CDM Roles, Competence and Coordination
Right people, time and resources, cooperation, information flow and worker consultation.
How to prepare for an IOSH construction course
Use the developing site scenario to practise proportionate decisions, then confirm the exact assessment and delivery arrangements with your IOSH-approved provider.
Core concepts
Concept 1
CDM principles require work to be sensibly planned, suitable people appointed, risks coordinated and useful information communicated.
Exam cue: Resolve unclear ownership at interfaces before work starts.
Concept 2
Organisational capability and individual skills, knowledge, training and experience must match the role and work.
Exam cue: Provide time, resources and supervision proportionate to risk.
Concept 3
Dutyholders cooperate and coordinate across design and construction interfaces rather than managing risks in isolation.
Exam cue: Consult workers because they see how planned controls operate in practice.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Treating a job title or card as complete evidence of capability.
Guardrail: A course certificate is not automatically a card, a professional qualification or proof of occupational competence.
Withholding design or hazard information from downstream contractors.
Guardrail: Do not turn course attendance, a signed form or personal confidence into authority for uncontrolled work.
Assuming appointment of a principal contractor removes client duties.
Guardrail: Do not turn course attendance, a signed form or personal confidence into authority for uncontrolled work.
Memory anchors
Right People, Right Time
Capability and resources must match the work and programme.
Share Before Start
Useful risk information must reach those who plan and do the work.
Interfaces Need Owners
Agree who controls each overlap between trades and phases.
Consult the Workface
Workers help reveal whether the plan is workable.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
What is Pass Harbor?
Completely free exam prep for 247 UK exams.
- Practice questions
- Flashcards
- Study guides
- Mock exams
- No registration
- No paywall
- Start instantly
“No more expensive exam prep. Quality study tools should be accessible to everyone.”