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hardworkingdude  
#1 Posted : 14 May 2024 17:26:56(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
hardworkingdude

Hi all, I've been doing a bit of cpd and listened to a webinar on CDM 2015. The speaker mentioned that all work activities are now considered CDM albeit not everything has to be notified (I understand the notification bit). We are a business that completes work on behalf of our parent company. We go into business premises and change gas and electric meters, sometimes under warrant if the customer hasn't paid their bill. Under CDM we would be the designer and contractor as we do all of the planning and installation and our parent company the client who just pass us the accounts. we also use a locksmith for warrant activities who may then be considered an additional contractor. What I'm struggling with is the speaker on the webinar saying every bit of work requires a level of design and planning, would this mean some sort of CDM plan for every job? Especially where a contractor like a locksmith is there who would then make us the principle contractor? I agree the paperwork would be proportionate to the work but we did this by exchanging risk assessments when we selected our locksmith company. How do I ensure the business remains compliant under CDM without doing a whole load of paperwork? TIA
firesafety101  
#2 Posted : 15 May 2024 12:54:34(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

You can do as much paperwork as you want to but only the essential is necessary.

If it is CDM and you are the Principal Contractor you need a Construction Phase Plan.  Have a look on the HSE Website they used to have a very simple CPP you can follow.

As for the locksmith you need to show you have vetted them, in writing, get them to issue their Method Statement and RAs, check them and you are good to go.

peter gotch  
#3 Posted : 15 May 2024 16:48:21(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Hi hardworkingdude

This is one of those questions which was raised even before the first iteration of CDM came into force.

What you have in effect is a term contract with your parent company as the CDM Client with you likely acting as the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor and with one or two Contractors depending on whether you need to bring in the locksmith subbie or not. 

Not really any different in concept to a term maintenance contractor doing repairs to a road network, sometimes at short notice.

So, the key is how the CDM "project" is defined.

If the Client decides that your contract with them for whatever length of time counts as the "project", then it should be relatively straightforward to comply with CDM without generating disproportionate paperwork.

On this basis the "project" will be notifiable, but you can notify a period of however long the Client chooses (and possibly update the notification should that period continue) and indicate the "site" as being at various locations, not all yet known. If you can give some broad indication of area, e.g. a county, then that would be helpful.

Perhaps there are very odd occasions when a particular work package might be notifiable if considered separately. If so, probably prudent to do an update of the notification for each such package.

Which then leaves in a position to have a broad statement of design strategy, and a Construction Phase Plan that covers the broad principles that will apply to the term contract - so as example, I guess you have a contingency plan for when those having meters changed against their will might resort to verbal or physical violence.

Then you can add to that overarching CPP with works specific information. What is different about places A, B and C from the norm?

Plus when work is complete at each location, then there is likely to be a need for information to go to both your parent company and the occupier as to any specific H&S considerations that have changed for the premises going forward - otherwise known as Health and Safety File, Operations & Maintenance Manual or whatever. 

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