What are the CDM Training Course options?

The Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations were introduced by the HSE in 2007 to regulate the various aspects of the construction process from the initial design and consultation phase through to managing the construction process itself.

The aim of these regulations is to ensure health and safety is regarded as a central part of the construction process and that it is factored into each stage including design of projects, management of projects and the construction stage of projects. The regulations ensure a good match of people to job roles and are concerned with the practical management of risks, with the overall aim of improving health and safety in the construction sector.

The appropriate people should be well informed of the risks of their particular area and how to avoid them, keeping workers actively invested in their role as protectors of their own and others health and safety and by encouraging co-operation between levels and across different parts of the project to maintain a safe working environment.

CDM Training Courses have been introduced to bridge the knowledge and skills gap for each type of job role on a construction site. CDM knowledge does apply to all site workers and specialisms, across all management levels.

Types of CDM training

For the purpose of CDM, the workforce is split into specific categories,each of which have certain responsibilities to meet. These categories are:

·        Clients – need to be aware of which responsibilities lie with themselves and which lie with the contractor

·        CDM coordinators – need to be aware of all relevant CDM legislation pertaining to all parties involved in the project, and ensure that all parties are adhering to their responsibilities

·        Designers – need to be up to date on their responsibilities for the design of the project

·        Principle Contractors – need to be aware of each contractor working on a project and their responsibilities in line with CDM

·        Contractors - need to have good CDM awareness in order to conduct the project successfully and within the bounds of the law

·        Workforce - need to be able to translate the CDM Regulations to the individual tasks taking place on the project. 

There is a large emphasis on communication and cooperation between the groups and there are 3 main types of CDM courses available tailored to suit each of these groups:

·        One Day / Short CDM courses

·        2-3 Day Specialised CDM Courses

·        Accredited CDM Courses

One Day/Short Courses

The most basic of the CDM courses available is the one-day course.This may have a range of names depending on the training provider, but the overall aim is the same: to introduce the candidate to the CDM regulations and the different responsibilities each party holds in line with these. These short courses therefore make it easier to identify who has what responsibility in relation to construction, design and management. 

Names forthis course include CDM Explained, CDM Overview, CDM Regulations, or CDMWorkshop. Topics covered include the legal responsibilities, the role of the CDM Co-Ordinator in brief, CDM notification requirements, info packs and modelling a representative health and safety file. They also include how to encourage compliance from others working on construction sites, risk prevention guidelines, how to select and monitor contractors, what sort of information is needed before the construction begins and promotion of good communication skills.

These basic CDM courses are extremely useful in fostering a culture of awareness throughout the whole project, meaning the co-ordinator is not working in isolation and everyone is brought up to speed at the level that is suitable for them.

Who should attend the one-day courses?
All those involved in a construction project that would find clarifying their knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities for health and safety useful.

Half day CDM training courses may be even shorter, but these are more specific. They are aimed at busy contractors and specifically tailored to a contractor’s needs. They pack in all the key essentials and are very convenient as even the busiest contractor can spare a morning out of their schedule.

Specialised CDM courses

Longer 2-3-day CDM courses tend to be aimed at specialist roles such as the CDM Coordinator, the Designer or the Contractor.

CDM Co-ordinator

The CDM Coordinator is the individual who liaises with primary and sub-contractors,the clients and designers with regard to the CDM Regulations. A complicated role, many coordinators find that official training helps them to develop their skills, becoming more effective and building on good practice from their peers.

CDM Coordinator courses are specifically designed to give a good grounding for CDM Coordinators to ensure that the regulations are met on the project on which they are working.

Course times vary for this specialism, but most delegates opt to sit the 3-day course. This covers topics such as relevant legislation including: The Building regulations 2007, Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations 1999, and The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Delegates will also be trained in areas such as the history of CDM regulations, risk assessments, key construction disasters and what we can learn from them, how to assess if the CDM regulations are being met, duties and responsibilities, risk assessment and avoidance,dealing with difficult colleagues, negotiation, assessing competence, good communication and how to promote your health and safety plan.

Accredited Courses

Accredited CDM courses are offered through trainers in the UK, such as The Association for Project Safety (APS) Coordinator Course. These grant a higher point value towards full accreditation – 3 points vs 1 or 2 from anon-accredited course. That said, taking an Accredited course vs a Non-Accredited course does not automatically convey full accreditation;delegates will still to ensure they earn the 18 points required and complete all additional requirements before they are fully accredited.

The Accreditation process itself covers 4 stages:

·     Stage 1: Complete the application process, demonstrating that you hold 18 points on the qualifications and evidence section (The APS course highlighted above is worth 3, and non-accredited CDM course two, so other points are gained through relevant industry experience qualifications and training courses). 

·        Stage 2: Pass the online exam

·        Stage 3: A National Occupation Standards Interview.

·    Stage 4: Complete the payment for first year’s fee. See the Association ofProject Safety Accreditation (APS) website for further details.

Note: if you wish to become APS accredited and have passed an APS accredited course you can skip stage two and just complete the other three stages. Therefore,an APS course is an excellent choice for candidates with previous experience looking to fast track their accreditation process.

There is also the IOSH Managing Client / Contractor Relationship(CDM) accredited course available which focuses on the client and contractor relationship. Running over three days, it has a specific focus on communication and negotiation between these two parties while adhering to the CDM regulations. One of the key strengths of this course is that it is organised into modules, allowing candidates to clearly negotiate each separate issue relating to managing client and contractor relationships

The good news for anyone looking to book some CDM training is that there is a growing number of training providers, throughout the country, that offer these courses. If location is a key concern to you, the best way of finding the nearest and most convenient course is to use an online search facility. They can search from 100’s of CDM courses and find the one with the best location, dates and most importantly price, saving you time and money. 

Overall, there are a wide range of CDM training courses to choose from including Accredited and Non-Accredited options:

·        APS Accredited - The Management of CDM Co-ordination Course,

·        CDM – 1 Day Workshop

·        CDM Awareness for Contractors

·        CDM Co-ordinator

·        CDM Explained

·        CDM Overview

·        Construction Safety Management

·        CDM & The Legal Framework

·        IOSH Managing Client / Contractor Relationship (CDM)

·        The Role of CDM Co-ordinator in Practice