Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The principal contractor's duties in relation to the construction phase plan are
contained in regulation 23. Before the start of the construction phase, the principal
contractor is obliged to prepare a construction phase plan which is sufficient to
ensure that the construction phase is planned, managed and monitored in a way
which enables the construction work to be started, so far as is reasonably practicable,
without risk to health or safety, and which pays adequate regard to the information
provided by the designer and the pre-construction information provided through
the CDM co-ordinator.
From time to time, and as often as may be appropriate throughout the project, the
principal contractor is obliged to update, review, revise and refine the construction
phase plan so that it continues to be sufficient to ensure that the construction phase is
planned, managed and monitored in a way which enables the construction work to be
carried out without risk to health and safety, again insofar as is reasonably practicable.
Lastly, the principal contractor is obliged to ensure that the construction phase plan
is implemented in a way which will ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health
and safety of all persons carrying out the construction work and all persons who may
be affected by that work.
The principal contractor is obliged to take reasonable steps to ensure that the
construction phase plan identifies the risks to health and safety arising from the
construction work, including the risks specific to the particular type of construction
work concerned, and includes suitable and sufficient measures to address such risks,
including site rules.
20.4.17 Health and safety file
To be completed and handed over to the client at the end of the project, the health and
safety file should contain relevant information in relation to the structure which will
be of assistance in relation to any future project carried out to it. As will have been
noted above, clients, designers, principal contractors, other contractors and CDM
co-ordinators all have duties in relation to the health and safety file.
20.4.18 Co-operation and consultation with workers
Regulation 24 imposes three specific duties relative to co-operation and consultation
with workers.
First, the principal contractor is required to make and maintain arrangements
which will enable him and the workers engaged in the construction work to
co-operate effectively in promoting and developing measures to ensure the health,
safetyandwelfareoftheworkersandthencheckingtheefectivenessofsuch
measures.
Second, the principal contractor is obliged to consult those workers (or their rep-
resentatives) in good time on matters connected with the project which may affect
health, safety or welfare, so far as they or their representatives are not so consulted on
those matters by any employer of theirs.
