The Pre-Start CDM Checklist: 20 Things to Confirm Before Breaking Ground

The pre-start phase is where CDM compliance is either set up properly or set up to fail. By the time the first contractor mobilises on site, all of the foundational obligations should already be in place. In practice, they frequently aren't — and the consequences play out throughout the construction phase.

F10 & Appointments

• F10 notification submitted to HSE and up to date
• Principal Designer formally appointed in writing with agreed scope
• Principal Contractor formally appointed in writing
• All designers identified and competency confirmed
• Client representative / project manager named and contactable
• Contract Partners identified with competency evidence on file

SHE Plan & Programme

• Pre-Construction Information compiled and issued to all relevant parties
• Construction Phase SHE Plan received from Principal Contractor
• Construction Phase SHE Plan reviewed and accepted by client representative
• RACI confirmed against the work programme and project phases
• Principal Contractor's organisation chart in place and current
• Start and finish dates for the Construction Phase formally agreed
• Site induction presentation reviewed and approved

Meetings & Readiness

• Pre-start meeting held with minutes circulated and acknowledged
• Site mobilisation visit completed — no outstanding critical items
• Project progress meeting schedule agreed and in all diaries
• Client site visit schedule confirmed in the Construction Phase Plan

Why this matters

A project that starts with all of these items confirmed is a project with a strong CDM foundation. More importantly, it's a project where all duty holders understand their responsibilities from day one.

The pre-start checklist isn't bureaucracy. It's the thing that prevents the 3am phone call six weeks into construction when an HSE inspector finds that the Construction Phase Plan was never formally accepted, or that two subcontractors were inducted without their competency records being checked. Document everything, keep records, and do the check properly before the project starts.