The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) are a complex set of Regulations designed to ensure the safety of clients, customers, contractors, sub-contractors. members of the public and many other groups of people affected by the design, construction and completion of a building project.

The Regulations identify a number of key people in the process and there are some exemptions, namely: Most small projects which involve fewer than five employees and are less than 30 days duration, are exempt from some of the Regulations so that minor construction activities do not require a planning supervisor or principal contractor.

'Construction Work' includes the carrying out of any building or engineering construction work whether for construction, repair, alteration, maintenance, commissioning or demolition of a structure or services fixed to a structure.

• 'Structure' includes:
  • building, pylon, drainage, gasholder, underground tank, cable, sewer, road, pipeline, and
  • falsework, scaffold or other structure designed to provide support or means of access and
  • any fixed plant where work is installation, commissioning, de-commissioning or dismantling and where such work involves a risk of a person falling more than two metres.
• 'Client' means:
  • any person for whom work is carried out whether by another person or in-house.
• 'Design includes:
  • drawing, design details, specification and bill of quantities (including specification of articles or substances) in relation to the design of a structure.