Choosing the Right CDM Course

CDM courses are related to the CDM (Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 and encompass a variety of roles in relation to these. As such it’s important to book onto the right one(s) that will benefit your job role and further career progression.

To choose the right CDM course, it is essential to know which role each individual is training for/employed it. A Contractor, for example, would not sit a Designer or Principal Designer course. However, there are some general CDM courses that are applicable to all roles, including the CDM Regulations course, which is an introductory course covering the Regulations themselves, and the CDM Awareness course. These types of courses are short - between half to a full day each – but do give all individuals a good understanding of the Regulations and how they come into practice on a site before they sit the longer, more detailed specific CDM courses pertaining to individual job roles.

Job Roles with Responsibilities under CDM Regulations

Individuals in the following job roles will have legal responsibilities and duties that fall under the CDM Regulations:

- Principal Designers – introduced in CDM 2015, the Principal Designer is one Designer who needs to take on the role of Principal to lead health and safety before any work commences onsite.
- Designers – A team of Designers will be lead by the Principal Designer – this can include architects, civil and structural engineers, surveyors and building service designers. These individuals will still have their own responsibilities under CDM 2015 even though they do not hold the role of Principal.
- Contractors – a Contractor on site is anyone who manages construction work either through directly employed or engaged workers. This can include sub-contractors, self-employed individuals or businesses. They must have sufficient knowledge and training to adhere to the CDM 2015 Regulations as well as the knowledge, skills and experience to carry out work safely.

Clients will also have duties and responsibilities under these Regulations, and companies will be expected to train individuals to take the role of CDM Co-ordinator to ensure legal compliance from all parties.

Client duties include financing a project, choosing the teams who will be undertaking the work (from initial design to completed construction) and ensuring all relevant permissions are secured. Clients must ensure that those they choose to undertake work are fully qualified in all relevant areas; not just in relation to the CDM Regulations but all relevant legislation pertaining to the overall project.

CDM Co-ordinators are trained to co-ordinate their own company’s construction projects; there may be more than one CDM Co-ordinator working on a site at any one time as different companies are involved. This role means that those trained must be aware of, and ensure adherence to, the CDM Regulations at all times.

Those training for this role will need to gain 18 “points” before they are eligible to gain full accreditation. Points can be earned in a range of areas including construction industry experience, health and safety (construction) qualifications and qualifications in design. Sitting accredited courses v non-accredited courses will also earn more in points.

Accredited & Non-Accredited Courses

Accredited courses are often a day or so longer than non-accredited courses and do carry a slightly higher point value, usually by 1 or 2. On the flip side, non-accredited courses can be cheaper and shorter whilst still training individuals on the essentials that they need to know to become qualified in the role to adhere to the CDM Regulations, so can be a better option for those with limited time. Those who choose an accredited course will still need the additional experience, training or education to become fully accredited; they will however earn the higher point value towards the full accreditation through the accredited course.