Construction Site Welfare Requirements: The Full CDM 2015 Checklist

Construction site welfare requirements in Great Britain fit on one page but are easy to get wrong on the ground. Every site needs toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, somewhere to change and keep clothing, and somewhere to rest and eat.

The law behind site welfare

In England, Scotland and Wales, Schedule 2 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) lists the minimum welfare facilities for construction sites, and HSE guidance says the duty applies to all construction work. Schedule 2 sets standards, not quantities: each facility must be suitable and sufficient, and HSE says the right provision depends on how big the job is and what the work involves.

Northern Ireland has its own Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, with the minimum welfare facilities in Schedule 3. For a site there, follow HSENI guidance.

Who has to provide welfare facilities

• The principal contractor. Where more than one contractor will work on a project, the client must appoint one in writing, and it must make sure Schedule 2 facilities are provided throughout the construction phase.
• Every contractor. Each must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that Schedule 2 is met for itself and the workers under its control. With a single contractor, the duty sits with that contractor.
• Commercial clients. The client's arrangements for managing the project must ensure the Schedule 2 facilities are provided.
• Domestic clients. For a householder's work not connected with a business, HSE says the client duties pass to the contractor if there is only one, and normally to the principal contractor if there are more.

Facilities from the first day on site

HSE says contractors must have suitable facilities in place from the start for the workers they control and keep them up throughout; the principal contractor's duty runs from the start of the project until it finishes. HSE accepts that portable chemical toilets may be the only achievable option at the very start or end of some projects.

HSE advises deciding where facilities go, and whether they will have to move, before you start on site. A factory-built unit has to be drawn, built and delivered first, so put it in the programme early. For mobile work such as highway repairs, HSE lists a central compound, satellite compounds or self-contained mobile units, each of which must still meet the minimum standards.

Construction site welfare requirements, item by item

The table follows Schedule 2, with HSE's guidance on each point. The Karmod column lists only what the layouts and listed options include, which does not cover water and drainage connections, cleaning, consumables or furniture.

Requirement	What it means in practice	Karmod layout or option
Toilets at readily accessible places, lit, ventilated and kept clean	Flushing toilets on mains water and drainage where possible, cleaned often enough (HSE says daily may not be enough on a muddy site), with sanitary waste disposal where women use them.	WC in the K3003 Site Welfare Unit; WC cubicle in the K2004; Toilet and Sink Unit option (£1,675 + VAT) on the open-plan cabin. Electrics are optional, so confirm lighting and WC ventilation on the drawing
Separate toilet rooms for men and women, unless each WC is its own room that locks from inside	Where toilets share a room, men and women need separate rooms; a single-occupancy room that locks from inside can serve anyone.	The K2004 WC is a cubicle closed off from the office; on any layout, confirm the inside lock before production
Washing next to every toilet and near any changing room: clean hot and cold, or warm, water, soap and a way to dry	A basin big enough for hands, face and forearms; HSE says sanitiser and a small sink are not enough unless other washing is nearby. Electric water heaters will probably need a 240V supply.	Wash basin in the WC of the K3003, K2004 and K3004; confirm hot or warm water when we quote
Showers where the work or health reasons require them	HSE says showers may be needed to control risks from hazardous substances such as cement, lead or micro-organisms, and must be provided where the work is dirty, as demolition frequently is.	Shower room in the K3006 (price on application)
Separate washing facilities for men and women, except single-user rooms that lock from inside, or basins used only for hands, forearms and face	A single shower room with an inside lock can serve everyone. Rooms with washing facilities must also be ventilated, lit and kept clean.	Confirm the inside lock on the K3006 shower room door before production
Wholesome drinking water, signed where necessary, with cups unless from a drinking jet	Mains supply where possible; stored or bottled water must not go stale or become contaminated.	The K3003 or K2004 kitchenette sink, if its supply is wholesome
Changing rooms with seating and, where necessary, clothes drying	Needed where workers must wear special clothing and cannot, for health or propriety reasons, be expected to change elsewhere, with separate changing for men and women where propriety requires. Keep contaminated protective equipment apart from everyday clothing.	The K3003 end room opposite the canteen, or the K3006 where showers are also needed
Lockers, where necessary, for clothing and personal effects	Secure storage; on smaller sites HSE says a site office or van can serve if it stays secure.	Not among the listed layouts or options; ask when you request a quote
Rest areas with enough tables and seats with backs	Sized for the most people using it at once, and not used to store plant, equipment or materials.	The canteen end of the K3003, or a separate mess room
Means to prepare and eat meals and to boil water	Somewhere to prepare and eat food and boil water. HSE says washing facilities near rest or eating areas encourage their use.	Kitchenette with sink in the K3003 and K2004; Kitchen Unit option on the open-plan cabin
An appropriate temperature	Heating in winter, ventilation in summer. HSE notes LPG heaters carry a carbon monoxide risk that properly maintained electrical equipment can remove.	Electric Wall Heater (£375 + VAT); Air Conditioning Unit (£2,950 + VAT on 2.30m × 6.00m and 3.00m × 5.00m; £3,300 + VAT on 3.00m × 6.00m and 3.00m × 7.00m)
Where necessary, somewhere for pregnant workers and nursing mothers to lie down	A private space with something suitable to lie on.	A room with its own entrance, such as either end of the K3003

How many toilets and basins

The law gives no figures. HSE says provision depends on headcount and the mix of men and women, and points to the tables in the Approved Code of Practice for the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which do not apply to construction sites but give a guide. For mixed use:

• 1 to 5 people: 1 toilet and 1 washbasin
• 6 to 25 people: 2 of each
• 26 to 50 people: 3 of each
• 51 to 75 people: 4 of each
• 76 to 100 people: 5 of each

The figures are for the most people likely to be there at any one time. For portable chemical toilets, HSE cites BS 6465-1 (the 2006 edition, now current as BS 6465-1:2006+A1:2009): one toilet for every seven people working a 40-hour week. HSE adds that these toilets are usually emptied weekly, so heavier use may mean more frequent servicing or more toilets, and that remote parts of larger sites may need extra toilets and washing facilities.

Matching Karmod welfare units to your site

The K3003, K3006 and K2004 each have one toilet and one wash basin, the guide figure for 1 to 5 people, and come in four footprints from 2.30m × 6.00m to 3.00m × 7.00m.

• Toilet, washing, rest and changing in one unit. The K3003 has a room with its own entrance at each end, one for a canteen and one for changing or drying, with the WC and kitchenette between. From £7,440 + VAT (2.30m × 6.00m) to £8,939 + VAT (3.00m × 7.00m).
• When showers are needed. The K3006 Welfare Unit with Shower Room & Kitchenette has the same plan with a shower room (toilet, basin and shower) in the core, priced on application.
• No changing room needed. The K2004 Site Office with WC & Kitchenette costs the same as the K3003 but has no second room, so it suits jobs where nobody needs to change on site.
• Six or more people. The figures suggest two toilets from 6 people and three from 26, so plan on that many units with a WC from our welfare and WC units. A separate mess room can come from our canteen and break room layouts, such as the Open-Plan Portable Cabin (from £4,290 + VAT at 2.30m × 6.00m) with the Kitchen Unit option (£1,475 + VAT at that size).

The Standard Electrical Pack is £950 + VAT on the two smaller footprints and £1,050 + VAT on the larger two. Prices exclude VAT, delivery and offloading. For a tight plot, see portable cabins for city sites.

Getting a quote

Tell us the most people on site at once, whether the work involves cement, lead or demolition, your start date and how long the units stay, and which services can reach them. Use our contact page or call 0116 403 0143; we confirm the layout on a drawing before production.

Check current HSE guidance for your project, and ask your local planning authority and building control whether the units need permission or approval.