Which document is considered the key reference for CDM 2015 responsibilities?

• A. ISO 45001 standard
• B. HSE's 'Managing Health and Safety in Construction'.
• C. NICE guidelines on construction.
• D. Architecture design manual for construction projects.

Answer: (B)

The go-to reference for understanding and applying CDM 2015 duties is the HSE guide Managing Health and Safety in Construction. This publication is produced by the Health and Safety Executive to accompany the CDM Regulations, and it lays out in practical terms who is responsible for what across the project lifecycle—clients, designers, principal designers, and contractors—and how duties should be discharged. It provides step-by-step guidance on planning for safety, coordinating design and construction work, providing pre-construction information, appointing competent people, and maintaining good information flow to manage risk effectively.

While ISO 45001 offers a framework for an overall occupational health and safety management system, it is a broad standard for organisations rather than the specific CDM responsibilities and duties on a construction project. NICE guidelines are focused on health and care, not construction, and an architecture design manual (if it exists in a general sense) does not carry the authoritative status or the construction-specific duty guidance that the HSE publication provides for CDM 2015.