One in three designers unaware of CDM regs

A third of all designers have little or no understanding of their responsibilities under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 1994 (CDM), according to the findings of a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) initiative published today (Friday).

Held in Scotland and the North of England during March, the initiative involved HSE construction inspectors meeting designers and planning supervisors on site in a bid to reduce the number of accidents in the construction industry involving falls from height. 

Local HSE inspectors looked in detail at the design input at 123 major projects, covering a wide range of different types of work, representing a value of nearly £1bn. 

But in nearly 40 cases the designers demonstrated little or no understanding of their responsibilities with a significant number failing to consider the practical detail of how the structure they had designed could be safely constructed, maintained and cleaned.

Just 8% of the designers seen had received any training on CDM, while for many the initiative was the first time they had been asked to justify their design decisions in the context of Regulation 13 of CDM.

HSE construction inspector Nic Rigby said: "The results of this exercise indicate just how far from the required standard many designers actually are.

"Inspectors found that where design risk assessments had been prepared, many were of poor quality and added little if anything to the safety of the construction process. 

"Designers were often abdicating their responsibility to reduce risk in relation to work at height by leaving it to the principal contractor, without first considering how they could change the design in a way which would make it safer to build, clean or maintain."

The inspections also revealed that designers also had very little knowledge of other legislation, particularly the Construction (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1996 which applies to the contractors who have to construct the buildings. 

Kevin Myers, chief inspector of construction, said: "The HSE will continue to work with industry to bring about these improvements, but designers can also expect that where we find them failing to meet their responsibilities, we will take enforcement action."