The BSGA Technical Committee, chaired by Dave Derbyshire, is proud to present the Knowledge Hub Series – a comprehensive collection of guidance documents designed to support industry professionals in achieving compliance and best practices.
Across the diverse environments in which our industry operates – from retail fit outs and high street refurbishments to construction sites, highways, and public facing environments – signage and graphics professionals routinely undertake activities that fall within the scope of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015).
Understanding how these Regulations apply to our industry is essential to ensuring safe, compliant, and professionally delivered projects.
CDM 2015 establishes a framework for planning, managing, and coordinating health and safety on construction related work. For signage industry professionals, this includes many common activities including but not limited to installing structural or illuminated signage, applying graphics at height, carrying out maintenance, or removing existing systems. Whilst these tasks vary widely in scale and complexity, the legal duties remain consistent – and compliance must always be proportionate, practical, and risk led.
To support members and industry partners, the BSGA has developed this Knowledge Hub guidance on CDM Compliance. It outlines how the Regulations apply within our sector, clarifies roles and responsibilities, and provides practical direction on proportional compliance, competence, and best practice.
With strengthened national safety expectations and an increasingly professionalised construction ecosystem, CDM understanding is a vital component of modern signage operations.
The Knowledge Hub Series: CDM Compliance in the Signage and Graphics Industry
This guidance provides clear, practical support on the key areas that signage organisations must consider when undertaking work that meets the legal definition of “construction work”:
Understanding when CDM applies:
Clarifying which signage and graphics activities fall within scope – for example: installation, removal, electrical connections, structural fixing, groundworks, and work at height – and which activities (such as: factory based printing) do not.
Dutyholder Roles and Responsibilities:
Explaining the responsibilities of Clients, Principal Designers, Principal Contractors, Contractors, and Operatives in signage related projects, and how these roles translate into real world practice within our sector.
Proportionate compliance for signage projects:
Outlining what “proportionate” looks like for short duration or low complexity tasks, and what is required on larger or multi contractor projects.
This includes RAMS, Construction Phase Plans, coordination arrangements, and welfare requirements.
Competence, Training and Supervision:
Reinforcing that compliance is centred on competence – ensuring that individuals carrying out construction related signage work have the right skills, knowledge, training and experience, or are supervised appropriately while developing them.
Planning, coordination and communication:
Promoting practical steps for pre-planning, hazard identification, site communication, safe sequencing, and working alongside other trades to prevent conflicts and reduce risk.
Effective CDM management is both a legal requirement and an essential part of delivering safe, professional signage and graphics projects. Responsibility should not be underestimated: organisations must ensure that arrangements are proportionate, clearly understood, and aligned with the actual risks present in each project.
By adopting these best practices, BSGA members can improve safety performance, enhance project outcomes, reduce liability, and demonstrate compliance across the built environment.
Where uncertainty exists, or more detailed support is required, organisations are encouraged to seek competent health and safety advice to ensure their CDM arrangements are robust, practical, and fully aligned with regulatory expectations.
The Knowledge Hub Series is a dynamic resource, evolving with industry needs. By promoting open communication and reducing barriers to information, we strengthen our community and ensure every professional benefits from shared knowledge and elevated standards.
We encourage all members to explore these resources, implement best practices, and share feedback to continue shaping the Knowledge Hub Series.
For access to the Knowledge Hub Series or to share insights with the BSGA Technical Committee, please contact the team or log in to your member portal:
Together, we champion safer workplaces, strengthen professional competence, and build a more resilient and accountable industry – for 2025 and beyond.