CDM Regulations: 12 years of pain but little gain

Abstract

New Construction (Design and Management) Regulations were due out in the UK in April 2007, updating the original 1994 Regulations which came into force in 1995. This paper looks at the effects the original Regulations have actually had on the construction industry, particularly with regard to implementation costs and safety benefits. Analysis of site accident statistics shows that, despite having cost several billion pounds to implement, the Regulations have produced very little improvement in safety. It also appears that the EU research report which led to introduction of the regulations has been widely misrepresented, leading to unrealistic expectations about the effect designers can actually have on construction safety.