A new consultation by HSE proposes that pre-construction archaeological work will be excluded from the new CDM Regulations.

The 10-week consultation on proposals to replace the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, launched yesterday, states that “the definition of construction work is substantially unchanged from CDM 2007, except for clarification that it does not include pre-construction archaeological investigations” (33). This is reiterated in the Interpretation (regulation 2(1)) and Explanatory Note 3(c) of the Consultation Draft Regulations. The full consultation document may be viewed here and on the HSE website.

This proposal reflects the outcome of discussions with HSE over the past four years, led since November 2012 by the FAME Health & Safety Working Group, and was first announced by HSE at last year’s FAME Forum.

FAME will of course be responding to the consultation through its Health and Safety Working Group, and any comments on the proposals should be sent to its convenor, Andrew Townsend.