What is pre-construction information under CDM 2015?

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.

When must the client provide pre-construction information?

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. On notifiable projects, 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.

What happens if the client does not provide adequate pre-construction information?

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.

Does the client need to commission new surveys for pre-construction information?

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.

What is the difference between pre-construction information and the health and safety file?

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.

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

Jarrod Milford

Commercial Director

Updated 3 May 2026

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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. On notifiable projects (lasting more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers at any one time, or exceeding 500 person-days), the client must also ensure a principal designer is appointed 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.

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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

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.
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.
Issue the PCI pack to every designer and contractor appointed or being considered for appointment, and to the principal designer on notifiable projects.: 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.
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.
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.

Frequently asked questions

What is pre-construction information under CDM 2015?: 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.
When must the client provide pre-construction information?: 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. On notifiable projects, 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.
What happens if the client does not provide adequate pre-construction information?: 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.
Does the client need to commission new surveys for pre-construction information?: 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.
What is the difference between pre-construction information and the health and safety file?: 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 aligns with the following regulations and standards:

CDM 2015 Regulation 4 (Client duties for managing projects)
CDM 2015 Regulation 4(4) (Pre-construction information provision)
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

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