Pre-Construction Information under CDM 2015
Pre-Construction Information, commonly referred to as PCI, is the health and safety information needed by designers and contractors to plan, design and carry out construction work safely.
It should be relevant to the project, proportionate to the risks involved and provided early enough to influence design decisions, tendering and construction planning.
What is Pre-Construction Information?
Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Pre-Construction Information is information already held by the client, or which can reasonably be obtained on the client’s behalf, that is relevant to the proposed construction work.
It helps the project team understand:
- The nature and requirements of the project.
- How health and safety will be managed.
- Existing conditions and hazards at the site.
- Significant design and construction risks.
- Constraints that may affect how the work is planned or carried out.
PCI should help designers eliminate, reduce or control foreseeable risks through their designs. It also gives contractors the information they need to plan the work, allow suitable time and resources, and prepare the Construction Phase Plan.
Who is responsible for Pre-Construction Information?
The client has the legal duty to provide Pre-Construction Information to every designer and contractor appointed to the project, or being considered for appointment.
Where a project involves, or is likely to involve, more than one contractor, the client must appoint a CDM Principal Designer. The Principal Designer must help the client identify, obtain and bring together the relevant information and ensure it is provided to designers and contractors.
The Principal Designer does not automatically possess all the information. Surveys, records and details may need to be obtained from the client, existing building managers, designers, specialist consultants and others involved with the site.
What should Pre-Construction Information include?
The content will depend on the project. Relevant information may include:
- A description of the project, its scope and programme.
- The client’s arrangements for managing health and safety.
- Details of the project team and CDM appointments.
- Existing drawings, specifications and Health and Safety Files.
- Asbestos surveys and registers.
- Structural surveys and information about the existing building.
- Details of underground and overhead services.
- Site access, boundaries, neighbouring properties and public interfaces.
- Ground conditions, contamination, unexploded ordnance or other site hazards.
- Existing operations that will continue during the work.
- Requirements for protecting occupants, employees, visitors or vulnerable people.
- Significant design risks and information needed to manage them.
- Restrictions affecting working hours, deliveries, storage or site access.
This is not intended to be a standard collection of every document that might conceivably relate to the property. The information should be project-specific, relevant and proportionate.
When should PCI be provided?
Pre-Construction Information should be made available as early as practicable.
Designers need it before undertaking design work, while contractors need sufficient information when preparing tenders and planning the construction phase. Important surveys or investigations should not be left until construction is about to begin if their findings could affect the design, programme or cost of the work.
PCI is not necessarily a one-off document. It should be reviewed and developed as new surveys are completed, designs progress and further information becomes available.
Is a Pre-Construction Information document always required?
CDM 2015 requires the relevant information to be provided, but it does not prescribe a particular template or format.
For a small and straightforward project, the information may be contained in a concise project-specific document supported by a few relevant surveys and drawings. More complex projects may require a structured PCI document with a larger collection of supporting information.
The important issue is whether designers and contractors receive clear, relevant information in time to carry out their duties – not the length or appearance of the document.
How Nautilus can help
As CDM Principal Designer, Nautilus helps clients identify, obtain, assemble and communicate the Pre-Construction Information needed for their projects. We also work with designers to ensure relevant information is considered as the design develops and passed to the Principal Contractor.
Where an architect, project manager or another designer retains the Principal Designer appointment, we can provide practical CDM advisory support, including assistance with PCI, design-risk coordination and the wider requirements of the pre-construction phase.
Need help with Pre-Construction Information?
If you are unsure what information your project requires, or who should be responsible for bringing it together, contact us for practical advice.