What is an F10 notification?
“An F10 Notification or an F10 (as commonly known) is specified information required to be sent to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about the start of a construction project when it meets the threshold requirement.”
Under the previous version of CDM Regs i.e. (CDM Regulations 2007) F10 notification carried a lot of weight as it made the project notifiable and required the appointment of then CDM Co-ordinator and the Principal Contractor , the threshold of sending the F10 was also less than the current threshold.
What is the F10 threshold
The F10 threshold is met when any construction work on site is estimated to last more than 30 working days and will involve more than 20 people working on the site simultaneously OR the construction work will involve more than 500 person days on site
F10 notice is required when a project is more than 30 working days on site and involves more than 20 persons at any one time or involves more than 500 person days
When F10 notification is required?
A F10 notification is required to on those construction project whose duration is expected to be above 30 working days and 20 are more people are expected to be working on that construction project site at one time simultaneously. If the project involves more than 500 person days on site then also a F10 notification is required to be sent to Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
However, please note that even if the project is non notifiable it will still require the appointment of a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor as long as it involves more than one contractor.
When should F10 be submitted?
For construction work that is expected to meet the F10 threshold requirements, the F10 should be issued before the construction work start on site.
Who issues F10 notification?
The Client is responsible for sending F10 notification to HSE , when the F10 threshold is met. Under the CDM Regulations 2015, this is listed as one of the Client CDM Duties.
However, on Domestic Client Projects the CDM Client Duties are passed on by default to the appointed Contractor or the Principal Contractor (depending on how many contractors are involved). The description and the table below explain the responsibility for submitting F10 notice to HSE in different project scenarios.
- F10 is to be sent by the Client or his appointed advisor for Commercial Projects involving two or more contractors, if threshold is met.
- F10 is to be sent by the Principal Contractor for Domestic Client Projects involving two or more contractors, if threshold is met.
- F10 is to be sent by the Client or his appointed advisor for Commercial Projects involving one contractor, if threshold is met.
- F10 is to be sent by the Contractor for Domestic Client Projects involving one contractor, if threshold is met.
Please note that Client, Principal Contractor or Contractor can assign any other appointed advisor, consultant or party to send the F10 to HSE on their behalf.
Legal requirements for submitting F10
It is a legal requirement under Regulations 6(2) of the CDM Regulations on a Client of a construction project to send the notification to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) .
What is included in HSE F10?
The typical contents of a F10 notification are provided in Schedule 1 of the HSE CDM Regulations. The details are as follows:
- Date of F10 notice.
- Address of the construction site.
- Name of the local authority of construction site.
- Brief description of proposed construction work .
- Contact details of the Client.
- Contact details of the Principal Designer.
- Contact details of the Principal Contractor .
- Site works start date.
- Details of sufficient time allocation by the Client for the construction work .
- Duration of the construction phase.
- Estimated maximum number of people at work on the construction site.
- Number of contractors on the construction site.
- Contact details of any contractor already appointed.
- Contact detaisl of any designer already appointed.
- A declaration signed by or on behalf of the Client that the Client is aware of their duties under the CDM Regulations.
How F10 notice is sent to HSE?
An F10 is usually sent by using a link on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.
How to update an F10 Notification?
When an F10 issued for a project first time on HSE F10 portal, an acknowledgement email is received which includes the F10 Reference No or Notification ID. Using the email address and the Notification ID, the F10 can then be updated on relevant section of HSE F10 portal.
What is a "CDM Notifiable" construction project?
A construction project is notifiable under the HSE CDM Regulations when it meets the threshold requirements for sending a F10 notification to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (i.e. when the construction work on site will be more than 30 working days and will involve more than 20 people working on the site simultaneously or the construction work will involve more than 500 person days on site).
A notifiable project now under the current HSE CDM Regulations only means that the project details are to be made aware to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on the form F10 where as under the previous version of CDM Regulations 2015 (i.e. CDM Regulations 2007) a notifiable project meant a project which will require the appointment of a CDM Co-ordinator and the Principal Contractor.
What is a "Non Notifiable" construction project?
A construction project is non notifiable under the CDM Regs 2015 when it does not meet the threshold requirements for sending a F10 notification to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) , i.e. when the construction work on site will be less than 30 working days and will involve less than 20 people working on the site simultaneously or the construction work will involve less than 500 person days on site.
Can I send F10 when project is already on site?
An F10 only needs to be sent to HSE when the site works duration and persons involved for a construction project are expected to meet the F10 threshold requirements. If the site works are expected not to meet the F10 threshold i.e., the project is not notifiable to HSE , however, the site works may get delayed or later, additional work is added to the initial scope of the works which makes the project notifiable then F10 should be issued to HSE at that point. In a nutshell, F10 can be sent to HSE at any time (even during the site works) when it becomes apparent that F10 threshold is likely to be met.
Where is the F10 displayed?
When the F10 is issued to HSE , a copy of it should be displayed on the site notice board so that it visible to everyone working on that construction site.
Who notifies HSE under CDM 2015?
Please see the section “Who issues F10 notification?” above.
When does a project become notifiable under CDM?
Please see the section “What is a Notifiable CDM project?” above.
What is the CDM threshold?
Please see the section “What is F10 threshold?” above.
F10 notification calculator
Other CDM Guidance
In addition to this, we at (Safescope) have also produced a number of other in-depth CDM Guides on various related topics. These guides are available on this website. Please follow the Link.
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