Do You Need A Construction Phase Plan For Small Projects?

The construction phase plan is one of the documents that is legally required under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (also known as CDM).

It's a CDM document that is usually created by the principal contractor, and it tells everyone how to work safely on the construction site, the arrangements in place and the procedures to follow. It's the plan for the construction phase!

However, there is a lot of confusion about whether a construction phase plan is required for smaller projects. For example, do you need a construction phase plan on projects with only one contractor? Do you need a plan for domestic projects? And what about projects that are not notifiable?

And the answer is yes to all of the above.

Yes, you do need a construction phase plan on small projects. Because you need a construction phase plan on every project.

The CDM regulations require a construction phase plan to be produced on every construction project. That's right every construction project. Even the tiniest construction projects, no matter how small, require a construction phase plan.

Need a construction phase plan for your project? Use the construction phase plan template to save time and get started quickly!

Let's not forget that the definition of construction under CDM covers all sorts of construction work, including maintenance, refurbishment, demolition, and even certain types of cleaning!

What about projects with only one contractor? Or only one man? Yes, they still need a construction phase plan. Usually, on projects with more than one contractor, a principal contractor is appointed, and they are responsible for producing the construction phase plan.

On projects with only one contractor, it becomes the contractor's responsibility to develop the plan.

(5) If there is only one contractor working on the project, the contractor must draw up a construction phase plan, or make arrangements for a construction phase plan to be drawn up, as soon as is practicable prior to setting up a construction site.

What about domestic clients, and projects in people's homes? Yes, a construction phase plan is still required for these projects. Domestic clients have exemptions, but for the rest of the project team, contractor and designers, CDM still applies in full.

You need a construction phase plan on:

• Small projects
• Big projects
• Notifiable projects
• Non-notifiable projects
• Projects with a principal contractor
• Projects with only one contractor
• Domestic projects
• Commercial projects
• Every construction project

If the rules are so simple - that you need a construction phase plan on every project - where does the confusion come from?

Well, in previous versions of the regulations, like CDM 2007, the construction phase plan was only required on notifiable projects. So it was usually only needed on bigger projects, and it would always be completed by the principal contractor.

If you were a contractor who always worked on shorter projects or under a principal contractor, you didn't need to worry about producing a construction phase plan. But in the latest version of the regulations, CDM 2015, construction phase plans are now needed on all projects.

If you're not sure what a construction phase plan is, or what it needs to contain, find out more in Construction Phase Plans Explained (What, When, Who And Why)

Why do you need a construction phase plan on small projects?

Now that we have established you need a construction phase plan on all construction projects, you might be wondering why. If, under the 2007 regulations, construction phase plans were only needed on bigger projects, why are they now necessary on all projects?

Well, the answer is fairly straightforward. Small projects can be just as dangerous as big ones. Whatever size your construction project, health and safety is still an important consideration.

Accidents happen just as much on small projects as they do on large ones. You can even be at more risk on a smaller site, as it might not have the same procedures and controls in place as a larger site.

The size or duration of a project is not an indication of the risk level. You may carry out a short project, such as demolishing a building over 5 days, that is high risk. A bigger project might be carried out over a longer duration, for example, installing partitions over 2 months, which is lower risk than the small demolition project.

Some smaller projects can be low risk, of course. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to risk management, and the health and safety risks should be approached on a project-by-project basis.

It's understandable if you are carrying out a small amount of maintenance work that you may think producing a full-blown construction phase plan is overkill. And maybe you would be right!

But not just because your project is small or short. But because the work you are doing is low risk. The key here is that the construction phase plan should be proportionate to the scale and complexity of the project and the risks involved.

Just because your project is small doesn't mean the risks are.

But if the work you're carrying out is low risk, then your construction phase plan will be much more straightforward as it will require fewer arrangements to manage those risks. You don't need to pack your plan full of information and procedures that are not relevant or don't apply to your project. You should only include the specific arrangements that you need.

If you need help creating your construction phase plan, use our construction phase plan template to create the perfect document for your project.