On a domestic project, which role is identified as the 'client' to the principal contractor when the principal designer handles client duties?

• A. Principal designer
• B. Domestic client
• C. Project manager
• D. Architect

Answer: (A)

In CDM terms, the client is the person or organization for whom the project is being carried out, and they are ultimately responsible for ensuring adequate information and arrangements are in place. If the principal designer takes on client duties, they become the client’s representative for health and safety coordination and for communicating the client’s requirements to those delivering the work. The principal designer’s role already centers on coordinating design with safety and ensuring information flows to the construction team, so when they assume client duties, they effectively act as the party the principal contractor reports to on behalf of the client. This arrangement keeps accountability clear and ensures the contractor knows who to answer to regarding client needs and safety obligations. The domestic client remains the actual owner, but the principal designer fulfills the client role in the project’s on-site coordination when they handle those duties.