Irrespective of all other things consider if CDM applies / get help where needed - it does not matter who is doing what its the 'what they are doing & the parameters in which they are doing it' that applies I have interfaced with the Community Payback Service where neither staff controlling people or the people doing the work were competent so I have stopped [the 'stop' rippled many political waves!] the activities until perople were adequately cared for as irrespective people should be competent to do their work and should be managed properly and money does not come into the argument at all! *Clearing overgrown gap sites in the city ( pruning, weeding etc ) = probably not CDM but all other law applies *Preparing and painting tunnels & fences + digging drains throughout the city = Probably CDM & all other law applies "Accredited training " for the staff who supervise the work teams = check CITB etc. Requirements Politically getting work done by unwilling* [ many of those I spoke to were not willing [therefore safe] workers] people in many cases for free sounds great and makes the head lines but people also need to be adequately managed and trained especially so as many of the organisations you have quoted are awash with money so there should be no excuses for managers who are not competent CDM people

If work falls outside the CDM notification parameters then the client - the one who obtains the gain - is the duty and liability holder as if its CDM work then its CDM work irrespective so the client takes on all the duties from site manager to designer etc. inclusive of the duty to have a proper management system in place for their work and that they should themselves ensure adequate management and I would doubt that many such clients know that they are clients with client liabilities, risks etc. Another question to ask is what will happen if a RIDDOR report is required as such work can bring about accidents and incidents and even death? Who would do what in that situation as the enforcers will expect competency and just because a superviser was a painter in a past life does not make them a competent CDM site manager today? Quality: I have not even discussed quality as would you have somebody paint your house, put your drain in if they were not competent painters / builders!? No I think not but people could pick litter in your garden Please do not think that I am against such things; its just that things from the H&S standpoint should be done properly so I say put an adequate management system in place and get competent advice There are lots of schemes that such groups can tackle such as litter picking re ponds, rivers, streets, parks etc that would be relatively easy to do and would not put out of work genuine builders etc