Construction site welfare facilities play an important role in supporting the health, safety and wellbeing of workers throughout a project. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) set requirements for facilities such as toilets, washing areas, drinking water, changing facilities and rest areas, with those responsible for the project required to make suitable provision.

A welfare unit is a self-contained facility used to provide temporary welfare facilities on sites where permanent amenities are not available. Welfare units are commonly used on a construction site, roadworks, utilities projects, agricultural locations, event sites, remote sites and other temporary sites.

Managing wastewater in rural areas requires a different approach from the systems used in towns and cities connected to mains sewer networks. In many rural locations, there is no access to centralised drainage infrastructure, meaning wastewater cannot simply be directed into established sewer mains for treatment. Instead, properties, agricultural sites, and remote construction projects must operate using decentralised systems designed to collect, treat, and dispose of waste on-site or prepare it for removal by licensed carriers.

Over 30 years ago, we started our journey at Universal Tankers providing welfare units to a range of industries, from construction sites to music festivals, and we assist businesses and project managers with welfare unit servicing so their sites remain compliant with health, safety, and environmental regulations. In the following guide, our experts explain what welfare facilities construction sites should have and the relevant legal regulations.