The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Duties of a principal designer in relation to health and safety at the pre-construction phase

11.—(1) The principal designer shall plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction phase and coordinate matters relating to health and safety during the pre-construction phase to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the project is carried out without risks to health or safety.

(2) In fulfilling the duty in paragraph (1), and in particular when—

(a) design, technical and organisational aspects are being decided in order to plan the various items or stages of work which are to take place simultaneously or in succession; and

(b) estimating the period of time required to complete such work or work stages,

the principal designer shall take into account the general principles of prevention and, where relevant, the content of any construction phase plan and any health and safety file.

(3) In fulfilling the duties in paragraph (1), the principal designer shall identify and eliminate or control, so far as is reasonably practicable, foreseeable risks to the health or safety of any person—

(a) carrying out or liable to be affected by construction work;

(b) maintaining or cleaning a structure; or

(c) using a structure designed as a workplace.

(4) In fulfilling the duties in paragraph (1), the principal designer shall ensure all designers comply with their duties in regulation 9.

(5) In fulfilling the duty to coordinate health and safety matters in paragraph (1), the principal designer shall ensure that all persons working in relation to the pre-construction phase cooperate with the client, the principal designer and each other.

(6) The principal designer shall—

(a) assist the client in the provision of the pre-construction information required by regulation 4(4); and

(b) so far as it is within the principal designer’s control, provide pre-construction information, promptly and in a convenient form, to every designer and contractor appointed, or being considered for appointment, to the project.

(7) The principal designer shall liaise with the principal contractor for the duration of the principal designer’s appointment and share with the principal contractor information relevant to the planning, management and monitoring of the construction phase and the coordination of health and safety matters during the construction phase.