F10 Notification and HSE Submission Support
An F10 notification tells the Health and Safety Executive about a construction project that meets the notification thresholds under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, commonly known as CDM 2015.
Embark Consulting can assess whether your project is notifiable, help gather the required information and prepare the F10 form for submission. This service is available as a standalone requirement or as part of our wider CDM Advisor support.
Key points before you submit
More than 30 working days with more than 20 workers simultaneously, or more than 500 person-days.
Responsibility depends on whether the project is commercial or domestic and how duty-holder roles are allocated.
Where a project is notifiable, notice should be given as soon as practicable before the construction phase begins.
Assessment, information gathering, preparation, submission support and assistance with later project changes.
What Is an F10 Notification?
The F10 is the online notice used to inform HSE about a notifiable construction project. It records key information about the site, planned work, programme and organisations involved, including the client, principal designer and principal contractor where those duty holders have been appointed.
An F10 notice is a notification rather than an application for permission or approval. Submitting it does not replace the other duties that apply under CDM 2015, and it does not by itself demonstrate that a project is compliant.
When Is an F10 Required?
A construction project is notifiable where the construction work is expected to meet either of the following criteria:
The work will last longer than 30 working days and more than 20 workers will be working simultaneously at any point in the project.
The work will exceed 500 person-days of construction work.
Both parts of the first test must apply. A project lasting more than 30 working days is not notifiable under that test unless more than 20 workers will also be on site at the same time at some point. The separate 500 person-day threshold may still make the project notifiable.
A person-day means one individual, including supervisors and specialists, carrying out construction work for one normal working shift. All days on which construction work is carried out count, including weekends or holidays.
Who Is Responsible for the F10 Notice?
The client must ensure HSE is notified
The client can appoint someone, including a competent adviser, to prepare and submit the information on its behalf, but using an adviser does not remove the client’s duties under CDM 2015.
Notification normally passes to the project team
For a domestic client, notification is normally carried out by the contractor or, where more than one contractor is involved, the principal contractor. A principal designer may carry out the client’s duties where this has been agreed in writing.
Embark can submit an F10 on behalf of the appropriate duty holder once the project information, roles and declaration have been confirmed.
What Information Is Needed for an F10 Form?
The HSE F10 form requires accurate project and duty-holder information. To prepare the notification, Embark will typically need:
- The construction-site address and relevant local authority.
- A concise description of the project and the construction work involved.
- The planned start date and expected duration of the construction phase.
- The anticipated maximum number of people on site and the planned number of contractors.
- Contact details for the client, principal designer and principal contractor, together with relevant designer and contractor information.
- The name and role of the person making the declaration.
HSE issues a unique serial number after submission. This is used with the relevant email address to access or edit the notification, so the submission record should be kept securely with the project information.
How Embark Supports Your F10 Notification
Embark’s F10 notification service is designed to give clients a clear route from initial assessment to a usable submission record.
Assess notifiability
We review the expected programme and workforce against the F10 notification requirements.
Confirm the project team
We help identify the information required for the relevant client, principal designer, principal contractor, designers and contractors.
Prepare the notification
We compile the project details in the format needed for the HSE F10 form and resolve obvious gaps before submission.
Submit and issue the record
Once authorised, we submit the notification and provide the confirmation information for project records and site display.
Support project changes
If key notified details change, we can help determine whether the F10 record needs to be updated and assist with the next steps.
F10 Notification and Wider CDM Duties
The F10 is only one part of managing a construction project under CDM 2015. Notifiable and non-notifiable projects must still be planned, managed and monitored so that health and safety risks are controlled.
A project involving more than one contractor requires the appointment of a principal designer and principal contractor, regardless of whether the F10 notification thresholds are met.
Why Use Embark for F10 Support?
Assess correctly
- Experienced CDM consultants who understand the wider duties surrounding the notification.
- Clear assessment of the programme and workforce against the notifiable-project criteria.
Prepare accurately
- Support gathering and checking the project information needed for the online form.
- A practical route from initial review to submission record and site-display information.
Fit the wider project
- A standalone F10 service or support integrated with Embark’s broader CDM consultancy.
- Advice that considers the F10 alongside the wider project duties.
F10 Notification FAQs
What is the difference between an F10 form, F10 notice and F10 notification?
These terms generally refer to the same HSE notification process. The online F10 form is used to submit the notice for a construction project that meets the CDM 2015 notification criteria.
Does every project lasting more than 30 days require an F10?
No. Under the duration test, the work must last longer than 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at some point. A project may also be notifiable if it exceeds 500 person-days, regardless of the first test.
Can Embark submit the F10 on our behalf?
Yes. Embark can assess the project, prepare the information and submit the notification on behalf of the appropriate duty holder once the details and authority to submit have been confirmed.
Can construction begin before the F10 is submitted?
For a notifiable project, the client must give notice to HSE as soon as is practicable before the construction phase begins. The notification should therefore be addressed before work starts.
Can an F10 notification be updated?
Yes. HSE provides a unique serial number after submission, which can be used with the relevant email address to access or edit the notification when project details change.
Does a copy of the F10 need to be displayed on site?
For a notifiable project, the notice must be clearly displayed in the construction site office in a form that workers can understand. It must also be updated where relevant project details change.
Does submitting an F10 make the project CDM compliant?
No. The F10 is a notification to HSE. Clients and the other duty holders must still meet the wider requirements that apply to planning, design, contractor appointments, information, welfare and management of the construction work.
Request F10 Notification Support
If you are unsure whether your project meets the F10 requirements, send Embark the expected start date, duration, workforce and contractor information. Our CDM team can review the position and explain the appropriate next step.
Tell us about your construction project.