What Are the CDM Welfare Legal Obligations on Construction Sites?

Construction employers have wider duties relating to worker health, safety and welfare under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. More specifically, CDM 2015 places requirements on those responsible for providing welfare facilities throughout a construction project.

Schedule 2 of CDM 2015 sets out the minimum welfare facilities required on construction sites, covering toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, changing areas and places for rest and eating. What constitutes adequate welfare facilities will depend on factors such as workforce size, the work being undertaken and the conditions on site.

Sanitary facilities

Construction sites must provide suitable and sufficient toilets in readily accessible locations. They should be adequately ventilated and lit and kept in a clean and orderly condition. Suitable washing facilities must also be provided nearby.

The HSE guidance on construction toilets and washing facilities also highlights the need to consider cleaning arrangements, servicing frequency and the capacity of temporary facilities.

Maintaining toilets and construction site welfare units requires appropriate arrangements for water supply and wastewater removal. This can be particularly relevant on remote sites, temporary compounds and projects where workers cannot use existing facilities.

Universal Tankers provides welfare unit servicing for construction sites, including wastewater collection, waste tank emptying and scheduled or responsive servicing.

Drinking water

CDM 2015 requires an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water at readily accessible and suitable locations. Suitable drinking vessels must also be available unless workers can drink directly from the supply.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate's drinking water standards explain how wholesome drinking water is defined through standards covering substances, organisms and other properties that can affect water quality.

Where a suitable mains connection is unavailable or cannot provide the required volume, Universal Tankers can provide construction site water supply for welfare facilities. Our potable water meets the applicable Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations and DWI guidance and can be used for drinking, cooking, food preparation and other suitable welfare applications.

Our purpose-built water tankers provide bulk deliveries for planned requirements as well as situations where an alternative water supply is required at short notice.

Washing facilities

Washing facilities must include clean water, together with soap and a suitable means of drying. They should be located close to sanitary conveniences and changing areas where appropriate and kept clean and orderly.

A reliable water supply therefore forms part of maintaining operational welfare facilities throughout a construction project. Universal Tankers can provide wholesome drinking water deliveries for welfare facilities, including locations without sufficient access to mains water.

Non-potable water can also be supplied separately for suitable applications such as toilet flushing and general site cleaning where drinking-quality water is not required.

Changing facilities

Suitable changing facilities must be provided where workers are required to wear specialist clothing and cannot reasonably change elsewhere. Where appropriate, separate facilities should be available for men and women.

Changing areas should include seating and, where required, facilities for drying clothing. Workers must also have suitable arrangements for securely storing workwear, personal clothing and belongings.

HSE provides further guidance on changing, eating and rest areas on construction sites, including clothing storage, drying arrangements and separation requirements.

Rest and eating facilities

Workers must have suitable areas where they can rest and eat away from the immediate work area. These should provide sufficient tables and seating for the workforce, facilities for preparing and eating food and a means of boiling water. Suitable heating and ventilation should also be provided according to site conditions.

Access to potable water, suitable cleaning arrangements and effective wastewater management all contribute to keeping these facilities operational throughout the project.

Wastewater management and environmental responsibilities

Managing welfare facilities also creates wastewater and sewage that must be collected and disposed of appropriately where there is no connection to the mains sewer.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 establishes Duty of Care requirements for controlled waste in England and Wales. The government's Waste Duty of Care Code of Practice states that businesses dealing with waste must keep it safe, manage it responsibly and transfer it only to organisations authorised to receive it.

Universal Tankers specialises in construction wastewater services, including wastewater generated by temporary welfare facilities. As a registered waste carrier, we collect wastewater using our specialist tanker fleet and transport it through an appropriate waste management route.

Planned servicing schedules and responsive collections can be arranged around site requirements, wastewater volumes and changing project conditions.

What Are the Challenges of Maintaining Construction Site Welfare Facilities?

Construction site welfare facilities need to remain clean, accessible and operational throughout a project. This can become more difficult as site conditions, workforce numbers and access arrangements change.

Common challenges include:

• Limited access to mains water: temporary or remote sites may not have a suitable mains connection, making it harder to maintain drinking water, washing and sanitation facilities.
• Managing wastewater: toilets, washing areas and welfare units generate wastewater that may need to be stored and removed where no sewer connection is available. Collection schedules need to reflect usage to reduce the risk of tanks reaching capacity.
• Changing workforce requirements: the number of workers on site can increase or decrease throughout a project, affecting demand for drinking water, toilets, washing facilities and wastewater storage.
• Restricted site access: as construction progresses, access routes can change or become more difficult for service vehicles. Tank and welfare-unit locations should therefore take servicing access into account.
• Maintaining hygiene standards: welfare facilities require regular cleaning, servicing and waste removal to remain suitable for continued use.
• Unexpected disruption: water supply problems, full wastewater tanks or changes to the construction programme can create short-notice servicing requirements.

HSE advises project teams to consider the positioning, accessibility, cleaning and maintenance of welfare facilities during project planning, including how provision may need to change as work progresses.

Planning water supply and wastewater removal alongside the wider site programme can help construction teams adapt as conditions change. Where mains services are unavailable or insufficient, external water delivery and wastewater collection can provide additional support.

How Can Universal Tankers Help With Construction Wastewater Management?

Universal Tankers supports construction sites with the water supply and wastewater services required to keep temporary welfare facilities operational throughout a project.

Our services include welfare unit wastewater removal, waste tank emptying, potable and non-potable water delivery and flexible servicing schedules. We can support permanent compounds, temporary welfare units and changing requirements as construction progresses.

Sites that need temporary storage or water-supply equipment can also access waste holding tanks, water bowsers and on-demand pumps according to the requirements of the project.

For sites without straightforward road or drainage access, planning servicing arrangements in advance can reduce disruption. Our guidance on remote wastewater management explains some of the considerations for off-grid and difficult-to-access construction locations.

With more than 20 years of experience in bulk water delivery and wastewater management, 20 depots across England and Scotland and a modern tanker fleet, we can support both planned requirements and short-notice demand. Universal Tankers provides reliable, fast wastewater removal across England, Wales and Scotland, with services available seven days a week and flexible schedules for regular collections.

Working with one provider for water delivery and wastewater removal can also simplify the ongoing management of site welfare facilities as workforce numbers, storage requirements and site access change throughout a project.