Principal Designer for Lift Projects
Supporting You With Your Legal Duties Under CDM 2015
We provide independent Principal Designer services for lift and escalator projects, helping clients meet their legal duties under CDM 2015.
Appointing an experienced Principal Designer early in your lift installation, refurbishment or modernisation project reduces uncertainty, improves coordination and strengthens compliance throughout the lifecycle of the works.
If you have an upcoming lift or escalator project that falls under CDM 2015, speak to our team to understand how we can support you.
Compliance is mandatory. The right Principal Designer is strategic
If your lift installation, lift refurbishment or lift modernisation project falls under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and involves more than one contractor, you are legally required to appoint a Principal Designer.
But this appointment is more than a formality.
Lift and escalator projects involve confined spaces, complex interfaces, high-risk activities and multiple stakeholders. Without strong coordination at the pre-construction stage, safety risks, programme delays and compliance exposure can quickly escalate.
We act as an independent, specialist Principal Designer for lift projects, helping clients identify risks early, manage them properly and ensure key responsibilities are documented correctly from the outset.
Learn more about the roles and responsibilities of a Principal Designer, as outlined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Why Choose ILECS as Your Lift Principal Designer?
As an independent lift consultancy, our advice is focused on what is right for the building, the project and the client’s duties under CDM 2015. We are not tied to a manufacturer or installer, which means our recommendations are impartial, practical and project-specific.
We support clients through the pre-construction stage by improving communication between designers and contractors, helping manage significant and foreseeable risks before work begins on site.
Our Principal Designer Approach
01.
Specialist experience in lift projects
Our consultants have extensive experience working on lift projects, giving clients practical advice grounded in the realities of complex, safety-critical building works.
02.
Early design risk management
We help identify significant and foreseeable risks at the earliest stage, reducing uncertainty and supporting safer planning before installation or upgrade works begin.
03.
Stronger project coordination
Good communication between client, designers and contractors is essential. We help facilitate effective coordination so responsibilities are clear and risks are properly managed.
04.
Support with CDM 2015 duties
We help clients understand their legal duties under CDM 2015, offering practical guidance and support throughout lift installation, refurbishment and modernisation projects.
05.
Independent strategic advice
As an independent Principal Designer for lift projects, our advice is based on the needs of the building, the scope of the works and the client’s objectives.
06.
Compliance from the outset
We ensure key risks are considered, managed and documented correctly from the beginning, helping reduce compliance exposure as the project progresses.
CDM 2015 Compliance, Coordination and Risk Management
Every lift project must respond to more than movement between floors. It must also support safe planning, clear communication and legal compliance under CDM 2015, particularly where more than one contractor is involved.
At ILECS, we take a practical and strategic approach to the Principal Designer role, helping clients improve coordination, manage design risk and make informed decisions from the outset. The result is a better organised project with stronger compliance foundations throughout the lifecycle of the works.
NAVIGATE By ILECS
Lift Projects We Support
Lift Modernisation
For lifts with serviceable core components, modernisation can improve performance, reliability and compliance without full replacement. We help identify which elements should be retained, upgraded or replaced.
Lift Replacement
Where an existing lift has reached the end of its useful life, full replacement may be the most effective option. We advise on complete replacement strategies that suit the building, usage demands and future maintenance requirements.
Lift Installation
When considering installing completely new lifting equipment in a building, where it does not currently exist or adding to existing facilities, it’s crucial that the equipment is of high quality and suitable for the needs of the building.
Lift Refurbishment
Lift refurbishment enhances your existing installations by retaining many of the major components and replacing outdated, worn or damaged parts with like-for-like where possible.
Protect your lift project from the outset
If you have an upcoming lift project which comes under The Construction (Design Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), where there is likely to be more than one contractor on site, you will be required to appoint a Principal Designer for the works.
Request a quotation today for an ILECS lift consultant to act as the Principal Designer for your project.
client testimonials
Don’t just take our word for it…
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Principal Designer role for lift and escalator projects?
The Principal Designer plans, manages, and monitors health and safety in the pre-construction phase, coordinating design risk and ensuring designers cooperate. The role focuses on eliminating, managing or reducing foreseeable risks and ensuring key project safety information is prepared and passed on.
When is a Principal Designer required for lift works under CDM?
A Principal Designer is required when more than one contractor is involved, or is likely to be involved, on the project. If only one contractor is involved, the Client duties still apply, but a Principal Designer appointment is not required.
What does a Principal Designer do during a lift replacement, modernisation, or installation project?
Typical duties include coordinating design risk reviews, compiling and maintaining pre-construction information, ensuring designers address significant risks, supporting safe buildability, coordinating with the Principal Contractor once appointed, and ensuring the health and safety file content is identified and captured for handover.
What is the difference between Principal Designer and Principal Contractor on a lift project?
The Principal Designer leads health and safety coordination during the design and pre-construction phase. The Principal Contractor leads health and safety management during the construction phase on site. Both roles support the Client in meeting CDM duties, but at different stages.
Can you act as Principal Designer if the main contractor has not been appointed yet?
Yes. The Principal Designer is typically appointed early to coordinate design risk and pre-construction information before a Principal Contractor is in place. The Principal Designer then liaises with the appointed Principal Contractor once the construction phase begins.
What information does the Principal Designer need at the start (scope, drawings, surveys, access constraints)?
Key information includes project scope and programme, existing drawings and surveys, known hazards such as asbestos records, access routes and restrictions, building use and occupancy constraints, interfaces with other trades, and any fire strategy or structural constraints that affect design and buildability.
How does the Principal Designer manage and reduce design risk for lifts and escalators?
By identifying significant risks early, driving design decisions that eliminate hazards where possible, coordinating temporary and permanent works interfaces, recording residual risks, and ensuring this information is communicated clearly to those who will plan and carry out the work.
What is the pre construction information pack, and who is responsible for it?
Pre-construction information is the health and safety information needed to plan and deliver the work safely, such as surveys, hazards, constraints, and key interfaces. The Client must ensure it is provided, and the Principal Designer typically helps compile, organise, and maintain it.
What is the health and safety file, and what lift documentation should be included at handover?
The health and safety file is a record of information needed for safe operation, maintenance, and future works. For lift projects it typically includes as built information, O&M manuals, test and commissioning records, certificates and declarations, residual risk information, and details of access and isolation arrangements.
Can you support smaller lift projects, and do they still need Principal Designer duties?
A Principal Designer appointment is required if more than one contractor is involved regardless of project size. If only one contractor is involved, the Client still needs to ensure risks are managed and information is provided.