CDM/General/TBT-CDM-003

Construction Phase Plan Awareness

CDM & Legal Framework › General › Construction Phase Plan Awareness

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The Construction Phase Plan is the document that sets out the health and safety management arrangements for the construction phase.
CDM 2015 requires a Construction Phase Plan to be prepared before the construction phase begins on every project.
On projects with a principal contractor, they must prepare the plan; on single-contractor projects, the contractor prepares it.
The plan must describe how health and safety risks will be managed throughout the construction work.
Key contents include site rules, emergency procedures, welfare arrangements, and the management of specific site hazards.
The plan must identify the site-specific risks and explain the controls that will be applied to manage each one.
It is a living document that must be updated as the project progresses and new hazards or phases of work emerge.
Every worker should understand the parts of the Construction Phase Plan that are relevant to their activities.
The plan draws on pre-construction information provided by the client about existing site hazards and constraints.
The HSE may request to see the Construction Phase Plan during any site inspection — it must be available on site at all times.

Legal requirement	CDM 2015 requires the plan before construction starts — working without one is a criminal offence subject to HSE enforcement.
Your safety framework	The plan defines the rules, procedures, and arrangements that keep you safe — understanding it protects you every day.
Adapting to change	The plan must evolve as the project changes — an outdated plan that does not reflect current risks leaves workers unprotected.

Don't

Read the sections of the Construction Phase Plan relevant to your work activities.
Follow the site rules and emergency procedures described in the plan.
Use the welfare facilities as set out in the plan's welfare arrangements.
Understand the specific hazards identified for this site and the controls in place.
Report any hazards or conditions not covered by the current version of the plan.
Attend inductions and briefings that communicate the plan's requirements to the workforce.
Cooperate with the arrangements set out in the plan for managing health and safety.
Check that the plan is available on site for reference by any worker or inspector.
Raise concerns if the plan does not reflect the actual work conditions on site.
Support updates to the plan when new phases of work introduce different hazards.

DON'T start work without a Construction Phase Plan in place for the project.
DON'T ignore the site rules — they are defined in the plan for your protection.
DON'T bypass the emergency procedures described in the plan under any circumstances.
DON'T assume the plan covers your specific risks — check the relevant sections yourself.
DON'T keep quiet about hazards the plan has not identified — report them immediately.
DON'T skip inductions that communicate the plan's requirements to new workers.
DON'T refuse to cooperate with the health and safety arrangements in the plan.
DON'T remove the plan from site — it must be accessible for inspection at all times.
DON'T accept a plan that is out of date and does not reflect current site conditions.
DON'T treat the plan as paperwork — it is the framework that keeps you alive on site.

See also: CDM 2015 Awareness | Worker Duties Under CDM

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