Courses Available Online, Virtually and Classroom
Fully Certified NEBOSH, IOSH, IEMA Accredited
7-Day Customer Service
David Bryan BSc, CMIOSH, CMAPS

CDM Roles and Responsibilities - CDM 2015 Duty Holders

January 2015

This blog was updated in August 2023

In light of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (CDM) 2015 having been published to replace CDM 2007 enforced 6 April 2015, here is an outline of all duty holders involved in a construction project and their duties.

Clients

Clients are organisations or individuals for whom a construction project is carried out. Make suitable arrangements for managing a project. This includes making sure:

  • Domestic Clients Other duty holders are appointed
  • Sufficient time and resources are allocated
  • Relevant information is prepared and provided to other duty holders
  • The principal designer and principal contractor carry out their duties
  • Welfare facilities are provided

Domestic clients are people who have construction work carried out on their own home, or the home of a family member that is not done as part of a business, whether for profit or not.

Domestic clients are in the scope of CDM 2015, but their duties as a client are normally transferred to the contractor on a single contractor project, or the principal contractor, on a project involving more than one contractor. However, the domestic client can choose to have a written agreement with the principal designer to carry out the client duties.

Designers

Designers­ are those, who as part of a business, prepare or modify designs for a building, product or system relating to construction work.

  • When preparing or modifying designs, to eliminate, reduce or control foreseeable risks that may arise during construction, and the maintenance and use of a building once it is built.
  • Provide information to other members of the project team to help them fulfil their duties.

Principal Designers

Principal designers­ are designers appointed by the client in projects involving more than one contractor. They can be an organisation or an individual with sufficient knowledge, experience and ability to carry out the role.

They must plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety in the pre-construction phase of a project. This includes:

  • Identifying, eliminating or controlling foreseeable risks
  • Ensuring designers carry out their duties
  • Prepare and provide relevant information to other duty holders
  • Liaise with the principal contractor to help in the planning, management, monitoring and coordination of the construction phase.

Principal Contractors

Principal contractors  are contractors appointed by the client to coordinate the construction phase of a project where it involves more than one contractor. They must plan, manage, monitor and coordinate the construction phase of a project. This includes:

  • Contractors Liaising with the client and principal designer
  • Preparing the construction phase plan
  • Organising cooperation between contractors and coordinating their work, ensuring
    • Suitable site inductions are provided
    • Reasonable steps are taken to prevent unauthorised access
    • Workers are consulted and engaged in securing their health and safety
    • Welfare facilities are provided

Contractors are those who do the actual construction work and can be either an individual or a company. Their duties include:

  • Plan, manage and monitor construction work under their control so that it is carried out without risks to health and safety
  • For projects involving more than one contractor, coordinate their activities with others in the project team, in particular, comply with directions given to them by the principal designer or principal contractor
  • For single-contractor projects, prepare a construction phase plan

Workers

Workers­ are the people who work for or under the control of contractors on a construction site. Workers must:

  • Be consulted about matters which affect their health, safety and welfare
  • Take care of their own health and safety and others who may be affected by their actions
  • Report anything they see which is likely to endanger either their own or others’ health and safety
  • Co-operate with their employer, fellow workers, contractors and other duty holders.

Our range of CDM courses provide in-depth explanations into the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Click the buttons below to view our different CDM courses.

Related Blogs

  • Free Cost-Benefit Analysis Template for Health and Safety: A Practical Guide Image
    Andrew Froude B.Eng (Hons), CMIOSH, MIIRSM, OSHCR

    Free Cost-Benefit Analysis Template for Health and Safety: A Practical Guide

    Download your free cost-benefit analysis template and read our step-by-step use guide to make positive changes in your workplace.
    15.05.25
  • Why Do Managers Need to Be Health and Safety Trained? Image
    William Gaunt

    Why Do Managers Need to Be Health and Safety Trained?

    Understand the moral, legal, and financial reasoning behind training managers in health and safety, with information on what managers should know about their role.
    15.05.25
  • What Is an Environmental Management System? | Business Guide & Benefits Image
    Steve Terry

    What Is an Environmental Management System? | Business Guide & Benefits

    Find out the core principles behind an environmental management system (EMS) and how they benefit business sustainability goals.
    14.05.25
  • Health and Safety Training Grants for IOSH Courses | A Guide for Businesses Image
    Jim Anderson CMIOSH, MIIRSM, AIEMA

    Health and Safety Training Grants for IOSH Courses | A Guide for Businesses

    Find out the grant options available for businesses to fund IOSH courses, so you can receive financial support for your employee's training.
    12.05.25
  • Who is Responsible for Health and Safety in the Workplace? Image
    Brenig Moore DipNEBOSH, CMIOSH, CEnvH

    Who is Responsible for Health and Safety in the Workplace?

    Find out the legal health and safety responsibilities of employees and employers in the workplace, with expert guidance on how to fulfil them.
    12.05.25
  • Is There Funding Available for NEBOSH Courses? Image
    Jim Anderson CMIOSH, MIIRSM, AIEMA

    Is There Funding Available for NEBOSH Courses?

    Find out all the funding options available for Astutis' NEBOSH courses, so you can get financial support towards your career progression.
    08.05.25
Section Curve
Case Studies

Real Life Stories

Find out how learners look back on their training with Astutis. Our case studies give our learners, both individual and corporate, a platform to share their Astutis experience. Discover how training with Astutis has helped past learners and delegates make the world a safer place, one course at a time.
More Image
Bottom Curve
What People Say

Hear What Our Learners Have To Say

We're always there for our customers. 98% of our learners rated their overall experience as good or outstanding. We will always pride ourselves on our customer service. But don’t take our word for it, here is what our customers have to say
  • "The course its self was very well presented and included valuable information. the tutor was very knowledgeable and was able to provide us with real life examples to help understand further. My only downside was the lack or exam practice within the course, the tutor allowed for students to practice exam questions and submit to him for feedback and opened the class half an hour earlier for people to attend to discuss the results. However, this topic was not covered as part of the cause so if you could not attend earlier or have time to submit after you have no feedback on completing the exam questions and no prep for how you should be responding."

    Samantha
    12.05.2025
  • "The course content was very valuable."

    Samantha
    12.05.2025
  • "It was my first time and great learning experience with ASTUTIS"

    22.04.2025
  • "It was great learning experience in sustainability"

    22.04.2025
  • "Very helpful no complaints bit long in the email process but they always got back to me eventually and had the information I needed when requested"

    Antony
    22.04.2025
  • "The course was informative I did need to buy the nebosh course book also as online account eventually got closed and I had to save all documents that were available but overall did well"

    Antony
    22.04.2025
  • "Clear and concise. A lot of information delivered in an easy to digest format. Trainer was engaging and positive, as well as easy to talk to and ask questions. Tech was good and all the materials provided/used were/are helpful."

    Kerrina
    09.04.2025
  • "Clear and concise. A lot of information delivered in an easy to digest format. Trainer was engaging and positive, as well as easy to talk to and ask questions. Tech was good and all the materials provided/used were/are helpful."

    Kerrina
    09.04.2025
  • "excellent trainer easy to follow and good mixture of team discussions."

    Keith
    03.04.2025
  • "covered a lot of my day to day tasks, easy to follow on the second week, found the first week it difficult to see what was required and understand."

    Keith
    03.04.2025