Did You Actually Read the Construction Phase Plan
- Paul Scanlon
- Jul 30
- 1 min read
Before your last construction project started on site — did you read the Construction Phase Plan?
Not skim it. Actually read it.
Regulation 12 requires the Principal Contractor to prepare a CPP before the construction phase begins. But the client's duty does not end at receiving it. Clients must ensure the CPP has been prepared — and that it is adequate.
A CPP that exists on paper but has not been meaningfully reviewed is not a fully discharged duty.
We regularly see CPPs that:
Are generic templates with the project name changed and nothing else
Omit key hazards identified in the pre-construction information
Contain management arrangements that do not reflect the actual site team
Have no meaningful content on emergency procedures or welfare provision
None of these satisfies Regulation 12. And an HSE inspector reviewing them on site would say the same.
The CPP is a live document. It should evolve as the project develops. But it must start as a genuine, site-specific plan — not a filed formality.
If you have a project starting soon, ask to see the draft CPP before the construction phase begins. If it looks generic, send it back with specific questions. That is not being difficult. That is discharging your duty.
Get your free Client Guide to CDM 2015 here: cdm2015.co.uk/resource-download
Comments