A 004 Using the guide
Rev 03 [Jan 09]

How to use the Design Guides

1.       This series of guidance notes have been drawn up to assist designers in discharging their duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 [CDM2007]. While it has been written under discreet section headings, each section should not be read in isolation from other sections, which might be related.

2.       For example, erecting a reinforced concrete [rc] structure will involve operatives in fixing reinforcement, erecting shutters and placing, compacting and finishing the concrete. Therefore, the guidance note dealing with designing to reduce hazards with in-situ rc construction is relevant. But erecting a rc structure will, invariably, require working at height and, depending on the design, working in un-ergonomic positions. Therefore, the guidance dealing with working at height and musculo-skeletal disorders may also contain relevant information.  Consequently, the guidance sheet dealing with reinforced concrete construction should be read in conjunction with the other two.

3.       In some cases, the information may be contained in more than three sheets.

4.       To help designers to decide what information may be relevant for a particular design, Table 1, which links the guidance sheets to the various common construction operations, has been included.  While its use is self-explanatory, notes to help the reader have been attached below:

 means the sheet is completely relevant;

 means the sheet may be relevant, either because it contains information related to a process or it contains information related to a hazard.You will almost certainly find it helpful to identify those sheets of particular relevance to your work and to provide your own links and cross references.

5.       In addition to the topic specific guidance, this document contains a general information series, which is included in the information section INF. These sheets were intended to give designers some background on a number of topics that are outside the mainstream topics, eg, manual handling. It was felt that some knowledge in these areas would help designers to understand better why the some of the advice given in the specific sections is included. 

Other regulations and constraints on designers

6.       These Guidance sheets are commended to designers who want to understand how they can discharge their duties under CDM 2007 and Regulations 11 and 18 in particular. It is important to recognise, however, that designers’ duties also include critically important general duties under CDM and duties under a wide range of other health and safety Regulations. Some of the key Regulations are listed in the information section INF. Designers will also be constrained or directed by other factors. Designers are required to make an appropriate balance between such matters, which are often in conflict.

Abbreviations

7.       The text in these guidance notes contains abbreviations. Although an abbreviation is introduced in the text in parentheses eg temporary works equipment [TWE] immediately after the text it will replace, a list of abbreviations which appear in these notes is also given in the INF section at the end of these Guides.

Other useful source information

8.       There is a good deal of other useful information available to designers which we will collect together and list for you as we become aware of it. We will alert you to such changes through our newsletter, which you can sign up for and which is designed to provide current, useful information for you, especially in respect of changes to law, new information of use or changes and updates to the site.