CDM 2015 places specific duties on the Principal Contractor that cannot be delegated to a safety officer and forgotten. Regulation 15 requires the PC to plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety throughout the construction phase. That means inspections that are documented, hazards that are recorded and acted on, and a Construction Phase Plan that reflects what is actually happening on site rather than what was submitted at tender.
This checklist covers the inspection categories a PC should be working through on a fit-out project. It is not a substitute for a project-specific risk assessment. It is a starting point for the conversations that should happen every week.
Site Inspection Checklist
- ✓Pedestrian and vehicle segregation in place and signed
- ✓Welfare facilities adequate for workforce size (HSE L24 guidance)
- ✓Drinking water, washing facilities, and rest area accessible
- ✓First aid provision confirmed and first aider names displayed
- ✓Emergency evacuation procedure posted and communicated to all trades
- ✓Site security measures in place (hoarding, gates, access control)
- ✓All work at height activities covered by a method statement
- ✓Scaffold or podium inspections current (weekly minimum for scaffolding)
- ✓MEWP pre-use checks completed and recorded
- ✓Edge protection in place at all open edges and penetrations
- ✓Permit to Work issued for activities above threshold height
- ✓COSHH assessments in place for all substances in use on site
- ✓SDS sheets available at point of use
- ✓PPE appropriate to the substance specified and available
- ✓Storage and disposal of hazardous waste compliant with regulations
- ✓EH40 WELs reviewed for all substances with airborne exposure risk
- ✓Hot works permit system in operation with closing check
- ✓Fire watch period confirmed and recorded on permit
- ✓Temporary fire alarm provisions agreed with building manager
- ✓Means of escape from fit-out area clear and signed
- ✓Fire risk assessment updated to reflect construction phase activities
- ✓110V or RCD protection on all power tools
- ✓Temporary electrical distribution inspected and certificated
- ✓Isolation procedure in place before work on live services
- ✓No trailing cables across pedestrian routes
- ✓PAT testing current on all portable tools and equipment
This checklist is a working document. Items that fail inspection should be recorded, actioned, and re-inspected. A checklist that is completed without any failures every week is a checklist that is not being completed properly.
Written by a Senior PM with 18 years of UK fit-out experience. Content is for guidance only and does not constitute professional advice. Always verify against your specific contract and applicable legislation.