Download the PDF version of this briefing

What designers need to do

The aim of the Regulations is to make Health & Safety an essential and integral part of the planning and management of projects and to make sure that everyone works together to reduce the risk to the Health & Safety of those who work on the structure, who may be affected by these works, or who will use it as a place or work once it is completed.

Designers are in a unique position to reduce the risks that arise during construction work, and have a key role to play in CDM 2007. At each stage as designs develop designers from different disciplines can make a significant contribution by identifying and eliminating hazards, and reducing the likely risk from hazards where elimination is not possible.

What you must do

• Make sure they you are competent and adequately resourced to address the health and safety issues involved in the design.
• Check that clients are aware of their duties.
• When carrying out design work, avoid foreseeable risks to those involved in construction and the future use of the project.
• Eliminate hazards and reduce the risks associated with the hazards that remain.
• Provide information likely to be needed by anyone involved, so that they can comply with their duties.
• Provide adequate information about any significant risks associated with the design.
• Co-ordinate your own work with all those involved in order to improve the way health and safety is managed and controlled.
• Be satisfied that any workplaces are designed to comply with all relevant Health & Safety legislation.
• Consider the hazards and risks to those who
  - Carry out demolition and construction;
  - Clean windows, translucent walls, ceilings, roofs or maintain fixtures and fittings;
  - Use a structure designed as a place of work;
  - May be affected by such work i.e. customers or public.