Do I need a Principal Designer?
You're putting your team together; Architect, Engineer, Contractors…but what's a Principal Designer and do I need one?
In short, The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 came into force in Great Britain on 06 April 2015. Part 2 covers the duties for domestic clients. The regulations ultimately exist to help ensure no-one is harmed during the work, and that your building is safe to use and maintain.
Although CDM 2015 places legal duties on domestic clients, the regulations are designed so that these duties are transferred to the appropriate construction professionals involved in the project. It is important that you understand what these responsibilities are and how they are managed on your behalf. Rest assured, native north architects are here to support.
What and who is a Principal Designer?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) define a Principal Designer as; ‘a designer who is an organisation or individual (on smaller projects) appointed by the client to take control of the pre construction phase of any project involving more than one contractor.’
A Principal Designer can be an organisation or individual who is appointed by the client to take the lead in planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating health and safety during the pre construction phase of a project involving, or likely to involve, more than one contractor.
native north architects can be appointed to take on the role of Principal Designer where we have the; skills, knowledge, experience and organisational capability to carry out the role on behalf of our clients. If you are happy for native north architects to act as Principal Designer, we will write to confirm this appointment.
Your role as a domestic client
Under CDM 2015, a domestic client is any individual who has construction work carried out on their home, or the home of a family member, that is not done as part of any business. Your key duties are to ensure that you:
Appoint the right people at the right time.
Ensure arrangements are in place for managing and organising the project.
Allow adequate time.
Provide information to your designer and contractor.
Communicate with your designer and building contractor.
Ensure adequate welfare facilities on site.
In practice, for domestic projects:
If there is only one contractor, the contractor takes on the client duties.
If there is more than one contractor, the duties automatically transfer to the Principal Contractor and Principal Designer.
If you would like more information, this can be found by clicking this link to the Health and Safety Executive →
Principal designers have an important role in influencing how risks to health and safety are managed throughout a project. Design decisions made during the pre-construction phase have a significant influence in ensuring the project is delivered in a way that secures the health and safety of everyone affected by the work.
Principal designers must:
plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety in the pre-construction phase. In doing so they must take account of relevant information (such as an existing health and safety file) that might affect design work carried out both before and after the construction phase has started
help and advise the client in bringing together pre-construction information, and provide the information designers and contractors need to carry out their duties
work with any other designers on the project to eliminate foreseeable health and safety risks to anyone affected by the work and, where that is not possible, take steps to reduce or control those risks
ensure that everyone involved in the pre-construction phase communicates and cooperates, coordinating their work wherever required
liaise with the principal contractor, keeping them informed of any risks that need to be controlled during the construction phase
The Principal Contractor also has similar responsibilities through the construction phase of the project.
Principal Designer roles and responsibilities
Summary
CDM 2015 regulations ultimately exist to improve health, safety and welfare on construction projects. The regulations clarify roles and responsibilities to help ensure risks are identified and managed from design to completion. They aim to promote coordination between the respective dutyholders to smooth your journey and keep everyone safe.