In addition to their existing function as Consulting Engineers in civil structural and environmental engineering matters Atkinson Peck are offering to Clients their services as CDM Co-ordinator under the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007.

'The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 came into force on 6 April 2007. They replaced the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 and the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996.

The key aim of CDM2007 is to integrate health and safety into the management of the project and to encourage everyone involved to work together to:
(a) improve the planning and management of projects from the very start;
(b) identify hazards early on, so they can be eliminated or reduced at the design
or planning stage and the remaining risks can be properly managed;
(c) target effort where it can do the most good in terms of health and safety; and
(d) discourage unnecessary bureaucracy

These Regulations are intended to focus attention on planning and management throughout construction projects, from design concept onwards. The aim is for health and safety considerations to be treated as an essential, but normal part of a project's development - not an afterthought or bolt-on extra.'

The CDM Coordinator is a new role created by the CDM Regulations and is defined as "a competent person appointed by the Client responsible for the co-ordination of health and safety matters during the design process and the production of a health and safety "file" and a health and safety "plan" and it is necessary for the client to appoint a Planning Supervisor on all except very small or domestic projects.  The role of the CDM Coordinator is to:-

• Eliminate hazards and reduce risks during design

• Provide information about remaining risks

• Advise and assist the client with his/her duties

• Notify HSE

• Co-ordinate health and safety aspects of design work and

• cooperate with others involved with the project

• Facilitate good communication between client, designers and  contractors

• Liaise with principal contractor regarding ongoing design

• Identify, collect and pass on pre-construction information

• Prepare/update health and safety file

• Check client is aware of duties and CDM co-ordinator has been appointed

• Provide any information needed for the health and safety file

In view of experience as a Contractor's Site Manager, Project Management experience in co-ordination of architectural, civil, structural and mechanical services in a design and build environment, and many years civil and structural consultancy experience including health and safety matters and service on professional committees considering CDM Regulations, the Practice is considered to have the ideal combination of qualifications required for the position of Planning Supervisor as outlined in the CDM approved Code of Practice.