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Part of our CDM 2015 series. See CDM Regulations 2015 explained for every duty holder and key document in one place.
The health and safety file is a record of information about a finished building or structure that anyone carrying out future construction, maintenance, cleaning, refurbishment or demolition work will need to do it safely. It is one of the three key CDM documents, alongside pre-construction information and the construction phase plan.
When is a file needed?
A health and safety file is required on projects with more than one contractor, where a principal designer has been appointed. Single contractor projects do not need one, although passing on useful information is still good practice.
Who is responsible?
| Duty holder | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Principal designer | Prepares the file during the pre-construction phase, then reviews and updates it as the project develops. |
| Principal contractor | Provides information for the file. Takes over the file if the principal designer’s appointment ends before the project finishes, and makes sure it reaches the client at the end. |
| Designers and contractors | Provide the information needed for the file. |
| Client | Makes sure the file is prepared, keeps it, makes it available to anyone who needs it, and passes it on if the building is sold. |
What should go in the file
HSE guidance L153 suggests the file covers the following, where relevant.
- A brief description of the work carried out
- Residual hazards and how they have been dealt with, for example surveys of asbestos, contaminated land or buried services
- Key structural principles, such as bracing and sources of stability, and safe working loads for floors and roofs
- Hazardous materials used, such as lead paint or special coatings
- Information on removing or dismantling installed plant and equipment
- Health and safety information about equipment for cleaning or maintaining the structure
- The nature, location and markings of significant services, including underground cables, gas supply and fire fighting services
- Information and as-built drawings of the building, its plant and equipment, such as safe access to plant rooms and the location of isolation points
What to leave out
The file is not an archive of every project document. Leave out things that will not help future work, such as the construction phase plan, contractors’ RAMS, accident records and contractual paperwork. A focused file is far more useful than a box of everything.
Format and handover
There is no required format. Many files are now digital, which makes them easier to search and update. What matters is that the information is clear, easy to find and handed over in a form the client can actually use and keep.
Common problems
- Left until the end of the project, so information is lost or never collected
- Filled with manufacturers’ brochures instead of project-specific information
- Handed to the client and then forgotten, so it is not available for the next project
- Not passed on when the building is sold
Training that helps
The NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction certificate covers the CDM documents in depth, and our CDM awareness eLearning gives a quick introduction. Site managers handling handover will find the file covered on SMSTS.
Where this fits in SMSTS and SSSTS
The health and safety file is one of the CDM documents covered on SMSTS and SSSTS. Our free SMSTS mock test and SSSTS mock test let you check your knowledge before the course or a refresher, and you can email yourself the results sheet at the end.
When you are ready, the five day SMSTS course is for site managers and the two day SSSTS course is for supervisors. If your certificate is due, the SMSTS refresher and SSSTS refresher keep it current.
Frequently asked questions
Who prepares the health and safety file?
The principal designer. If their appointment ends before the project finishes, the principal contractor takes it over.
Does every project need a health and safety file?
No. It is required on projects with more than one contractor, where a principal designer is appointed.
Who keeps the health and safety file?
The client keeps it, makes it available to anyone who needs it and passes it on if the building is sold.
Is the health and safety file the same as the O&M manual?
No, although the two are often handed over together. The O&M manual covers how to operate and maintain systems; the file covers information needed to do future work safely.
Read the source
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, regulations 4 and 12; and HSE guidance L153, Managing health and safety in construction, Appendix 4. Facts checked on 6 October 2026.
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