Free resource

CDM 2015 compliance checklist

Work through this before you start on site. It covers what CDM 2015 actually requires of a contractor on a typical small or domestic project.

Before work starts

  • Confirmed who the client is and whether the project is domestic
  • Established whether more than one contractor is involved — if so, the client must appoint a principal designer and principal contractor in writing
  • Checked whether the project is notifiable (over 30 working days with more than 20 workers at once, or over 500 person-days) and submitted F10 if so
  • Received pre-construction information from the client or principal designer
  • Prepared a construction phase plan
  • Prepared RAMS for each significant activity
  • Confirmed welfare arrangements are in place from day one
  • Verified competence of everyone attending: cards, training, insurance

On site, every day

  • Site induction delivered and signed by every new arrival
  • RAMS briefed and signed before each new activity
  • Access equipment inspected and recorded
  • Site diary entry completed — weather, labour, plant, deliveries, delays, instructions
  • Site secure and public protected at the end of each day

Records to keep for at least six years

  • Construction phase plan and revisions
  • Signed RAMS and toolbox talk attendance
  • Induction records
  • Competence and card expiry evidence
  • Equipment and scaffold inspection reports
  • Daily site diary
  • Accident book entries and any RIDDOR reports
  • Photographic record of the works

Welfare minimums (Schedule 2)

  • Suitable and sufficient toilets
  • Washing facilities with hot and cold water, soap and drying
  • Drinking water clearly marked
  • Changing area and secure storage for clothing
  • Rest facilities with means of heating food and boiling water

Frequently asked questions

Does CDM apply to a single-day job?

Yes. CDM 2015 applies to all construction work regardless of duration. The scale of the paperwork should be proportionate, but a construction phase plan is still required.

How long must CDM records be kept?

At least six years, and twelve years for contracts executed as a deed, matching the limitation period for claims.

Keep these records automatically

SiteClick fills in the site, personnel and branding for you, and gets it signed on site.