CDM/General/TBT-CDM-004

Principal Contractor Duties

CDM & Legal Framework › General › Principal Contractor Duties

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The principal contractor is the organisation appointed under CDM 2015 to manage health and safety during the construction phase.
A principal contractor must be appointed on every project where more than one contractor will work at any time.
The principal contractor must plan, manage, monitor, and coordinate the construction phase to ensure safety for all workers.
They must prepare the construction phase plan before the construction phase begins, setting out all management arrangements.
The principal contractor must ensure every worker receives a site-specific induction before starting work on the project.
Coordination of multiple contractors is a core duty — preventing dangerous interactions between overlapping work activities.
The principal contractor must consult and engage with workers on health and safety matters that affect their work.
They must ensure welfare facilities meet the standards set out in CDM 2015 Schedule 2 throughout the project.
The principal contractor must monitor contractor and subcontractor compliance with site rules and safety procedures.
Site rules, including access control, PPE requirements, and reporting procedures, must be established and enforced.

Legal accountability	The principal contractor holds primary legal responsibility for construction phase safety — failing in this duty leads to criminal prosecution.
Coordination	Managing multiple contractors working simultaneously is the principal contractor's core challenge — poor coordination causes fatal interface incidents.
Worker protection	Every worker on site is the principal contractor's responsibility — from induction through to welfare, supervision, and emergency arrangements.

Don't

Prepare the construction phase plan before the construction phase begins.
Appoint competent contractors and verify their health and safety competence.
Ensure every worker receives a site-specific induction before starting work.
Coordinate all contractor activities to prevent dangerous overlaps and conflicts.
Establish and enforce site rules covering access, PPE, and reporting procedures.
Provide welfare facilities that meet CDM 2015 Schedule 2 standards throughout.
Consult with workers on health and safety matters that affect their activities.
Monitor contractor compliance with site rules through observations and audits.
Manage the construction phase plan as a living document, updating it as work progresses.
Maintain the site in a condition that protects the health and safety of every person.

DON'T begin construction without the construction phase plan prepared and in place.
DON'T appoint contractors without checking their health and safety competence.
DON'T allow workers on site before they have completed the site-specific induction.
DON'T let contractors work in the same area without coordinating their activities.
DON'T fail to establish clear site rules — ambiguity creates confusion and danger.
DON'T let welfare standards fall below the CDM 2015 Schedule 2 requirements.
DON'T make safety decisions without consulting the workers they affect.
DON'T assume contractors are complying — monitor and verify through regular audits.
DON'T let the construction phase plan become outdated — update it as the project changes.
DON'T tolerate unsafe conditions — the principal contractor is legally responsible for all.

See also: CDM 2015 Awareness | Construction Phase Plan Awareness

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