What's your role here Sutty? CDM-C or general consultant?

and what stage is the project at? (thinking the walking away option sounds about right!)

Can't do the job until you get some information - so just put in the invoice for the work to date.

The above seems like a pretty sound suggestion!

Once U have been paid for your first invoice resign at that point telling the appropriate authorities and the CDMC/CDM group in your area about the company so as another CDMC does not get caught out

I would try having a full and frank discussion in plain english dropping all references to terms like competence. If still no success, advise politely that you must withdraw your services...

Sutty,

I have also come across similar situation where the PC is not willing or is tardy in providing information and in fact was quite indignant that his competence was being called into question after XXXX years in the trade.

The problem with this one is that he is a developer(one man band) and effective owner of the land until the transfer to our client is completed which is at the time of going into contract. So a lot rests on my approach and our company systems don't fit all.

I have carried out searches both on companies house and HSE etc and contacted previous clients for any info - just for background and future use.
The final call is the client's duty to only appoint competent contractors and we advise that having made 'reasonable' enquiries with no result or result x,y,z we are unable to advise as to the contractors competence.
In your case the your client has probably already made their own mind up as to the Competence of the contractor and provided you are able to show that you made reasonable attempts to follow through your processes and advised your client, the risk from the appointment remains with the client.

May have to spend a bit more time crossing Ts and Dotting Is but I would not walk away from it and it will also be influenced by the competence of others on the project team and their relationship with this particular contractor.

Long winded answer but there are a number of ways to skin a cat.

Just adding to this thread as I have just resigned as CDM-C from a building/renovation project.

I came into the project (building/renovation £500k) when the client contacted me last year, he'd had 3 prohibitions issued, and I came in as his safety adviser and offered to do CDM-C (which he had never heard of).

I've tried to educate the client (developer) in CDM, but he can't/won't take it in, so he has never allowed me to assess contractor competencies, never allowed me to give labourers Toolbox Talks, still hasn't written up a CPP, won't assist in compiling an H&S file, and this year hasn't allowed me on site without appointment, keeps saying there's nothing much going on. I've only been on the site twice this year and each time some work HAS proceeded without Risk Asessments, without Work At Height assessments.

I feared for the employees but also feared for my own business. The site is illegal and my PI insurance would not help me if there was a serious accident?

The last straw was when, for the third time, scaffolding had been erected and worked on without any record of pre-use inspection, no scaff-tags or weekly inspections.

Met last week to say I was resigning, I wrote a formal resignation letter/e-mail citing reasons. He has accepted the resignation. So I have amended the on-line F10 form removing my name/details as CDM-C.

Have I done enough?

I offered free safety advice until client appointed a new CDM-C. He replied 'I've already appointed someone' but I'm sure he doesn't understand even now what a CDM-C is.

If a new CDM-C is ever appointed for that project does the F10 that I originally submitted need the new CDM-C to come along and enter his details? (it needs the ID and my e-mail to amend) ?

JohnW