CDM 2015 Training: Latest HSE PIR Updates for Principal Designers (CDM 2015 Principal Designer competence)

Strengthen your competence, meet updated HSE expectations, and ensure full CDM 2015 principal designer competence and compliance

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has completed its Post‑Implementation Review (PIR) of CDM 2015. While the legislation itself has not changed, the review highlighted major weaknesses in how the Principal Designer (PD) role is being delivered across the construction industry. As a result, PD competence is now being checked more strictly, and organisations must demonstrate clearer, more robust safety management during the design phase.

This course provides a practical, up‑to‑date overview of what the PIR found, what has changed in practice, and what Principal Designers must now prove to meet HSE expectations.

Key PIR Findings

The review identified recurring issues across the industry, including unclear PD competence, late involvement in projects, and misunderstandings around client duties. These findings now shape how PD capability is checked and monitored.

Updated Expectations for Principal Designers

PDs must now demonstrate CDM‑specific design involvement, active safety management, and organisational systems that support compliance. The course explains how to meet these expectations in a practical, evidence‑based way.

What Has Changed in Practice

Although the regulations remain the same, competence checks, appointment timing, and client‑PD responsibilities are now applied more rigorously. You’ll learn how to align your processes with current HSE expectations.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand CDM 2015 requirements and how the PIR has influenced current industry practice.
• Identify the core responsibilities of the Principal Designer and how these are now assessed.
• Demonstrate CDM‑specific competence through design involvement, coordination, and risk management.
• Apply early‑stage safety management to influence design decisions and reduce project risk.
• Clarify client duties and understand where responsibilities cannot be transferred.
• Implement organisational systems that support compliance, oversight, and effective coordination.
• Produce meaningful pre‑construction information aligned with HSE expectations.

Who Should Attend

This course is ideal for:

• Organisations delivering PD services and needing to demonstrate capability, systems, and oversight.
• Principal Designers seeking to strengthen competence and compliance.
• Architects and engineers who take on PD responsibilities as part of their design role.
• Design managers and project leads involved in coordinating safety during design.
• Contractors acting as PDs under CDM 2015.
• Clients and duty holders who need clarity on legal responsibilities and appointment timing.

For more information or if you’re interested in signing up, please contact us either by emailing Info@careerchangewales.co.uk or phoning 029 21 156 603.

This is a half day training course made as a refresher of the updates to CDM 2015. The cost of this course would be £150 + VAT per person. Discounts available for large group bookings.

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