Relevant legislation

The CDM regulations 2015 now apply to all clients (the duty holder for whom the works are being undertaken).

The courts will use the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to hold both the client and the contractors to account if contract work goes wrong and health and safety standards are compromised.

The responsibility for ensuring health and safety is therefore shared between the client and the contractor. The CDM Regulation 2015 enforces that it is in both parties' interest to ensure that each does everything that might be considered as reasonable in the circumstances to avoid criminal liability.