Health and Safety Executive Health and Safety Executive CDM 2007 Designers Version: September 07

Who are designers? (1) A ‘designer’ has a wide definition under CDM 2007 If you design or specify building work, then you are a designer with duties under CDM Duties apply to all projects, including non- notifiable and domestic It includes people who prepare –Drawings –Design details, analysis and calculations –Specification and Bills of Quantities The design could be on paper, computer or verbal CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 2

Who are designers? (2) Designers include –Civil and structural engineers –Building services engineers –Those specifying or purchasing materials –Temporary works designers –Interior fit out designers –Clients who specify –Design and construction contractors –Statutory bodies that require features that are not statutory requirements Statutory requirements are exempted i.e. Building Regs requirements are not designs under CDM 2007 CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 3

Who are designers? - Overseas designers Where the design work is undertaken by oversees designers, the designers duties under CDM 2007 falls on: –Person who commissions it if in GB or –The client for the work CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 4

Duties on designers (1) Designers have to: –Ensure clients are aware of their duties –Make sure they (the designer) are competent for the work they do –Co-ordinate their work with others as necessary to manage risk –Co-operate with CDM co-ordinator and others –Provide information for the health and safety file CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 5

Duties on designers (2) Designers have to avoid foreseeable risks SFAIRP by: –Eliminating hazards from the construction, cleaning, maintenance, and proposed use (workplace only) & demolition of a structure –Reduce risks from any remaining hazard –Give collective risk reduction measures priority over individual measures CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 6

Duties on designers (3) Designers must also: Take account of the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992 when designing a workplace structure Provide information with the design to assist clients, other designers, & contractors In particular – inform others of significant or unusual/ “not obvious” residual risks CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 7

Duties on designers (4) Designers have to be given relevant information by the CDM co-ordinator Risks which are not foreseeable do not need to be considered CDM 2007 does not require “zero risk” designs Amount of effort made to eliminate hazards should be proportionate to the risk CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 8

HSE’s expectation of Designers - apply the ERI(C) principles (1) Eliminate hazards By experience By red amber green lists (optional) By challenging existing practice By considering implications of their actions By talking/listening to contractors By complying with Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Reduce remaining risks -Collective measures -Individual measures CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 9

HSE’s expectations of designers – apply the ERI(C) principles (2) Inform others Provide relevant information to project team: other designers, CDM co-ordinator, contractors In particular: highlight significant, “not obvious” risks, & those that are difficult to manage CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 10

Designing out risk – example of what can be done Simple design measure to reduce risk CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 11

Designing out risk – example of what not to do Inherent risks for future maintenance of flue pipe CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 12

Designers - Information Provide the right information to the right people at the right time How to inform –Method of informing is optional –Notes on drawings –Written information with the design –Suggested sequence of construction (only if not obvious) If in doubt – discuss it CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 13

Designers – co-operation A more managed approach will be necessary for larger projects: –integrated team involving designers, principal contractor and other relevant contractors –the appointment of a lead designer, where many designers are involved –agreeing a common approach to risk reduction during design –meetings of the design team (including the CDM co- ordinator) with contractors, and others –regular reviews of developing designs –encourage site visits, so designers can see how risks are managed on site and vice versa CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 14

Designers - Paperwork Competent designers eliminate hazards and reduce risks – manage the risk, not paperwork. Design risk assessments (DRAs) are seen by many as unhelpful and should be discouraged –Just say no to thoughtless DRA but yes to eliminating hazards CDM 2007 does not require designers to produce copious amounts of paperwork detailing generic hazards and risks CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 15

Designers - Records Designers under CDM 2007 are not legally required to keep records of the design process But –Brief records why key decisions were made will be helpful when designs are passed to another, to prevent decisions being reversed for the wrong reasons CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 16

Designers – design review A process of design review will help to ensure buildability, usability, & maintainability Designers should involve the contractor when reviewing buildability Designers should involve the client (or building operators) when reviewing usability and maintainability Involve the CDM co-ordinator if project is notifiable CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 17

Additional duties for notifiable projects Check that the client has appointed a CDM co-ordinator Only ‘initial’ design work is permitted until a CDM co-ordinator has been appointed Co-operate with the CDM co-ordinator, principal contractors and with other designers or contractors so all can confirm with their CDM duties Provide relevant information for the health and safety file CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 18

Designers - “Do not……” And never have been asked to control risk on site - they can only influence what is within their control Take into account unforeseeable hazards and risks Design for possible future uses of structures that cannot reasonably be anticipated from their design brief Specify construction methods, except where the design requires a particular construction sequence Exercise a health and safety management function over contractors or others Have to consider trivial risks CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 19

Designers – Key messages If you design or specify building work, then you are a designer with new duties under CDM Competent designers eliminate hazards and reduce risks – manage the risk, not the paperwork Design for safety and health for those that build, use, maintain and demolish – it’s safer by design Tell others about significant risks which remain – give the right information to the right people at the right time CDM 2007 Designers – Slide 20