FREE CDM 2015 TOOL

Free DM 2015
duty holder checker

Check which CDM 2015 duty holders may apply to your project, understand likely responsibilities, and support stronger planning before work starts.

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Built for UK construction teams

Useful for RAMS and planning

CDM 2015 Duty Holder Checker

Free Compliance Tool

CDM 2015 Duty Holder Checker

Answer 5 quick questions about your construction project and get an instant breakdown of which CDM 2015 duty holder roles apply and which documents are legally required.

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 · SI 2015 No. 51

Project

Client

Contractors

Duration

Scale

Question 1 of 5

What type of construction project is this?

Select the category that best describes the primary nature of the work.

Question 2 of 5

Who is commissioning this project?

The CDM client is the organisation or individual for whom the construction work is carried out.

Question 3 of 5

How many contractors will be involved?

Include all contractors and sub-contractors who will carry out physical construction work on site. The CDM trigger is more than one contractor.

Question 4 of 5

What is the planned project duration?

The HSE notification threshold (F10) is triggered if the project exceeds 30 working days with more than 20 simultaneous workers. Enter your planned duration below.

Question 5 of 5

Project scale at peak activity

The 500 person-days threshold for HSE notification is calculated as total working days × average workers. The 20+ simultaneous workers test also applies if project exceeds 30 days.

Peak simultaneous workers on site

Maximum workers on site at any one time

Estimated project value (£)

Total construction value (optional — for context)

Your CDM 2015 Assessment

Based on your project details

Duty holder roles

Required documents & records

Need to produce RAMS for this project?

Evalu-8 EHS software helps contractors create, approve and manage Risk Assessments & Method Statements — cutting document prep time and keeping your team compliant on every project.

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What is a CDM 2015 duty holder checker?

A CDM 2015 Duty Holder Checker helps users understand which roles may apply to a construction project under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It is a practical starting point for clients, contractors, designers, and consultants who want to sense check likely project responsibilities before work starts. Under CDM 2015, duty holders can include clients, designers, principal designers, contractors, and principal contractors.

Who are the duty holders under CDM 2015?

Under CDM 2015, the main duty holders are the client, designer, principal designer, contractor and principal contractor. Each of these roles carries legal duties linked to planning, managing and coordinating health and safety during different stages of a construction project. HSE states that virtually everyone involved in a construction project has legal duties under CDM 2015.

Client duties under CDM 2015

The client has a key role under CDM 2015 because they are responsible for making sure the project is suitably managed. For commercial clients, this includes making suitable arrangements for managing the project, making sure other duty holders are appointed where needed, allowing enough time and resources, ensuring relevant information is provided, and making sure welfare facilities are available.

When do you need a principal designer?

A principal designer is required on projects involving more than one contractor. The principal designer is appointed by the client and is responsible for planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating health and safety during the pre-construction phase. This includes identifying, eliminating or controlling foreseeable risks and making sure designers carry out their duties.

When do you need a principal contractor?

A principal contractor is also required on projects involving more than one contractor. The principal contractor is appointed by the client to plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety during the construction phase. Their duties include organising cooperation between contractors, coordinating work on site, preparing the construction phase plan, providing site inductions, taking steps to prevent unauthorised access and making sure welfare facilities are provided.

What changes for domestic clients under CDM 2015?

CDM 2015 also applies to domestic clients, but their duties are usually transferred to other duty holders. HSE says that for single-contractor projects, domestic client duties normally pass to the contractor. For projects involving more than one contractor, those duties normally pass to the principal contractor. A domestic client can instead choose to have a written agreement with the principal designer to carry out the client duties.

Turn duty holder clarity into better RAMS

Understanding which CDM 2015 duty holders may apply is only part of the job. Teams also need to document responsibilities, controls, and site arrangements clearly.

Evalu-8 EHS RAMS software helps businesses create more consistent RAMS and stronger project documentation for higher-risk work.

FAQS

CDM 2015 duty holder checker FAQs

Who are the duty holders under CDM 2015?

Under CDM 2015, the main duty holders are the client, designer and contractor. On projects involving more than one contractor, the additional roles of principal designer and principal contractor are also required. HSE says virtually everyone involved in a construction project can have legal duties under CDM 2015.

When is a principal designer required under CDM 2015?

A principal designer must be appointed in writing by the client where a project involves, or is likely to involve, more than one contractor. The principal designer should be appointed as early as possible in the design process, ideally at concept stage where practicable.

When is a principal contractor required under CDM 2015?

A principal contractor must be appointed by the client on any project involving more than one contractor. They are responsible for planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating the construction phase, and they must prepare a written construction phase plan before that phase begins.

How do domestic client duties work under CDM 2015?

CDM 2015 still applies to domestic projects, but the client duties usually pass to other duty holders. On a single-contractor domestic project, those duties normally pass to the contractor. On a domestic project involving more than one contractor, they normally pass to the principal contractor, unless there is a written agreement for the principal designer to take them on instead.

Can I use a CDM 2015 Duty Holder Checker before writing RAMS?

Yes. A CDM 2015 Duty Holder Checker is a useful early planning step because it helps you sense check which roles may apply before project documents are created. That can make it easier to build RAMS and related planning documents around the real structure of the project, with clearer responsibilities and better coordination from the start. This is an inference based on HSE’s emphasis on early appointments, planning and coordination under CDM 2015.

How does Evalu-8 EHS RAMS software support CDM 2015 planning?

Once you understand which duty holders are likely to apply, the next step is turning that into practical documentation. Evalu-8 EHS RAMS software can help teams create clearer RAMS, record responsibilities, structure control measures, and support more consistent project planning. That fits well with CDM 2015, where principal contractors must prepare a written construction phase plan, and principal designers and contractors need to coordinate information and risk management.

Can one organisation hold more than one CDM 2015 duty holder role?

Yes. HSE says an individual or organisation can carry out more than one duty holder role, as long as they have the skills, knowledge, experience and, where relevant, the organisational capability to perform all of those functions in a way that secures health and safety.