For all construction-related projects, clients are required to appoint a CDM Principal Designer who can demonstrate the necessary health and safety skills, knowledge, experience, and organisational capability to carry out their appointed role effectively.

GSS have experience providing this service on schemes where we have also been appointed as Architect and/or Lead Consultant. Our organisational approach to health and safety is led from Partner level, instilling confidence in our CDM PD provision. Our team receives regular training, ensuring that processes are in place to plan and manage health and safety throughout your project, helping to protect everyone involved.

Our Principal Designers help you meet your duties under the Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations 2015, guiding you through the process, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with the requirements. They assist in gathering and organising existing site specifications and compiling the Pre-Construction Information, ensuring it’s clearly communicated to all designers and contractors. By highlighting site-specific risks and sharing this information effectively, the Principal Designer enables others to plan and carry out their work safely.

Our Principal Designer’s responsibilities do not end at the pre-construction phase of the project. They have duties throughout the construction stage, and we will continue to support you, liaise with the Principal Contractor, and help in the planning, management, and monitoring of the construction phase. Design changes can occur frequently throughout the construction process, and, in some cases, this can lead to increased risks that need to be monitored and managed by the Principal Designer.

If you would like to discuss anything to do with health and safety on your projects, then please get in touch and our experienced teams will be happy to work with you to guide you through the process.