Imperial College London, Evolution5 CDM services

CDM Competency – How to choose a qualified provider?

15th January 2025   |   Jamie Barrett   |   Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations were introduced in 2015. They require organisations and employees to have the competency to carry out construction work safely and efficiently.  

All construction workers are expected to have the skills, knowledge and experience to meet these standards, but CDM competency is a common issue within our industry.  

In this article, we explore CDM competency, how to choose a qualified provider, and explain the steps that Evolution5 take to meet them when appointed to act on behalf of clients. 

Health and Safety Responsibilities  

Under CDM Regulations, there are seven duty holders, each with a Health & Safety (H&S) responsibility for themselves, their project, their team and their working area. The duty holders are: 

  • Client
  • Domestic Client 
  • Principal Designer 
  • Designer 
  • Principal Contractor 
  • Sub-Contractors 
  • Workers 

While each of these duty holders has an H&S responsibility, clients can appoint a Principal Designer to have project oversight and provide regular updates to those responsible.  

The Principal Designer prepares an H&S file on behalf of the client at the pre-construction stage of the project. As the project progresses, the file is reviewed, updated, and amended to take into account changes, such as changes to the design of the building. This file means that any future work on the building can be planned safely, considering full information about the building.  

Supporting clients to meet these requirements  

Meeting H&S requirements can feel like a mammoth task for clients. When working with Evolution5, your project is made easier by a dedicated principal designer and CDM advisor. 

Offering the organisational capacity and CDM competency to support clients in this way makes a huge difference to the overall management of construction projects.  

What does a Principal Designer do?  

A Principal Designer will identify H&S hazards. It is their job to remove any hazards in the design stage or, if this isn’t possible, to appropriately manage them during construction. To complete this process, they follow the Principles of Prevention: 

  • Avoiding the risk (i.e. design out with an alternative)
  • Evaluating the risk 
  • Combatting the risk at source 
  • Adapting the work to the individual  
  • Adapting using technical progress 

As your Principal Designer, we manage the following elements of the pre-construction phase of a project:  

  • Identifying, eliminating or controlling all foreseeable risks associated with the works 
  • Ensuring that all designers on the project carry out their duties competently 
  • Preparing and providing all relevant information to other duty holders, such as the Client and Principal Contractor 
  • Liaising with the Principal Contractor to assist in planning, managing, monitoring, and coordinating the project’s construction phase. 

This involves routinely reviewing hazards on construction drawings. The CRR is delivered at a CDM Workshop alongside Design Team Meetings (DTM’s) to understand the control measures and their appropriateness and discuss alternative recommendations. 

What does a CDM Advisor do? 

A CDM Advisor provides specific, specialist H&S advice to your principal designer. They work side by side to develop a pragmatic and systematic approach specific to your project’s requirements in compliance with regulations. 

Evolution5’s CDM Advisor to the Principal Designer Service 

When you appoint Evolution5 to act as CDM Advisor to the Principal Designer, we put in place suitable arrangements for managing the project, including making sure:  

  • All appointed duty holders are competent 
  • Sufficient time and resources are allocated to the pre-construction phase 
  • All relevant information is prepared and provided by us to other duty holders, and we will; 
  • Ensure the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor carry out their duties sufficiently, 
  • Suitable welfare provisions are planned and put in place for the duration of the project 
  • Complete regular H&S audits (at intervals deemed appropriate for the size, scale and complexity of the project) if required by the client 

Below are examples of clients we have provided CDM services for:

Our commitment to CDM training and development 

In addition to these roles, Evolution5’s Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality (SHEQ) lead attends ongoing CPD events and conducts ongoing research on CDM best practices. They also give feedback on any learnings to the wider team, keeping everybody up to date.

Alongside this, we:  

  • Subscribe to monthly QHSE bulletins and alerts 
  • Hold a NEBOSH Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety 
  • Hold an IOSH and APS Certificate for Principal Designer and Design Risk Management 

Ensure your project is CDM Compliant with Evolution5 

Engaging Evolution5 CDM Principal Designer and CDM Advisor services means you have experienced and knowledgeable, qualified consultants to act on your behalf to ensure you understand your role and the levels of responsibility that apply to your project.  

Your appointed consultant works with you to develop a pragmatic and systematic approach specific to your project’s requirements compliant with Regulations. Find out more about our Principal Designer Services.