CONSTRUCTION (DESIGN MANAGEMENT) REGULATIONS 2015
Creating a Pre-Construction Information Sheet
(This information is for Design & Build Landscapers)
NAME OF YOUR COMPANY
NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE CLIENT
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT i.e. Full Design & Build, Hard Landscaping only etc
HAVE YOU COMPLETED A FULL SITE SURVEY BEFORE STARTING WORK?
ARE THERE ANY HAZARDS THE CLIENT HAS MADE YOU AWARE OF?
PROPOSED START DATE
ANTICIPATED/AGREED FINISH DATE
(AS THE CUSTOMER IS LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH & SAFETY FOR EVERYONE WHO ENTERS THE SITE, UNTIL A PRINCIPAL DESIGNER (OR DESIGN & BUILD CONTRACTOR) HAS BEEN APPOINTED IN WRITING, IT IS IMPORTANT THEY ARE MADE AWARE OF THAT FACT AND CARRY OUT THEIR OBLIGATIONS)
ARE WELFARE PROVISIONS TO BE PROVIDED BY THE CLIENT?
IS WATER AND ELECTRICITY AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE?
EXTENT AND LOCATION OF ANY EXISTING SITE PLANS OR RECORDS
ARE THERE ANY PLANNING RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE SITE?
WILL YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE DRY STORAGE SPACE, INC OFFICE?
ANY OTHER CONTRACTORS INVOLVED, INCLUDING CLIENTS OWN NOMINATED SUB-CONTRACTORS (WHO WILL BE UNDER YOUR SUPERVISION)
HAVE YOU AGREED AN NOMINATED CONTACT BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE CUSTOMER – INCLUDING TELEPHONE NUMBERS ETC?
IS THE PROJECT NOTIFIABLE UNDER THE CDM REGS? (EXPECTED TO LAST MORE THAN 500 WORKING DAYS, 30 DAYS CONSTRUCTION AND MORE THAN 20 WORKERS AT THE SAME TIME AT ANY TIME DURING THE WORKS)
LOOKING AT THE SITE LOCATION
IS THERE A SCHOOL NEARBY, OR HOSPITAL – ANYTHING THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO CREATE NOISE OR TRAFFIC CONGESTION WITHOUT COMPLAINT?
SITE ACCESS – INCLUDING VEHICLE TURNING ROOM, HEIGHT OF OVERHEAD CABLES, WIDTH OF ROADWAY/ENTRANCE
EXISTING HAZARDS REFERENCE SLOPES, ADVERSE CAMBERS, LOW WEIGHT GRADE MANHOLE COVERS ETC.
(A SITE SURVEY AND LOGISTIC TEMPLATE FOR USE IN GARDEN SURVEYS IS TO BE FOUND ELSEWHERE IN MODULE ONE. IT IS VERY THOROUGH, AND SHOULD BE SHARED/COMPLETED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CUSTOMER)
THE ELEMENTS SUGGESTED ABOVE MUST BE RECORDED IN YOUR CDM PLAN. SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO, YOU CAN APPEND A COMPLETED SURVEY/LOGISTICS DOCUMENT TEMPLATE AS PART OF THIS CDM PLAN. IF YOU DO SO, ENSURE IT IS NOTED, DATED AND SIGNED AS BEING PART OF THE PLAN.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT – AS APPLICABLE
- EXCAVATIONS – DEPTH AND TYPE, SOIL TYPE AND POTENTIAL FOR SIDE SLIPPAGE. (ALWAYS ENSURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIMBER ETC FOR SHORING UP OPERATIONS SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED, ESPECIALLY IN AN EMERGENCY. ALWAYS ASSUME THEY WILL BE REQUIRED, AND ARE KEPT HANDY, READY FOR INSTALLATION.)
- EXISTING SITE DEMOLITION AND CLEARANCE WORKS – THESE WILL REQUIRE DETAILED INSPECTION AND SEPARATE RISK ASSESSMENTS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PROJECT
- ARE THERE ANY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON THE SITE TO BE CLEARED? DO YOU REQUIRE A FULL RIDDOR ASSESSMENT PRIOR TO PRODUCING A QUOTATION? (These may include asbestos in sheds, old timbers filled with nails, rotten floorboards in old buildings etc)
- HEALTH AND SAFETY FILE – AS THE CDM REGS HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP IN RECOGNITION THAT HEALTH & SAFETY IS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE DOCUMENT REQUIREMENT, A SEPARATE DEDICATED HEALTH & SAFETY FILE MUST BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE CDM PACKAGE
- ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SITE PROBLEMS SUCH AS POTENTIAL SOIL CONTAMINATION, JAPANESE KNOTWEED ETC SURVEYS – AND SEEN THE WRITTEN REPORTS/RESULTS OF ANY SUCH SURVEYS? (NEVER TAKE ANY REPORTS AS BEING SOUND, AS THEY WILL ONLY REFER TO THE SITE AS SEEN AT THE TIME OF THE SURVEY)
- HAVE YOU ESTABLISHED SITE MOVEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS REFERENCE PARKING, STORAGE, CLIENT SITE RULES eg NO SMOKING, RADIOS, NOISE, WORKING HOURS ETC, AND AGREED THEM IN WRITING BEFORE TENDERING?
- HAVE YOU CHECKED THE BOUNDARIES AND CONDITION OF FENCES, WALLS, BUILDINGS – INCLUDING NEIGHBOURING PROPERTIES – AND PHOTOGRAPHED ANY DAMAGE BEFORE COMMENCING WORK?
RISK ASSESSMENTS Below are listed some of the examples of potential risks, that will require assessing before tendering. The list on site may be lengthy – these are only a few such examples……..
- Manual Handling (there may be several such assessments required)
- Excavations – including shoring operations
- Potential collapse of excavations – Emergency techniques practiced by the staff.
- Exposure to dust – reduction methods explained.
- Exposure to asbestos – Specialist contractors identified and notified?
- Hand/arm vibration – including length and duration of operating.
- Electricity – for on-site use. Voltage and location.
THERE ARE BOUND TO BE MANY SUCH RISK ASSESSMENTS, WHICH SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT PRIOR TO TENDERING, AS THEY ARE BOUND TO HAVE COST IMPLICATIONS.
THE COSTS INVOLVED IN PRODUCING A CDM PLAN SHOULD BE CHARGED FOR AS PART OF THE PROJECT PRELIMINARIES AND SHOWN AS SUCH.
TO REITERATE – WE CONSIDER CDM TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT EVER DEVISED TO PROTECT THE CONTRACTOR AND CLIENT AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS A POSITIVE DEED, NOT A CHORE!
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ENSURE THAT ALL DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND COUNTERSIGNED BY ALL INTERESTED PARTIES, OTHERWISE THEY MAY BE INVALID.