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Construction compliance guide

Welfare Facilities on Construction Sites: What the Law Requires

CDM 2015 requires welfare facilities on every construction site — including small domestic jobs. Here is what you must provide, what the law actually says, and where builders most commonly get caught out.

CDM 2015 Schedule 2 — the legal framework

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 set out welfare requirements in Schedule 2. These apply to every construction site in Great Britain, regardless of size. There is no exemption for small jobs or domestic projects — the only flexibility is that provision must be “so far as is reasonably practicable.”

Schedule 2 covers sanitary conveniences, washing facilities, drinking water, rest facilities, changing rooms, and lockers. The requirements are not complicated, but they are legally binding. If you are running a construction site, you are responsible for making sure these facilities are in place before work starts — not halfway through the project when the HSE turns up.

Toilets

You must provide suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences at readily accessible places. In practice, this means at least one toilet for every seven workers. Toilets must be flushing where reasonably practicable — chemical toilets are acceptable where there is no mains connection, but they must be serviced regularly and kept clean. Adequate ventilation and lighting are required. Washing facilities must be provided immediately adjacent to the toilets, with soap and a means of drying hands.

On mixed-gender sites, you need either separate facilities for men and women or individual lockable cubicles that anyone can use. This is an area the HSE is paying increasing attention to, particularly as more women enter the construction workforce.

Washing facilities

Washing facilities must include a supply of hot and cold running water, soap, and towels or other means of drying. They must be provided adjacent to toilets and also adjacent to any changing rooms. Where work involves exposure to hazardous substances — cement, silica dust, solvents — the washing facilities need to be sufficient for workers to clean themselves thoroughly before eating, drinking, or leaving site.

A bucket of cold water and a bar of soap does not meet the legal standard. You need running water. On sites without a mains connection, a portable hot water unit or heated bowser is the usual solution.

Drinking water

An adequate supply of wholesome drinking water must be provided for every person on site. The supply must be clearly marked as drinking water, and you must provide cups or a drinking fountain. The drinking water supply must not come from the same tap as non-potable washing water. On sites with a mains connection, a clearly labelled tap is fine. On sites without mains, bottled water or a potable water bowser is acceptable — but it must be replenished regularly and stored hygienically.

Dehydration is a real risk on construction sites, especially during summer or when workers are doing physically demanding tasks. Make sure there is enough water and that it is easily accessible — not locked in a cabin at the far end of the site.

Rest areas, changing rooms, and drying facilities

Rest areas must be heated, have seating with backs, and include a means of heating food — a microwave is the usual solution. Workers need somewhere to sit down out of the weather during breaks. A rest area does not need to be luxurious, but it must be clean, sheltered, and warm enough to use in winter.

Changing rooms are required where workers need to change into or out of protective clothing, or where work involves exposure to hazardous substances or wet conditions. Lockers or other secure storage must be provided so workers can store their own clothing safely while they work.

Drying facilities for wet clothing are also required. If workers are getting wet on site — from rain, groundworks, or wet trades — there must be somewhere to dry their clothes. A heated drying room or cabinet is the standard solution on larger sites; on smaller sites, a warm cabin with hanging space may be sufficient.

First aid facilities

Every construction site must have adequate first aid provision. At a minimum, this means a suitably stocked first aid kit and a designated person responsible for first aid arrangements. On larger sites or those with higher-risk activities, you may need trained first aiders and a dedicated first aid room. The first aid kit must be easily accessible, clearly marked, and checked regularly to ensure it is fully stocked. Details of first aid arrangements should be covered in the site induction so that every worker knows where the kit is and who to contact in an emergency.

Domestic projects — what is “reasonably practicable”?

On domestic projects, the welfare requirements still apply, but the test is what is reasonably practicable given the size and nature of the job. For a two-person extension where the homeowner is happy for workers to use the household bathroom, that is usually sufficient. You do not need to hire a welfare cabin for a week-long kitchen refit.

However, if the house is being gutted and the bathroom is out of action, you need an alternative — a portable toilet and hand-wash station at minimum. The key is to think about welfare before work starts and record the arrangements in your Construction Phase Plan. “We did not think about it” is not a defence the HSE will accept.

HSE enforcement — welfare is a common finding

Inadequate welfare facilities are one of the most common findings during HSE inspections of construction sites. Inspectors routinely find sites with no toilet provision, no washing facilities, no drinking water, or rest areas that are filthy and unusable. These are straightforward requirements, and the HSE has little patience for non-compliance.

Welfare breaches typically result in improvement notices, which are published on the HSE’s public register and visible to anyone — including your clients. Repeated or serious failures can lead to prohibition notices or prosecution. Getting welfare right is not difficult or expensive, but getting it wrong can cost you far more than the price of a portable toilet and a kettle.

How The Site Book handles welfare facilities

When you create a Construction Phase Plan or RAMS in The Site Book, welfare arrangements are included automatically. The software prompts you to confirm what welfare facilities are in place and records the details in your documentation. This means if the HSE inspects, you can show that welfare was planned and documented from the start — not an afterthought.

For domestic projects, The Site Book includes a welfare checklist tailored to smaller sites, helping you record whether client’s facilities are being used or whether portable provision is in place. Everything is captured in your CPP, ready to hand to an inspector if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions builders ask about welfare facilities on construction sites.

How many toilets do I need on a construction site?

There is no single fixed number written into CDM 2015 itself — the regulations say you must provide “suitable and sufficient” sanitary conveniences. In practice, the HSE and most industry guidance follow the standards set out in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Approved Code of Practice, which recommends at least one toilet for every seven workers. For mixed-gender sites you also need to consider separate facilities or lockable cubicles. Toilets must be adequately ventilated and lit, kept clean and in working order, and have washing facilities immediately adjacent. On smaller sites a single chemical toilet with a hand-wash station is usually acceptable, provided it is serviced regularly. The key test is whether the provision is reasonable for the number of people on site and the duration of the project.

Do I need a welfare cabin on a small domestic job?

Not necessarily. CDM 2015 requires welfare facilities on every construction site, but for domestic projects the standard is what is “reasonably practicable.” On a small domestic job — say a kitchen refit or a loft conversion — you do not need to hire a full welfare cabin if the client agrees to let workers use the household facilities. However, you do still need to make sure the basics are covered: access to a toilet, somewhere to wash hands with hot and cold water, drinking water, and somewhere to sit down, warm up, and eat food. If the client’s house is not available or the homeowner does not want workers inside, you will need to provide portable welfare facilities. The bottom line is that domestic does not mean exempt — it means proportionate.

Can workers use the client’s toilet on a domestic project?

Yes, provided the client agrees. On domestic projects, CDM 2015 recognises that hiring portable welfare facilities for a two-person job may not be reasonably practicable, so using the client’s existing household facilities is a common and accepted solution. However, this arrangement should be agreed before work starts — ideally in writing or at least discussed clearly so there are no misunderstandings. If the client does not want workers using their bathroom, or if the house is being stripped out and the facilities are not usable, you need an alternative. It is good practice to record the welfare arrangements in your Construction Phase Plan or pre-start checklist, so there is evidence that you considered and addressed the requirement. Never assume the client is happy for you to use their facilities without asking first.

What are the legal requirements for drinking water on site?

CDM 2015 Schedule 2 requires that an “adequate supply of wholesome drinking water” is provided for every person on a construction site. The water must be free, readily accessible, and clearly marked as drinking water so workers can distinguish it from non-potable supplies. You must also provide cups or a drinking fountain — a tap alone is not sufficient unless workers can drink from it hygienically. The drinking water supply must not come from the same tap as washing facilities unless it is a mains-fed supply that is clearly safe to drink. On sites without a mains connection, bottled water or a bowser with potable water is acceptable, but you must ensure it is replenished regularly and kept clean. In hot weather or where physically demanding work is being done, you should consider whether the quantity is sufficient — dehydration is a genuine health risk on construction sites.

What happens if the HSE finds inadequate welfare facilities?

Welfare facilities are one of the most common areas where the HSE finds non-compliance on construction sites. If an inspector visits and finds that toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, or rest areas are missing or inadequate, they can take enforcement action. This typically starts with an improvement notice, which is a formal legal document requiring you to fix the problem within a set timeframe — usually 21 days. Improvement notices are published on the HSE’s public register, visible to anyone including your clients. For more serious failures — for example, no toilet provision at all on a site with a large workforce — the HSE can issue a prohibition notice or even prosecute. Fines for welfare breaches can be substantial. The HSE takes welfare seriously because poor welfare conditions affect worker health, morale, and dignity, and they are straightforward to get right.

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Site Inductions Guide

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