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Construction Phase Health and Safety Plan

Every building project of any size needs a construction phase health and safety plan before work starts to arrange and manage the project safely. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) require those planning construction work to  minimise and eliminate risks and hazards with a construction health and safety plan.

Save time and effort and ensure compliance with CDM regulations with a free construction phase health and safety plan template. Our health and safety experts have put together a Word document containing everything your health and safety construction phase plan must include. Simply download, fill in the relevant boxes, and print it off.

Download a construction health and safety plan template

What is a construction phase health and safety plan?

A construction phase health and safety plan is a document that outlines all the health and safety risks across the construction phase of a project. This includes identifying potential hazards and the control measures put in place to minimise and eliminate related risks. The construction phase includes everything from building and landscaping to refurbishing, site clearance, and demolition.

There are various sections in a health and safety plan for construction. These should include site rules, responsibilities, and management procedures (like security, selection of contractors, and training) and emergency procedures. The document should address any issues covered in the pre-construction information plan to satisfy the client, designer, and stakeholders.

Why do I need a construction health and safety plan?

A construction health and safety plan is the go-to document for all things health and safety while on site. It needs to be prepared before construction begins and it should be amended and added to throughout the course of the construction project. A CDM construction phase plan helps protect the wellbeing of workers and site visitors.

The construction phase health and safety plan should be compiled by the principal contractor and initially submitted to the client for review with tender submission. This CDM action plan should set out how health and safety will be managed, and the level of detail provided should be appropriate to the risks. This document should be revised and updated as work progresses, and design details finalised.

Download your free construction health and safety plan template

Alternatively, you can create risk assessments, method statements, and RAMS online in just minutes with Protecting. Try it for free with a 15-day trial online – start your trial online today. We also have lots of free resources such as a guide on how to write a risk assessment, for those that don’t want to make theirs in two minutes.

Create your own CDM construction phase plan

If you want to make your own health and safety construction phase plan from scratch then use the following information to build a CDM risk assessment that covers all bases:

The first section should be called Project Details and include the following:

• Project description– This is the project details, any key dates, time required for mobilisation.
• Name, address, and contact information for the following parties
  • Client
  • Principal designer
  • Principal contractor
• Any additional contacts relevant to the scheme
• Details of existing records relevant to the health and safety of the project (i.e. relating to existing services, structures, construction materials, and survey data)

Next up is the Management of Work section:

• Management structure and responsibilities– who are the individuals involved with the project, including details of their delegated responsibilities and contact information.
• Health and safety goals for the project – including SMART objectives – (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound), monitoring and review arrangements).

Then we move on to the Arrangements section. This should include details of arrangements and communications in place for the following;

• Liaison between all parties including landowners and residents
• Consultation with workforce
• Exchange of design information
• Handling design changes and approvals
• Selection and control of contractors
• Exchange of health and safety information
• Site security and responsibility for it
• Site induction – record retention and verification
• On-site training – toolbox talks, record retention and verification
• Welfare facilities and first aid
• RIDDOR notifications to HSE and project team
• Production and approval of site information

Also include details of arrangements and provisions in place for

• Basic site rules– such as PPE provision, use of mobile phones, lone working, working at height, use of work equipment, radios, electrical test, and inspection
• Fire and emergencies– designated fire assembly point(s), fire marshals, liaison arrangements with other interested parties, fire drills, test evacuations, fire inspections, fire precautions, permit to work systems

Arrangements for controlling significant site risks:

• Traffic management – including deliveries, stockpiles, and storage, pedestrian segregation
• Services – temporary and permanent arrangements
• Accommodating adjacent land use – noise, dust, schools
• Supporting existing and temporary structures
• Preventing falls
• Working with or near fragile materials
• Control of lifting operations
• Maintenance and statutory examinations of plant and equipment
• Excavation work – including ground conditions
• Work on underground features
• Work on or near water
• Work involving diving
• Caisson or compressed air working
• Explosives
• Storage arrangements – for hazardous materials substances and equipment
• Asbestos
• Contaminated land
• Manual handling
• COSHH – including storage, handling, use, transportation, spillages, emergency provisions
• Noise and vibration
• Radiation
• Other significant risks

Finally comes the all-important health and safety file:

• Document type– paper, Microsoft Word, or PDF (to include topic headings and file structure)
• Arrangements for gathering information – point of contact, email address, postal address
• Method of storage – memory stick, cloud, or hard copy