Sector Expertise
Health and Safety for Construction
CDM duty holder support, site safety inspections, and the accreditations you need to get on tender lists, for contractors from sole traders to principal contractors.
Construction: What Makes This Sector Different
Construction carries the highest fatal injury rate of any major sector, and it is the area where duties are most explicitly allocated by law. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 name specific duty holders, client, principal designer, principal contractor, contractor, and set out what each must do. Getting that allocation wrong at the start of a project causes problems all the way through it.
We work with contractors across the East Midlands, from small trade firms who need help getting onto approved lists through to principal contractors managing multi-trade sites. A large part of the work is practical: getting on site, looking at what is actually happening, and telling you plainly what needs fixing.
The Risks That Matter Here
- Falls from height, the sector's leading cause of fatal injury
- CDM duty holder allocation and documentation
- Construction dust, including silica from cutting and grinding
- Excavations, temporary works and structural stability
- Plant and pedestrian segregation on site
- Asbestos exposure during refurbishment and demolition
- Noise and hand-arm vibration from tools
- Manual handling of materials
- Subcontractor competence and control
Your Legal Duties
CDM 2015 applies to all construction work, including domestic projects, and requires a written construction phase plan for every project. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 establish a clear hierarchy: avoid work at height where you can, prevent falls where you cannot, and mitigate the distance and consequences of a fall as a last resort. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require a refurbishment and demolition survey before work that will disturb the fabric of a building built before 2000.
How We Help
Talk to Us About Your Construction Site
A free, no-obligation conversation about what you need and what it would cost.
01530 382 150 Request a CallbackRelevant Services
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Accreditations & Memberships
Our consultants are Chartered (CMIOSH) and Technical (TechIOSH) members of IOSH, holding Level 6 qualifications in Applied Health & Safety.
Construction: Common Questions
Does CDM apply to small jobs and domestic work?
Yes. CDM 2015 applies to all construction work regardless of size or duration, including domestic projects, though for domestic clients the client duties normally pass to the contractor or principal contractor. Every project needs a construction phase plan; for a small job that can be brief and proportionate, but it has to exist.
When do we need to notify a project to the HSE?
Notification is required where construction work will last longer than 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point, or where it will exceed 500 person days. Notification is a separate question from whether CDM applies, which it always does.
Which accreditation should we go for?
It depends entirely on who you want to work for, so start by asking your target clients what they accept. Many schemes are SSIP members and recognise each other, which reduces duplication. We help firms choose the scheme that actually opens the doors they want rather than collecting badges.
Can you inspect our sites regularly?
Yes. Rolling site inspections are one of the more useful things we do for contractors, because they catch drift, the thing that was fine when set up and has since been modified, moved or worked around. You get a clear report with photographs and a prioritised action list.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact us for a free quote for health and safety support in the construction sector.