Contractor Duties under CDM 2015
TL;DR
Every contractor — whether working directly for a client or as a subcontractor under a principal contractor — has specific CDM 2015 duties. They must plan and manage their own work safely, ensure their workers are informed and competent, and cooperate with the wider project team.
Who is a Contractor under CDM 2015?
A contractor is any individual or business that carries out, manages or controls construction work. This includes sub-contractors, self-employed tradespeople, and specialist installers.
Unlike the principal contractor, a contractor does not have overall site-wide management responsibility — but they are fully accountable for the safety of the work they directly carry out and supervise.
Core Contractor Duties
Plan, Manage and Monitor Work
Every contractor must plan their work in detail before starting. This means identifying the hazards involved, deciding how they will be controlled, and ensuring the right people, plant and materials are available.
For any significant risk, a written Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) must be prepared and communicated to workers before the task begins.
Ensure Workers Have the Information They Need
Workers must not start any task without understanding:
- The risks involved in the work
- The control measures in place
- What to do if something goes wrong
- Emergency and first aid arrangements
This information is typically conveyed through the site induction and task-specific briefings.
Ensure Worker Competence
Contractors are responsible for ensuring every person they employ or engage is competent to do their work safely. Competence includes formal qualifications (CSCS cards, trade licences), relevant experience, and site-specific knowledge.
Cooperate with the Principal Contractor
Where a principal contractor is in place, every contractor must:
- Comply with the principal contractor's CPP and site rules
- Report any hazard or incident to the principal contractor promptly
- Share relevant health and safety information
- Not put other contractors at risk through their work
Comply with Directions
Contractors must comply with any direction given by the principal contractor on matters affecting health and safety. Failure to follow a reasonable safety instruction can result in removal from site.
What Contractors Must NOT Do
- Start work before the Construction Phase Plan is in place
- Allow workers on site without a valid induction
- Carry out tasks without suitable RAMS for significant risks
- Create risks for other contractors through unsafe working
- Ignore instructions from the principal contractor
Evidence Every Contractor Should Keep
| Document | When |
|---|---|
| RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) | Before each significant task |
| Worker briefing records | Before each RAMS task |
| Worker competence records | Ongoing |
| Induction records | When workers arrive on site |
| Site inspection records | During work |
| Incident and near-miss reports | As they occur |
| Plant and equipment inspection records | Before use and ongoing |
What Good Looks Like
- RAMS prepared and reviewed by a competent person before work starts
- Workers briefed on the RAMS and asked to sign to confirm understanding
- Supervisors monitoring work against the RAMS throughout the task
- Any change in conditions that affects safety triggers an immediate review of the RAMS
- Near-misses reported and discussed as a learning opportunity
How Workforce Guardian Helps Contractors
- Mobile RAMS workflow — workers access and sign RAMS from their smartphone before starting work
- Geofenced check-in — automatic site arrival and departure records
- Incident reporting — photo-evidenced reports submitted from the site in real time
- Worker task briefing — supervisors can push task-specific briefings to workers' devices
- Competence tracking — store CSCS card details, trade licences and training certificates
FAQs
As a sole trader, do I still have CDM duties?
Yes. Self-employed tradespeople are contractors under CDM 2015. You must plan your work, carry out risk assessments, and comply with directions from the principal contractor. On single-contractor projects you also take on some duties of the principal contractor.
Do I need to produce RAMS for every job?
For low-risk, routine tasks you may be able to rely on a general risk assessment. However, for any task with significant risks — working at height, confined spaces, hot works, asbestos, demolition, excavation — a specific RAMS is required before you start.
Can the principal contractor inspect my RAMS?
Yes. The principal contractor has the right to review your RAMS before allowing you to start work. They may ask you to amend or improve them if they do not adequately address the risks involved.
What should I do if I identify a new hazard mid-task?
Stop work, make the area safe, and report the hazard to the principal contractor immediately. The RAMS should be reviewed and updated before the task resumes. Do not continue working in an unsafe condition.
What records should I keep after completing a project?
Keep RAMS, briefing records, inspection reports and incident records for at least three years. If the project involved notifiable work, records should be kept longer as they may be required for legal proceedings.