The use of CDM 2007 in the London 2012 construction programme

The UK Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM 2007) were implemented on the construction programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. But were they a help or a hindrance? Based on the views of a range of duty holders, this paper reports on the results of research into how the regulations actually worked in practice. Many of the implementation lessons learnt on London 2012 are generally applicable in the wider construction industry, while others are only suited to larger programmes. Certainly, implementation appears to have been a success: comparisons with the wider UK construction industry showed that the London 2012 construction programme scored significantly higher in 27 of 39 factors that influence construction health and safety.