Definition of terms

Definitions of all terms used on site

ACoP
An Approved Code of Practice provides guidance on how to comply with specific regulations. It has been approved by the Health & Safety Commission and is seen as the accepted standard. It is not mandatory to follow the ACoP but it can be used as evidence in a court of law and failure to adopt the advice in the ACoP will be regarded as having failed to comply with the law.

Business
A trade, business or other undertaking (whether for profit or not).

CDM co-ordinator
The person appointed to advise and assist the client on how to comply with the CDM Regulations during the project, and to ensure that suitable arrangements are made and implemented for the co-ordination of health and safety measures during planning and preparation for the construction phase. Only appointed on notifiable contracts.

Client
A person who in the course or furtherance of a business seeks or accepts the services of another which may be used in the carrying out of a project for him; or carries out a project themselves.

Construction site
Any place where construction work is being carried out or to which the workers have access
construction phase.
The period of time starting when construction work in any project starts and ending when constructionwork in that project is completed.

Construction phase plan
A document recording the health and safety arrangements, site rules and any special measures for the construction work

Construction work
The carrying out of any building, civil engineering or engineering construction work.

Contractor
Any person (including a client, principal contractor or other person referred to in these Regulations) who, in the course or furtherance of a business, carries out or manages construction work.

Demolition or dismantling
The deliberate pulling down, destruction or taking apart of a structure, or a substantial part of a structure. It includes dismantling for re-erection or re-use. Demolition work normally needs meticulous planning and management to ensure that lives are not put at risk. Demolition does not include operations such as making openings for doors, windows, services or removing non-structural elements such as cladding, roof tiles or scaffolding. Such operations may, however, form part of demolition or dismantling work when carried out alongside other activities.

Designer
Any person (including a client, contractor or other person referred to in CDM 2007) who in the course or furtherance of a business either prepares or modifies a design; or arranges for or instructs someone under their control to do so. The design relates to a structure; or a product, a mechanical or electrical system intended for a particular structure. A person is deemed to prepare a design where a design is prepared by a person under their control.

Domestic clients
People who have work done on their own home, or the home of a family member that does not relate to their trade, or business. They have no duties under CDM 2007

Duty holder
Someone who has duties under CDM 2007 including: client, co-ordinator, designer, principal contractor, contractor, worker.

Guidance
This HSE-approved guidance describes ways of complying with the regulations but you do not have to follow it exactly. Guidance does not have the special legal status associated with the ACoP. However, following the industry-approved guidance will help you to comply with the CDM Regulations.

Health and safety file
Information which people, including clients, designers, co-ordinators, contractors and others involved in carrying out construction or cleaning work on the structure in the future are likely to need, but could not be expected to know.

Notifiable
For the purposes of the CDM Regulations, a project is notifiable if the construction phase is likely to
involve more than 30 working days; or 500 person days, of construction work for a client.

Notification
The most up-to-date information notified to HSE. A legible copy must be displayed where it can be read by people working on the site.

Project
A project includes all the preparation, design, planning, construction work and the clearance or preparation of the site or structure for use or occupation at its conclusion required to achieve the end result desired by the client. Many projects involve several structures. Where there are substantial breaks between phases it may be each phase can be treated as a separate project, but projects should not be artificially split to avoid notification and the duties that follow go with it.

Principal contractor
The duty holder who is required to ensure effective management of health and safety throughout the construction phase of the project. Their main duty is to properly plan, manage and co-ordinate work during the construction phase in order to ensure that hazards are identified and risks are properly controlled.

Regulations
A statutory device made under a general provision that is contained in an act of parliament. Regulations are approved by parliament and are generally absolute legal standards.