BIM and CDM 2015 Regulations examined at HBIM workshop

The University of Salford recently played host to the Level 2 BIM and Emerging Technologies: Heritage & Transportation Infrastructure conference.

The HBIM (Heritage and Highways BIM) workshop was structured around Building Information Modelling, Visualization Technologies, Augmented Reality, GIS and Laser Scanning technologies and Big Data in Smart City Context.

The workshop examined how the use of BIM can be expanded beyond its current role, such as heritage and highways maintenance with the help of emerging technologies.

One of the topics covered was how Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) and Health and Safety objectives can be incorporated within the BIM process.

Dave Carr, Managing Director of Callsafe Services Limited, spoke about how the CDM 2015 regulations included the broad principles of people involved in construction projects to “coordinate, cooperate and communicate”.

Mr Carr said that these principles are shared in both management and the BIM process. He commented: “BIM is about getting the right information to the right people at the right times. CDM regulations require exactly the same thing.”

Those attending the workshop were taken through various aspects of the CDM 2015 regulations that could successfully implement Building Information Modelling.

These included the provision of relevant and accurate pre-construction information (PCI), which contains Health and Safety information required designers and contractors either bidding to work or those already appointed and also the principal designer and principal contractor.

The Pre-construction Information (PCI) Register also contains information such as the planning and management of the project and health and safety hazards on the site, which would benefit from the collaborative and sharing functions of BIM.

Mr Carr also spoke of how BIM could help deal with the “perennial problem” of Design Interfaces, with the number of different organisations on construction projects only requiring the information relevant to them. BIM will be able to provide the focus needed to identify and deal with issues on a construction project and document and share them simply and effectively.

Another aspect that can be fitted into the BIM model is the Designer Duties process. This addresses and assesses risks associated with designs, with the designer having a legal obligation to provide this information.

Dave Carr then examined how the Construction Phase Plan, which contains the health and safety arrangements for the construction phase; site rules and specific measures regarding high risk work, could see the Principal Contractor being able to plan the work using the BIM model and plan the sequence of events in building the project in a safe way.

The Health and Safety File was also identified for use with BIM and contains information that will be required to ensure Health and Safety during construction work, including maintenance, repair, refurbishment and dismantling.

It contains a brief description of the work undertaken, any hazards that haven’t been eliminated through design and construction processes, and how they have been dealt with. Key structural principles and hazardous materials used will also be recorded.

Whilst the BIM process can play a key part in delivering CDM 2015 regulations, Mr Carr warned against over-complicating the process with technology that was too complex. He said: “Whatever we do in this process it’s got to simple, its got to be clear and everybody working on the project needs to gain access to this information. If it gets to complex, we won’t use it. As a user, it’s got to be user-friendly.”

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