The role of the Worker as defined in the Construction Design and management Regulations (CDM) 2015
In this blog we are going to look at the duties and responsibilities of the Worker under the Construction Design and Management regulations (CDM) 2015.
Introduction
How this applies to construction projects
Information before work starts on site
Worker competency
Summary
Introduction
Under the CDM Regulations, all employers have a duty to consult with workers on construction projects and this is in addition to the:
The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977.
The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996.
Which apply to all employers, regardless of industry.
The importance of consultation
Worker consultation and engagement is much more than being given information when a project starts. It is about employers listening and taking account of what workers have to say before decisions that affect your health and safety are made.
There are different ways to engage the workforce and engagement must be a two-way process:
Top-down (from the employer, principal contractor or principal designer)
Bottom-up (from the workers).
Just informing workers about health and safety rules is not genuine worker engagement and consultation should include both formal and informal methods.
Employers should consult and engage with all workers on health and safety matters, either through their safety representatives or directly with workers where there are no safety representatives.
How this applies to construction projects.
Ways in which employers can consult and engage with you both formally and informally:
Talking to and listening to trade union safety representatives or other appointed representatives.
Setting up health and safety committees or forums.
Having regular review meetings to consult you and get feedback on health and safety issues.
Using inductions, daily briefings and site-wide meetings to explain what is happening and to listen to and act upon your comments.
Using toolbox talks to focus on specific health and safety issues.
Managers informally walking about the site and talking to you directly.
Setting up a system on site that lets you report problems or suggest safer ways of working.
Information before work starts on site
Site-specific inductions inform workers of the particular risks associated with the site and the arrangements which have been made to control these risks. The amount of detail provided in the induction will be linked to the nature of the risk involved and must include:
The commitment of management to health and safety.
Details of the project.
The name of the person who organises health and safety procedures on site, and how to contact them.
The name of the worker safety representative(s), and how to contact them
Arrangements for consulting and involving workers on health and safety
Site-specific health and safety risks, including the impact of other people working nearby
Arrangements for protective equipment, including what is needed, where to find it and how to use it.
Arrangements for first aid and the location of toilets, washing and canteen facilities.
The site rules you must follow, including housekeeping, security and emergency procedures.
How to report anything that might be a danger to you or others • any planned training (such as toolbox talks)
Individual workers’ responsibility for health and safety.
Worker Competency
Competence is more than just training or qualifications. It’s about knowing how to do your job safely – having the right skills, knowledge, training, experience and attitude to make sure that you won’t be harmed, and that no-one else will be harmed, by your work.
It also means understanding your limitations. You know what you can and can’t do safely
Way to demonstrate competency include:
Providing details of training courses that workers have completed and copies of certificates for qualifications achieved.
Showing a portfolio of work from previous jobs
Providing references
Showing time served elsewhere.
Taking an on-site assessment.
Please see the following blog:
Establishing Competency under CDM
For further guidance on the three-stage competency assessment process for other duty holders
Summary
1. A clear commitment to health and safety
A strong commitment to good health and safety management on site demonstrated by both management and workers co-operating on health and safety matters. Everyone is proactive in raising health and safety standards (for example, in addition to reporting concerns, they feel able to volunteer ideas and suggestions without being prompted).
2. Workers are involved in health and safety decisions.
As well as being involved in making health and safety decisions with managers, workers also have responsibility for making some health and safety decisions themselves that are relevant to the tasks they are carrying out.
Workers are provided with appropriate training and support to enable them to participate.
3. Health and safety is treated as a priority
Everyone knows that health and safety is a priority. It is not simply about getting the job done as quickly as possible.
All workers receive appropriate training for their role.
Workers can stop work in situations they view as being unsafe.
4. Everyone contributes to health and safety
Everyone knows what to do to ensure that health and safety requirements are complied with.
This involves everyone putting every effort into preventing accidents, incidents and ill health.
The culture means everyone can challenge practices to improve health and safety standards.
5. Health and safety is measured
Incidents, near misses and ill health are reported and recorded.
Site managers share the information with workers to check the effectiveness of the measures taken, identify problems and work out how to fix them.
6. Both safety and health risks are managed
Health risks are managed in the same way as safety risks, by assessing hazards and putting the necessary controls in place.
Work processes that expose workers to health hazards, such as asbestos, dust and diesel emissions, are avoided.
All workers are consulted on health hazards, including those working for sub-contractors.
Site health issues affecting workers must be managed and not just monitored.
7. Everyone learns from experience
This involves not just training workers but learning, and communicating the lessons, from any incidents, and learning from other organisations and industries.
The role of the worker must be included in all staged of the construction project from the initial concept and design brief through to completion and workers must be given an equal footing that is inline with all other duty holders under the CDM regulations.
Yorkshire Health and Safety can assist you in the successful delivery of all your projects from concept to completion.
At Yorkshire Health and Safety, we build strong relationships with clients based on communication, collaboration, commitment, trust and aligning with your key safety performance goals.
With over 30 years’ experience delivering successful projects for clients and working with clients’ principal contractors, we know the challenges that come with delivering successful projects, be it commercial, industrial, construction manufacturing, housebuilding, refurbishment, shopfitting and office interiors.
If you require further assistance with any of the topics raised in this post or assistance with CDM on your current or future projects, please get in touch.
Yorkshire Health and Safety