Job Book 9th Edition - Book - Page 120
ONLINE VERSION
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Stage 1 > Preparation and Brief: Supplementary Material: 1/SM4
(b) designers during the development of further designs or alterations
(c) CDM coordinators preparing for construction work
(d)principal contractors and contractors preparing to carry out or manage
such work.
The file should form a key part of the information that the client, or the client’s
successor, is required to provide for future construction projects under regulation
10 of the CDM Regulations. The file should therefore be kept up to date after any
relevant work or surveys.
The scope, structure and format for the file should be agreed between the client
and CDM coordinator at the start of a project. There can be a separate file for
each structure, one for an entire project or site, or one for a group of related
structures. The file may be combined with the Building Regulations Log Book,
or a maintenance manual providing that this does not result in the health and
safety information being lost or buried. What matters is that people can find the
information they need easily and that any differences between similar structures
are clearly shown.
What you must do
Clients, designers, principal contractors, other contractors and CDM coordinators
all have legal duties in respect of the Health and Safety File:
(a)CDM coordinators must prepare, review, amend or add to the file as the
project progresses, and give it to the client at the end of project
(b)clients, designers, principal contractors and other contractors must supply
the information necessary for compiling or updating the file
(c) clients must keep the file to assist with future construction work, and
(d)everyone providing information should make sure that it is accurate, and
provided promptly.
A file must be produced or updated (if one already exists) as part of all notifiable
projects. For some projects, for example redecoration using non-toxic materials,
there may be nothing of substance to record. Only information likely to be
significant for health and safety in future work need be included. The NHBC
Purchaser Manual provides suitable information for developers to give to
householders. You do not have to produce a file on the whole structure if a
project only involves a small amount of construction work on part of the structure.
The client should make sure that the CDM coordinator compiles the file. In some
cases, for example design and build contracts, it is more practical for the principal
contractor to obtain the information needed for the file from the specialist
contractors. In these circumstances the principal contractor can assemble the
information and give it to the CDM coordinator as the work is completed.
