditional components.  As they are fully finished units the number of lifting operations is significantly reduced as is the size of plant required to manoeuvre and place the units.

Pipex Manholes and Catchpits also require significantly less future maintenance.