Note again that threatened infraction proceedings are driving this. Any way the problem is not the regulations it is the people, particularly the HSE ones who have given such poor guidance that schemes like CSCS and the SSIP have become the overgrown beasts that they now are. This leads employers to use the schemes instead of making their ownn competency assessments. Bob

Guys, I'm in agreement, particularly with your comment Ray. Trying to apply the principles of CDM Notification to some projects is almost impossible and the 'water test' should always be 'what value is added by applying Part 3 of the Regs?' This I am currently experiencing on a Nationwide project that is impossible to manage - applying the principles of Part 3. Another current project has resulted in my advice to the CDM Client that his appointed PC is not able to produce a sufficiently developed CPP and it is felt that the PC is not therefore competent to act as PC. The Client in this case supported my comments and took on board the advice given following the review. We had delayed the start date by two weeks to give the PC the opportunity to 'up his management arrangements and game' but ultimately the breakdown in appointing a competent PC in the first place (as required) as opposed to a 'good value for money' contractor who 'should be able to do it' was the nail in the coffin (so to speak). Common in my experience and supports your view on implementation of the Regs.

Reading between the lines, the emphases of this exercise appears to be on the HSE taking “into account the current under implementation of the EU Temporary Mobile Construction Site Directive” and the actual requirements of these regulations.

Ron Bang goes the OPs hope of a change in notification requirements then:-) Again the APS seem to have jumped the HSE announcement to the industry as a whole I think. I hate these bits of information being fed out at meetings only attended by a relatively small group of people. There should have been a public announcement first Bob

Being the cynic that I am and the current government’s obsession with blaming Health & safety culture for all sorts of ails I do hope this is not just going to be an opportunity that the government can`t resist to water down the Regs.