A construction site must provide toilets, washing facilities with hot and cold or warm running water, soap and a way to dry, drinking water, somewhere to change, dry and lock away clothing where the work calls for it, and a heated rest area with tables, seats with backs and a way to boil water and eat. That is the legal minimum in Schedule 2 of CDM 2015. It must be in place from the moment construction work starts, not once the job “gets going”, and it applies to a three-day bathroom refit as much as to a city-centre tower.
At a glance: Nexis CPD offers a £9 CPD-accredited online Health and Safety in Construction course — 100% online, with an instantly emailed, employer-verifiable certificate. Any three courses cost £18. This article is general information, not legal advice.
What does the law say about welfare facilities on construction sites?
In Great Britain, construction welfare is set by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). Schedule 2, “Minimum welfare facilities required for construction sites”, has five paragraphs: toilets, washing, drinking water, changing rooms and lockers, and rest facilities. Three regulations point to it:
- Regulation 4(2)(b): a client’s arrangements are only suitable if they ensure the Schedule 2 facilities are provided for anyone carrying out construction work.
- Regulation 13(4)(c): the principal contractor must ensure Schedule 2 facilities are provided “throughout the construction phase”.
- Regulation 15(11): every contractor must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that Schedule 2 is complied with so far as it affects the contractor or any worker under its control.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which cover workplaces such as offices, shops and factories, largely do not apply: regulation 3(1)(b) excludes construction sites apart from a few named provisions. Above both sits section 2(2)(e) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which requires employers to provide adequate welfare facilities. Our CDM 2015 guide covers the wider duties; this article goes into the facilities themselves.
Who is responsible for welfare facilities on a construction site?
Every duty holder has a share, which is why welfare falls through the gaps. HSE’s welfare overview says contractors provide welfare and clients must ensure it happens, deciding early in planning.
| Who | Welfare duty | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial client | Make arrangements that ensure Schedule 2 facilities are provided. HSE says clients should co-operate and help where welfare is difficult to provide. | CDM reg 4(2)(b); L153 para 31(g) |
| Principal contractor | Ensure Schedule 2 facilities throughout the construction phase, and liaise with other contractors as the site changes. | CDM reg 13(4)(c); L153 paras 137–138 |
| Every contractor, including the self-employed | Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that Schedule 2 is met for workers under its control. | CDM reg 15(11); L153 paras 176–178 |
| Domestic client | Client duties pass to the contractor, the principal contractor or, by written agreement, the principal designer. | CDM reg 7 |
| Workers | Must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided for welfare. | HSWA section 8 |
Regulation 15(11) is not limited to single-contractor projects. It applies to every contractor, so a subcontractor cannot treat welfare as purely the principal contractor’s problem; L153 says contractors on shared sites agree arrangements with the principal contractor. CDM defines a contractor as anyone who carries out, manages or controls construction work in the course of a business, so a sole trader plastering a kitchen has the duty too.
Do welfare facilities have to be in place from day one?
Yes. Regulation 13(4)(c) requires facilities throughout the construction phase, and CDM 2015 defines that phase as beginning when construction work starts. HSE’s guidance on CDM 2015, L153, says facilities must be made available before any construction work starts and maintained until the end of the project (paragraphs 137 and 176).
The gaps appear at the edges of a job: groundworks before the cabins arrive, snagging after the compound is cleared, or a phase change when cabins move. HSE accepts that chemical toilets may be the only achievable option at the start or end of some projects. That is a lower standard for a short period, not permission for none.
Day-one welfare checklist
- Toilets readily accessible, clean, lit, ventilated and stocked; separate for men and women or in single rooms that lock from inside, with sanitary disposal where women use them.
- Washbasins beside the toilets with hot and cold or warm running water, soap and towels or a dryer, big enough for hands, face and forearms.
- Showers if the work is very dirty or involves hazardous substances.
- Drinking water, clearly identified, with cups.
- A warm, dry rest area with tables and seats with backs for everyone on a break at once, a kettle and a way to heat food.
- Secure storage for clothing and belongings, and a way to dry wet gear.
- Cleaning and servicing booked: who cleans, who restocks, and when toilets are emptied.
- Water, drainage and power connected, or a self-contained unit, with appliances checked.
- Any shared facilities agreed, open whenever workers are on site, and workers told where they are.
- Welfare written into the construction phase plan and shown at the site induction.
What does Schedule 2 of CDM 2015 require?
Schedule 2 welfare checklist
This checklist sets each requirement against what it means in practice, drawing on HSE’s construction welfare pages and its information sheet CIS59, Provision of welfare facilities during construction work.
| Schedule 2 requirement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Para 1: suitable and sufficient toilets at readily accessible places, ventilated, lit, kept clean, and separate for men and women unless each is in its own lockable room | Flushing toilets where possible, chemical toilets where not. A cleaning routine with a named person. Lockable single cubicles, partitioned from urinals, can be shared. |
| Para 2(1)–(2): washing facilities next to every toilet and near changing rooms, including showers where the work or health requires | Basins beside the toilets, not across the compound. Showers for very dirty work or hazardous substances. |
| Para 2(3): clean hot and cold, or warm, water (running so far as is reasonably practicable), soap or other cleaning, towels or other drying | A cold tap alone does not comply. Hand gel is not soap and water. |
| Para 2(4)–(7): ventilated, lit, clean; separate for men and women unless a lockable single-user room, except basins for hands, forearms and face | Shared basins are fine. Showers need separate rooms or lockable single-user cubicles. |
| Para 3: wholesome drinking water at readily accessible places, marked where needed, with cups unless supplied in a jet | A mains-fed tap where possible, stored water kept fresh, and the supply marked so nobody drinks from the wrong tap. |
| Para 4: changing rooms with seating where special clothing is worn and workers cannot change elsewhere; drying facilities and lockers where necessary | Somewhere private to change, a heated drying area, and lockable storage for clothing and belongings. |
| Para 5(2)(a): tables and seats with backs for the number likely to use them at one time | Size the rest area for the busiest break, not the average headcount. |
| Para 5(2)(b): where necessary, facilities for a pregnant worker or nursing mother to rest lying down | A private space with somewhere to lie down when a worker needs it. |
| Para 5(2)(c)–(e): arrangements to prepare and eat meals, a means of boiling water, an appropriate temperature | A kettle, a way to warm food such as a microwave, heating in winter and ventilation in summer. |
What toilets are acceptable on a construction site?
HSE’s page on construction toilets and washing sets an order of preference: flushing toilets connected to mains water and drainage where available, then units with built-in water and waste tanks, then portable chemical toilets where flushing toilets cannot be provided. HSE’s FAQ calls chemical toilets a last resort.
CIS59 opens with a line every site manager should read: a cold water tap and a chemical toilet on their own are not adequate facilities. That combination fails on hot water, washing and rest at once.
Location matters too. HSE says to keep the time from the furthest part of the site to the nearest toilet as short as possible, adding facilities on remote parts of large sites. CIS59 adds that welfare units should be positioned so pedestrians and vehicles stay segregated.
How many toilets does a construction site need?
There is no fixed number in law. Schedule 2 says “suitable and sufficient”, and L153 sets no ratio. HSE’s toilet guidance points to two benchmarks:
- The Workplace Regulations code of practice. HSE says Tables 1 and 2 of the L24 Approved Code of Practice give an indication, while noting those regulations do not apply to construction sites.
- BS 6465-1:2006 for chemical toilets. HSE says it recommends one portable toilet for every seven people working a 40-hour week, where toilets are emptied weekly.
L24’s Table 1, for toilets used by men and women, counts the maximum number of people likely to be at work at any one time:
| People at work | Toilets | Washbasins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 to 25 | 2 | 2 |
| 26 to 50 | 3 | 3 |
| 51 to 75 | 4 | 4 |
| 76 to 100 | 5 | 5 |
Above 100, L24 adds one toilet and washbasin for every 25 people or part of 25; Table 2 lets men-only facilities use urinals. For dirty work that heavily soils the face, hands and forearms, L24 raises washbasins to one per 10 people up to 50, and says more may be needed where everyone breaks or finishes together. Both describe a typical building site.
Do not mix the benchmarks. The L24 table assumes flushing toilets on a drainage system; the one-in-seven figure is for chemical toilets emptied weekly. For 20 workers, it points to three units.
What washing facilities must a construction site have?
Washing facilities must be right beside every toilet and near any changing rooms, with clean hot and cold, or warm, water, soap or another suitable cleaner, and towels or another way to dry. HSE adds that basins must be big enough to wash hands, face and forearms properly, and warns that some portable toilets have only a hand sanitiser and a small sink, which is inadequate unless other suitable washing facilities are nearby.
Washing is a health control, not a comfort. HSE describes welfare facilities as a control measure against hazardous substances such as cement, lead and micro-organisms, which is why a sanitiser and a small sink are not enough on their own. HSE also says hand washing should not generally happen where people eat and drink.
Showers are needed where the work or health reasons call for them. CIS59 gives sewer maintenance, dusty demolition, contaminated land and concrete pouring as examples, and says specialist facilities are needed for lead, asbestos and compressed-air work. HSE also notes that electric water heaters will probably run at 240V, so the installation needs precautions against electrical injury.
What are the rules for drinking water on a construction site?
Schedule 2 requires an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water at readily accessible places, marked with a sign where health or safety requires, and cups unless it comes from a fountain-style jet. HSE’s guidance on changing, eating and rest areas says drinking water should always be available, clearly identified and easy to get, from the mains where possible, and that stored or bottled water must not become stale or contaminated. On a site with bowsers and wash-down hoses, marking the drinking supply stops someone filling a bottle from the wrong tap. For hot weather, see our guide to working temperatures in the UK.
Does a construction site need changing rooms and a drying room?
Changing rooms are required where workers wear special clothing and cannot, for health or propriety, be expected to change elsewhere. They need seating, separate use for men and women where propriety requires, and, where necessary, a way to dry work and personal clothing. Schedule 2 also requires lockable storage for clothing and belongings where necessary; HSE says a secure site office or locked van can serve on smaller sites.
“Drying room” is not a phrase in Schedule 2, but drying facilities are. CIS59 says clothing should not generally be put directly on heaters because of the fire risk, and electric heaters should be ventilated and, if possible, fitted with a high-temperature cut-out. HSE adds that contaminated protective equipment should be kept separate from everyday clothing.
What should a construction site rest area or canteen have?
Schedule 2 requires enough tables and seats with backs for everyone likely to use the rest area at one time, a way to prepare and eat meals, a means of boiling water, an appropriate temperature and, where necessary, somewhere a pregnant worker or nursing mother can lie down. CIS59 adds shelter from wind and rain and a means of warming food, such as a microwave. HSE says rest areas must be kept clean and never used to store plant, equipment or materials.
Heating is where rest areas cause harm. CIS59 warns that poorly ventilated LPG heaters and cookers can produce carbon monoxide with potentially fatal results, and that properly maintained electrical equipment removes that risk. If LPG is used, keep cylinders outside, have appliances checked by a competent person, keep vents clear and fit carbon monoxide detectors.
What welfare facilities do women need on a construction site?
Schedule 2 requires separate toilets for men and women unless each is in its own lockable room, separate washing unless in a lockable single-user room (basins for hands, forearms and face can be shared), separate changing where propriety requires, and rest facilities for pregnant workers and nursing mothers where necessary. HSE adds that facilities used by women must have sanitary waste disposal, and that unisex showers are acceptable in a separate lockable room used by one person at a time.
The common failure is planning for an all-male site and improvising when a woman joins. Fit matters beyond welfare too: the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 say PPE is not suitable unless it can fit the wearer correctly.
What welfare is needed on short-duration, mobile and roadworks sites?
The standard is the same; how you meet it changes. CIS59 defines a transient site as work of up to a week at one or many locations, or longer work that moves along a route, such as roadworks or cable laying. Its options run, in order of preference, from fixed installations and portable flushing units to portable units on site, a suitably designed welfare vehicle, nearby facilities, and finally a portable unit near the site. An ordinary crew van with no table, washing or toilet is not a welfare vehicle.
Using someone else’s facilities is allowed on terms. HSE says you can use a café, public toilets or an occupied building if the owner agrees (not necessarily in writing), the facilities are available all the time workers are on site, and someone keeps them clean and stocked. CIS59 adds that they must cost workers nothing, workers must be told where they are, and public toilets are acceptable only where nothing else is practical.
What welfare facilities are needed for a domestic job in someone’s home?
CDM 2015 applies to work for householders. Regulation 7 passes the client duties to the contractor or principal contractor, and the contractor’s own duty under regulation 15(11) still applies. Small builders usually meet it by agreeing to use the household’s toilet, a basin with hot water and somewhere to make a drink, on HSE’s terms for occupied buildings: agreement, availability whenever workers are on site, and cleaning.
The weak points are predictable: the job removes the only bathroom or kitchen, the water is off for first fix, or the homeowners lock up and go to work. Agree the arrangement before starting, record it in the construction phase plan, and plan an alternative, such as a hired self-contained welfare unit, for the days the house’s facilities are out of action.
Who cleans and maintains construction site welfare facilities?
Schedule 2 requires toilets and washing facilities to be kept clean and orderly, and the principal contractor’s duty runs throughout the job. HSE says daily cleaning may not be enough on a muddy site, consumables must not run out, and chemical toilets may need emptying more often than the usual weekly service. L153 says welfare should be adjusted as the site changes, so peak labour or a moved compound means rechecking what “sufficient” now means.
What happens if a construction site does not provide proper welfare?
HSE inspectors can advise, serve improvement notices and prosecute. Under HSE’s fee for intervention scheme, a dutyholder an inspector writes to about a material breach pays for the inspector’s time. HSE’s busy-builder sheet CIS62 describes a company fined both for missing welfare and for failing to comply with the improvement notice.
In April 2026, HSE reported that Ling Developments Limited was fined £15,858, with £3,858 costs, after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 13(4)(c). A 2024 inspection had found no hot or warm water in the toilets and no suitable rest facilities, and HSE said the company had breached the same law three times before. Its inspector said such basics “aren’t a luxury”.
What construction health and safety training is available online?
Nexis CPD’s Health and Safety in Construction course explains why construction carries such high risk, the key legal duties including CDM, the main safety and health hazards on site, and the controls and shared responsibilities that keep people safe. Health Safety and Welfare for Managers and Supervisors covers health and safety law, risk assessment, welfare requirements, RIDDOR and HSE enforcement. Environmental Awareness for Construction Workers covers environmental issues on site, the waste hierarchy and the legal duty of care for waste. See also our guide to construction worker training requirements.
£9 per course. CPD accredited, 100% online, verifiable e-certificate. Pay for 2, get 3 — any 3 courses for £18. These are CPD-accredited awareness courses. They do not replace a site induction, a CSCS card or formal management training, and no online course puts a toilet, a washbasin or a heated cabin on your site.
Frequently asked questions
What are the minimum welfare facilities on a construction site?
Schedule 2 of CDM 2015 requires toilets, washing facilities with hot and cold or warm water, soap and drying, drinking water, changing rooms and lockers where needed, and a rest area with tables, seats with backs, a means of boiling water and somewhere to eat.
Do welfare facilities have to be on site from the first day?
Yes. The principal contractor must provide them throughout the construction phase, which starts when construction work starts. HSE’s L153 guidance says facilities must be available before any construction work starts.
Can builders use the homeowner’s toilet on a domestic job?
Yes, by agreement, if the facilities are available the whole time workers are on site and kept clean and stocked. If the house’s facilities will be out of action, the contractor must arrange an alternative.
Is a portable chemical toilet enough on a building site?
Not on its own. HSE accepts chemical toilets where flushing ones cannot be provided, but they must come with proper washing facilities and a rest area. HSE’s CIS59 says a cold water tap and a chemical toilet alone are not adequate.
How many toilets does a construction site need?
The law sets no fixed number. HSE points to the Workplace Regulations code of practice, which suggests two toilets and two washbasins for 6 to 25 people, and to one chemical toilet per seven people where toilets are emptied weekly.
Does a construction site have to provide hot water?
Yes. Schedule 2 requires clean hot and cold, or warm, water for washing. A cold tap alone does not comply, and HSE has prosecuted a company whose site toilets had no hot or warm water.
This article is general information about construction site welfare in Great Britain, not legal advice. It reflects CDM 2015, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and HSE guidance including L153, L24, CIS59 and CIS62 as we found them on 15 October 2026. CIS59 was written under the earlier CDM 2007 regulations, so check its legal references against CDM 2015. Northern Ireland has its own regulations. For a specific project, follow the construction phase plan and take advice from a competent health and safety adviser. Nexis CPD courses are CPD-accredited awareness training, not regulated qualifications, CSCS cards or site inductions.