Posted on 18 January 2017
Planning building work for your school? Get advice relating to your legal duties.
Schools may not be aware that the Health and Safety Regulations changed in 2015 and it is now necessary to appoint a ‘Principal Designer’ for almost any building project requiring two or more tradesmen to be involved in the work. If you are thinking about carrying out any building work, it is crucial that you get advice relating to your legal ‘duties’ under Construction (Design & Management) Regulations to clarify your responsibilities.
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 place a number of specific duties on the ‘Client’ - that is the person for whom the work is being carried out. The extent and complexity of these duties will vary depending on the size and type of project, but as a rule the recommendation is that anyone without experience in construction Health & Safety should seek advice from a suitably experienced person who can then act as Principal Designer (formerly known as a CDM co-ordinator) if this is appropriate. Failure to appoint a Principal Designer means that you will be legally liable for their duties and will be deemed to be carrying them out.
Don't panic!
Hookway can support you in ensuring you meet your legal obligations; from providing initial advice to ensure you fulfil your legal duties, to acting as the Principal Designer on your behalf to help you through the process. We have long experience of supporting schools and dioceses with meeting their CDM legal obligations on projects that range from remodelling a toilet, right through to building a new school.
The benefits of proper compliance with the CDM Regulations
• Improved planning and management
• Reduced costs, delays and potential bad publicity resulting from accidents
• Ensures that cleaning, maintenance and repair issues are addressed as the design progresses
• Reduced whole-life costs of the building
• Provides information for ongoing maintenance or future development of the building
Failure to comply with the CDM Regulations
• You could leave yourself open to potentially very expensive legal action
• You could face criminal prosecution by the HSE
• You will miss the opportunity to gain from the advantages listed above
So, if you are in any doubt about your legal responsabilities, call Jim Corrigan or Marcus McGowan on 0117 955 4545 or email Jim Corrigan.