The European Council issued Directive 92/57/EEC, known as the 'Temporary or Mobile Construction Sites' Directive, in 1992. The UK implemented this directive by introducing the first 'Construction (Design & Management) (CDM) Regulations' in 1994. These regulations were subsequently revised in 2007 and again in 2015 to form the current CDM regulations.
The 2015 CDM regulations outline specific duty holders who must comply with them. These duty holders include:
The Client: The client decides whether the regulations should apply to the project, depending on its nature.
The Principal Designer (PD): This role can be fulfilled by a competent individual or an organization. The PD's responsibility is to assist the client in planning, managing, and monitoring the pre-construction phase. They also coordinate construction health and safety during this phase, ensuring that the project is carried out without jeopardizing health and safety. Additionally, the PD compiles all necessary information, such as 'as-built' drawings and manuals, to create a Health and Safety File, which is handed over to the client upon project completion.
The Principal Contractor (PC): Similar to the principal designer, the PC is appointed by the client when multiple contractors will be working on the project. The PC's main duty is to develop the 'Construction Phase Plan,' which is a crucial document outlining the health and safety management control arrangements for all work activities during the construction phase. The PC maintains overall control of the site until completion.
At Logistex Ltd, we are capable of fulfilling both the PD and PC roles as an organization. Over the years, we have successfully supported our clients and completed numerous material handling projects in these capacities. As a third-party integrator of such systems, we possess dedicated system solutions and design teams to effectively meet our clients' requirements. Therefore, it is logical for us to act as the Principal Designer and work closely with our clients to achieve optimal results, leveraging our expertise in the field of material handling equipment. It is worth noting that we also import equipment from outside the UK, which, under the CDM regulations of 2015, makes us the designer for that equipment.
Regulation 13 of the CDM states that the principal contractor must plan, manage, and monitor the construction phase while coordinating matters related to health and safety. To fulfill this requirement, Logistex employs qualified site managers and supervisors who are responsible for overseeing our sites. Additionally, we hire contract site managers to assist with this crucial task.
To ensure that our sites are managed with strict adherence to health and safety guidelines, we conduct regular audits and inspections.