Did you know Pre Construction Information is a required health and safety document to be completed under CDM 2015? Do you know what IS Pre-construction Information or who is responsible on domestic projects? Follow the link to find out more about about domestic client duties.

Alternatively, HBXL Building Software have outlined below exactly what UK builders and developers need to know. What is required of them and how to sort it. If you want to know more about producing your own Pre Construction Information, give us a call on 0117 9167898. Alternatively, you can leave us an email and we’ll get back to you. We also have Free Templates and guides to help builders and developers get their heads round legislation changes like CDM 2015.

Even better than that, we offer free trials and a 1-2-1 demonstrations of our Health & Safety Xpert health and safety software. Builders can quickly and easily make sure you have all H&S documents in place. Read on to find out all you need to know about Pre Construction Information and the amazing software that helps UK builders nationwide produce all their health and safety documentation.

Pre Construction Information

The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulation 1999 clarifies what employers are required to do to manage health and safety under the The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. It applies the principal of prevention, through effective arrangements for health & safety (planning, organization, monitoring & review).

More specifically the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 sets out the requirement for a Pre-construction Information.

What is Pre construction Information?

  • Pre construction information provides the health and safety information needed by:pre construction information requirement for UK builders

    1. designers and contractors who are bidding for work on the project, or who have already been appointed, to enable them to carry out their duties
    2. principal designers and principal contractors in planning, managing, monitoring and co-ordinating the work of the project. It also provides a basis for the preparation of the construction phase plan. Some material may also be relevant to the preparation of the health and safety file

  • Pre construction information is defined as information about the project that is already in the client’s possession or which is reasonably obtainable by or on behalf of the client. The information must:

    1. be relevant to the particular project
    2. have an appropriate level of detail
    3. be proportionate, given the nature of the health and safety risks involved

  • Pre construction information should be gathered and added to as the design process progresses to reflect new information about the risks to health or safety and how they should be managed. Preliminary information gathered at the start of the project is unlikely to be sufficient.

  • When pre construction information is complete it must include proportionate information about:

    1. the project, such as the client brief and key dates of the construction phase
    2. the planning and management of the project, such as the resources and time being allocated to each stage of the project and the arrangements to ensure there is co-operation between duty holders and that the work is co-ordinated
    3. the health or safety hazards of the site, including design and construction hazards and how they will be addressed
    4. any relevant information in an existing health and safety file

Who is responsible to produce Pre Construction Information?

It is important to understand who is responsible for producing Pre Construction information. Under CDM 2015, the client will have the following responsibilities but, this can change due to the type of project. This is whether the client is commercial or domestic.

Commercial client duties include:

  • Making suitable arrangements for managing the project including making sure the work can be carried out, so far as is reasonably practicable without  risks to the health and safety of any person affected by the project.
  • Other duty holders are appointed
  • Sufficient time and resources are allocated
  • That before the construction phase begins a construction phase plan has been drawn up by the principal contractor or contractor
  • Relevant pre construction information is prepared and provided to other duty holders
  • The principal designer and principal contractor carry out their duties
  • Welfare facilities are provided.
  • Notify details of the project to the HSE
    (where appropriate)

As stated, when the work is undertaken for Domestic Clients responsibility is shifted.

Where the client is a domestic client or does not produce Pre Construction Information, the CDM duties must be carried out by:

  • The contractor for a project where there is only one contractor
  • The principal contractor for a project where there is more than one contractor; or
  • the principal designer where there is a written agreement that the principal designer will fulfil those duties.

If a domestic client fails to make the appointments required by the regulations:

  • The designer in control of the pre-construction phase of the project is the principal designer
  • The contractor in control of the construction phase of the project is the principal contractor.

The information should be in a convenient form and be clear, concise and easily understandable to allow other duty holders involved in the project to carry out their duties.

The client has the main responsibility for providing pre-construction information. However, the principal designer must help and advise the client and be aware that if a domestic client does not produce Pre Construction Information then the responsibility switches to them.

Health & Safety Xpert software to produce your Pre Construction Information

Use the Pre Construction Information tab included with Health & Safety Xpert® to help you prepare a comprehensive and detailed Pre-construction Information document for each job you carry out. Much of the information contained in this document is specific to the individual job and must therefore be carefully prepared for each separate project you carry out.

Give it a try!

HBXL give away all of our software for 14 day free trials and offer live 1-2-1 demonstrations. This is because we know once you see it or try it, you will want it! Give us a call on 0117 9167898 or drop us an email to get started. Plus, we offer free trials and demos for all our software. So why not try out a few? All HBXL software works together to save UK builders even more time and effort. Our free trials require no card or bank details so why not try today?