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Free CDM pre-construction information template

Free CDM 2015 pre-construction information template (PDF-ready). Covers Regulation 4 client duties, existing hazards and design risk data. Download free.

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Updated 26 Oct 2026

CDM 2015 Pre-Construction Information

Regulation 4 - Pre-construction information pack for the principal designer and principal contractor.

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0 of 20 checks

Project Description

1Brief description of the project and scope of works
2Programme and key project milestones
3Details of any phasing or sequencing requirements

Existing Drawings & Surveys

4Existing site layout drawings available
5Structural and geotechnical survey reports
6Topographical, utilities and services surveys

Health & Safety File for Existing Structure

7H&S file from previous construction work available
8Details of residual hazards from prior works

Existing Hazards

9Asbestos management survey / refurbishment and demolition survey
10Land contamination, ground conditions or groundwater issues
11Existing services (gas, electricity, water, telecoms, drainage)
12Other hazardous materials (lead paint, PCBs, biological agents)

Design & Construction Hazards

13Significant design assumptions and suggested work methods
14Arrangements for co-ordination of ongoing design work
15Known risks that could not be designed out
16Temporary works requirements and constraints
17Site access constraints, neighbouring properties, public interfaces

Environmental Considerations

18Ecological surveys (protected species, habitats, trees)
19Noise, vibration or dust restrictions and sensitive receptors
20Waste management requirements and disposal restrictions

Prepared By (Client / Principal Designer)

Signature

Print name

Date

Acknowledged By (Principal Contractor)

Signature

Print name

Date

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Don't just download it - use it live. Start a free workspace with this CDM pre-construction information template already built, so your crew can run it from a phone.

Jarrod Milford

Jarrod Milford

Co-Founder & Commercial Director

Updated 26 October 2026
Also see:Compliance and inspections →Best inspection software →MapTrack vs SafetyCulture →

Short answer

A CDM pre-construction information template collects what designers and contractors need to plan safe work: project description and programme, existing hazards such as asbestos and ground conditions, earlier health and safety files, services and site constraints. Regulation 4(4) of CDM 2015 requires the client to provide it as soon as practicable to every designer and contractor appointed or being considered.

Checked against CDM 2015 (Current revised version as at 2026-10-26 (legislation.gov.uk, no outstanding effects listed)) on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates

Key takeaways

  • The MapTrack CDM pre-construction information template contains 20 checks across 6 sections. Sections covered: Project Description, Existing Drawings & Surveys, Health & Safety File for Existing Structure, Existing Hazards, Design & Construction Hazards, Environmental Considerations.
  • The client provides pre-construction information as soon as practicable to every designer and contractor appointed or being considered (CDM 2015 reg 4(4)).
  • A principal designer is needed wherever more than one contractor works or is likely to (reg 5(1)), not only on notifiable projects.
  • The principal designer passes relevant pre-construction information to the principal contractor for the construction phase plan (reg 12).
  • Update and reissue the pack when new surveys or hazards come to light; there is no fixed calendar interval.

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Used by construction, mining and field service teams

Saunders InternationalMineral ResourcesSupagasHacer GroupMetro TunnelUltrabuilt

What is a CDM pre-construction information template?

Pre-construction information (PCI) is a structured document that the client must provide to every designer and contractor appointed, or being considered for appointment, to a construction project under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). Regulation 4(4) requires the client to provide information relating to the project that is reasonably obtainable and relevant to the planning, management, monitoring and coordination of health and safety during the pre-construction phase and the construction phase. The PCI pack typically includes the project description and programme, existing hazard information (such as asbestos survey results, ground condition reports and contamination data), previous health and safety files from earlier works, known services and utilities, site access constraints and neighbourhood considerations.

The purpose of pre-construction information is to ensure that designers and contractors have the facts they need to identify risks and plan safe methods of work before construction begins. Without adequate PCI, designers cannot fulfil their duty under Regulation 9 to eliminate foreseeable risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and contractors cannot prepare realistic construction phase plans, risk assessments or method statements. The client is not expected to commission new surveys solely for PCI purposes, but must pass on information that is already available or that can be reasonably obtained. Where more than one contractor is, or is likely to be, working on the project (regulation 5), whether or not it is notifiable (lasting more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers at any one time, or exceeding 500 person-days), the client must also appoint a principal designer to coordinate PCI and manage pre-construction phase health and safety.

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Benefits of using this CDM pre-construction information template

  • Client compliance: discharge the client duty under CDM 2015 Regulation 4(4) to provide pre-construction information to every designer and contractor.
  • Risk identification: supply existing hazard data, including asbestos, contamination, underground services and structural conditions, so designers and contractors can plan safe methods of work.
  • Design risk elimination: give designers the information they need to eliminate or reduce foreseeable health and safety risks during the design stage, as required by Regulation 9.
  • Construction phase planning: enable the principal contractor to prepare a realistic and proportionate construction phase plan based on known site conditions.
  • Coordination: provide a single reference pack that all duty holders can use, reducing duplication and ensuring everyone works from the same baseline information.
  • Audit readiness: a documented PCI pack demonstrates to the HSE and auditors that the client took their duties seriously and communicated hazard information before work began.

Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack

When you move your plans from paper to MapTrack, you get:

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  • File every completed form against the asset, location or person it covers.
  • Download any completed form as a PDF, with failed answers listed at the top.
  • Fill in forms offline; they upload when the device is back online.
  • Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
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  • Set who can view, fill in or edit forms with user roles.
  • Upload a paper form (PDF, Word, Excel or a photo) and MapTrack's AI builds a digital version for you to check.
  • Email safety managers when a hazard report is submitted, with an automation you set up.
  • Keep every hazard and incident report against the site it came from, with photos.
  • Turn a hazard report into a corrective-action work order with its own review step.

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What to include in a CDM pre-construction information template

This CDM pre-construction information template covers 10 key areas:

  • Project description: project name, site address, client name and contact, brief description of the proposed construction work, anticipated programme and key dates.
  • Existing drawings and surveys: existing site plans, structural drawings, services layouts, topographical surveys, drainage plans and any other drawings relevant to the work.
  • Asbestos information: asbestos management survey or refurbishment/demolition survey results, asbestos register, location plans for known or presumed asbestos-containing materials.
  • Ground conditions: ground investigation reports, contamination assessments, soil stability data, groundwater levels and any history of mining or landfill at or near the site.
  • Underground and overhead services: records of underground utilities (gas, electricity, water, telecoms, drainage), overhead power lines, and any service strikes or near misses from previous works.
  • Structural information: structural survey reports, load-bearing element identification, temporary works requirements from previous phases, and any structural concerns or restrictions.
  • Previous health and safety files: health and safety files from earlier construction work on the site, including as-built information, residual risk records and maintenance requirements.
  • Site access and constraints: access routes, traffic management restrictions, adjacent property considerations, environmental designations, listed building status, planning conditions affecting construction methods.
  • Hazardous materials and substances: records of lead paint, PCBs in electrical equipment, biological hazards (pigeon guano, legionella risk), radioactive sources, chemicals stored on site.
  • Client requirements and restrictions: working hours restrictions, noise limits, live operational areas, decant arrangements, permit-to-work requirements imposed by the client, and any client-specific safety rules.

How to use this CDM pre-construction information template

  1. Identify what pre-construction information the client already holds or can reasonably obtain about the site and any existing structures.: Review existing project files, property records, facilities management databases and previous project health and safety files. Contact building managers, utilities providers and the local authority for relevant records. The client does not need to commission new surveys solely for PCI, but must pass on what is available or reasonably obtainable.
  2. Compile the information into a structured PCI pack covering each required category, including project description, existing hazards, surveys, services and site constraints.: Organise the information under clear headings so designers and contractors can quickly locate what they need. Attach full survey reports and drawings as appendices rather than summarising them, because contractors need the detail. Where information is incomplete, note the gaps explicitly so recipients know what has not been provided.
  3. Issue the PCI pack to every designer and contractor appointed or being considered for appointment, and to the principal designer where one is required.: Regulation 4(4) requires the client to provide PCI to designers and contractors as soon as practicable after appointment, and ideally during the tender stage so that tenderers can price health and safety measures accurately. Record the date of issue and the recipient. Use a transmittal register or document management system to track who received which version.
  4. Update the PCI pack when new information becomes available during the pre-construction or construction phase, such as additional survey results or newly discovered hazards.: Pre-construction information is not a one-off deliverable. If an asbestos refurbishment survey reveals new materials, or a ground investigation finds unexpected contamination, the client must pass this information to the relevant duty holders promptly. Version-control the PCI pack and re-issue updated sections with a cover note describing what has changed.
  5. Retain the PCI pack as part of the project health and safety file and confirm with the principal designer that all relevant information has been received and incorporated into design risk management.: The principal designer should acknowledge receipt of the PCI and confirm it has been used to inform design decisions and risk assessments. At project completion, the PCI forms part of the health and safety file that the client must keep for future works. Store the final version in a secure, retrievable location alongside the health and safety file.

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How often should you complete this plan?

Pre-construction information must be provided as soon as practicable after the client appoints designers and contractors, and ideally during the tender stage so that tenderers can account for health and safety requirements in their pricing and methodology. The PCI pack should be updated whenever new information becomes available, such as additional survey results, newly discovered hazards or changes to the project scope that affect the risk profile. On long-duration projects, a formal review of the PCI completeness should be conducted at each design stage gateway. There is no fixed calendar frequency; the trigger is the availability of new relevant information or the appointment of new duty holders who need to receive it.

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Frequently asked questions

Pre-construction information (PCI) is the information relating to a construction project that the client must provide to every designer and contractor under Regulation 4(4) of CDM 2015. It includes the project description, existing hazard data such as asbestos surveys and ground condition reports, previous health and safety files, services records, site access constraints and any client-imposed requirements. The purpose is to give designers and contractors the facts they need to identify risks and plan safe methods of work before construction begins.

The client must provide PCI as soon as practicable after appointing designers and contractors. Best practice is to issue PCI during the tender stage so that tenderers can account for health and safety measures in their pricing. Where there is more than one contractor, the principal designer coordinates the PCI process. The information must be kept up to date, so if new survey results or hazard data emerge during the project, the client must pass them on promptly to the relevant duty holders.

Failure to provide adequate PCI is a breach of the client duties under CDM 2015 and can result in HSE enforcement action, including improvement notices or prosecution. Practically, without PCI designers cannot properly assess and eliminate design risks, and contractors cannot prepare adequate construction phase plans or risk assessments. This increases the likelihood of incidents on site and weakens the client legal position in any subsequent investigation or civil claim.

The client is not required to commission new surveys solely for PCI purposes. Regulation 4(4) requires the client to provide information that is reasonably obtainable. However, the client must pass on all existing surveys, reports and records that are relevant to health and safety. If a gap in information creates a foreseeable risk, for example no asbestos survey exists for a building built before 2000, the client should consider whether commissioning a survey is reasonably practicable.

Pre-construction information flows from the client to designers and contractors before and during the project. It contains existing hazard data and site conditions needed for safe planning. The health and safety file is assembled during the project, typically coordinated by the principal designer, and is handed to the client at completion. The file contains as-built information and residual risk data needed for future maintenance, repair or further construction. PCI feeds into the project; the health and safety file is an output of it.

Applicable regulatory standards

This template is a starting point. Check the current requirements that apply to your equipment, work and location. The template alone does not establish compliance.

  • The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

    Edition: Current revised version as at 2026-10-26 (legislation.gov.uk, no outstanding effects listed)

    Client's duty to provide pre-construction information, project arrangements, principal duty holder appointments, notification thresholds, designers' use of the information, and the plan it feeds.

    • reg 4(4): The client must provide pre-construction information as soon as practicable to every designer and contractor appointed or being considered.
    • reg 4: Client duties in relation to managing projects, including suitable arrangements maintained and reviewed throughout the project.
    • reg 5(1): Where more than one contractor works, or is reasonably foreseeable, on a project, the client must appoint a principal designer and principal contractor in writing.
    • reg 12: Construction phase plan and health and safety file duties of the principal contractor and principal designer.
    • reg 6: A project is notifiable if work will last over 30 working days with more than 20 workers at once, or exceed 500 person days; the client gives HSE written notice.
    • reg 9(2): When preparing or modifying a design, take account of the principles of prevention and pre-construction information to eliminate foreseeable risks so far as reasonably practicable.

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

  • The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

    Edition: Current revised version as at 2026-10-26 (legislation.gov.uk)

    Risk assessment duty that designers and contractors rely on this information to carry out.

    • reg 3: Employers and relevant self-employed persons must assess risks; employers with five or more employees must record significant findings and any groups especially at risk.

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

  • Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

    Edition: Current revised version as at 2026-10-26 (legislation.gov.uk)

    General duty to people other than employees who may be affected by the work.

    • s 3: General duty of employers and the self-employed to persons other than their employees who may be affected by their work.

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.

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<div style="max-width:480px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif;border:1px solid #E5E7EB;border-radius:12px;padding:20px;background:#ffffff;">
  <p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#071D49;margin:0;">Free template</p>
  <p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">CDM pre-construction information template</p>
  <ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Project description: project name, site address, client name and contact, brief description of the proposed construction work, anticipated programme and key dates.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Existing drawings and surveys: existing site plans, structural drawings, services layouts, topographical surveys, drainage plans and any other drawings relevant to the work.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Asbestos information: asbestos management survey or refurbishment/demolition survey results, asbestos register, location plans for known or presumed asbestos-containing materials.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Ground conditions: ground investigation reports, contamination assessments, soil stability data, groundwater levels and any history of mining or landfill at or near the site.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Underground and overhead services: records of underground utilities (gas, electricity, water, telecoms, drainage), overhead power lines, and any service strikes or near misses from previous works.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Structural information: structural survey reports, load-bearing element identification, temporary works requirements from previous phases, and any structural concerns or restrictions.</li>
  </ul>
  <p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/cdm-pre-construction-information" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">CDM pre-construction information template</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>

Free to reuse, including commercially. This template is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Copy it, adapt it, put it on your own site or in your own docs. All we ask is that you credit MapTrack with a link back to this page. The snippet above already includes that credit, so if you use it as-is you’re covered.

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The MapTrack CDM pre-construction information template contains 20 checks across 6 sections.

Short attribution
MapTrack CDM pre-construction information template, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/cdm-pre-construction-information
Reference list
MapTrack. (2026). CDM pre-construction information template [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/cdm-pre-construction-information

Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/templates/cdm-pre-construction-information.

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