Construction Phase Plan: What It Is and When You Need One

A construction phase plan is the document that sets out how health and safety will be managed on a construction project. Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, known as CDM 2015, one is required for every construction project, including domestic work. This guide explains what it covers, when you need it, and who writes it.

When you need one

CDM 2015 requires a construction phase plan for all construction work, however small. On a single contractor job the contractor draws it up. On a project with more than one contractor the principal contractor prepares it. It must be in place before work starts on site, and it must be kept relevant and updated as the job changes. For domestic clients the duties usually pass to the contractor or principal contractor.

What it must contain

The plan should set out the project details and key dates, the management arrangements and who is responsible, the site rules, and the specific health and safety risks of the work with how each will be controlled. It should cover the arrangements for site induction, welfare, and keeping the site secure, and the high risk activities such as work at height, excavations, and any work near services. It should be proportionate: a short clear plan for a small job, more detail for a complex one.

Who is responsible

On a single contractor project the contractor is responsible for the plan. On a larger project it is the principal contractor, working from the pre construction information the client and principal designer provide. The client has a duty to make sure a plan is in place before the construction phase begins. The risk assessments and method statements for the individual tasks sit underneath the plan, which is why many firms prepare their RAMS at the same time.

Produce one without starting from scratch

A construction phase plan template gives you the structure CDM expects, ready to complete for your project. While we add a dedicated template, membership gives you every document on the site, including the risk assessments and RAMS that sit under the plan.