A 000 Preface
Rev 003 [Jan 09]

These guidance notes have their origin in concerns expressed to the HSE, particularly by designers employed in smaller practices, that there was a lack of useable guidance to help them satisfy their duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994  now replaced by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 [CDM2007] Their requirement was for information, which was:

a)       From an authoritative source;

b)       Brief and user-friendly; and

c)       Set out in the form of suggestions for design actions.

Therefore, in accordance with 1a), these guidance notes have been written by a group of people nominated by the presidents of the following institutions and organisations:

a)       Association of Planning Supervisors [APS](Now the Association of Project Safety);

b)       Chartered Institute of Building [CIOB];

c)       Health and Safety Executive [HSE];

d)       Institution of Civil Engineers [ICE];

e)       Institution of Structural Engineers [IStructE];

f)         Royal Institute of British Architects [RIBA]; and

g)       Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors [RICS].

Each of them occupied a position of responsibility for health and safety within their institution or organisation and had access to wide consultation with members from the design and construction community. Consequently, these notes have the authority of having been drawn up by people with the experience of having spent many years involved in the application of CDM at the design stage.

Also, to comply with 1b) and c) of the brief, each note is kept short and focussed. It is updated in response to industry feedback.

The original Design Guides were in column format to echo British Standard style. Following the introduction of CDM2007 it was agreed to redesign the Guides using the whole page width. This also makes it easier to recognise the fact that changes have occurred and thus to alert the design community to the need to check the current status of the SiD Design Guides.

We are very grateful to those individuals and organisations that have contributed their expertise to generate guides, review their content and to undertake practical trials of their use to designers on real projects. They are listed in the appendix to the guides. We are always happy to have additional contributions and examples of good practice and have provided an opportunity for all to make contact to facilitate this.

We are also grateful for the support in kind of the ICE, RICS and the HSE with respect to practical administrative matters and to the CIC (Construction Industry Council) for agreeing with us that these guides need to be industry led and owned by all of industry working together to be mutually supportive.

It has been a privilege to chair the working group of able and extremely professional people, listed in the appendix.  Without exception, their reason for joining this group was to help their fellow designers to deliver what the CDM Regulations demand. Although our discussions were lively, we never lost sight of what we were trying to achieve and I believe we have been successful. I thank them for their efforts.  

Under UK law there is an increased tendency for guidance material to be included in court considerations, particularly under the Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007. The Guides are not intended to extend the duty on designers in any way but rather to provide practical help to them by challenging their thinking, suggesting alternative solutions that may or may not be appropriate and providing some links to sources of further information. Primary professional technical competence standards should rest with the institutions whose members are active in design in the built environment. 

The Guides are free to download and use so long as their source is acknowledged. They remain the intellectual and copyright property of Safety in Design Ltd as is normal for web based material produced in this manner. If you would like to be practically involved in developing or reviewing the Guides or have comments or would like additions or changes to be considered, you are invited to write directly to us at through the contact us facility of this site. 

Liz Bennett BSc PGCE CEng MICE CMIOSH FRSA [Chairman]