According to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, all construction sites must legally provide adequate welfare facilities. Welfare provision is essential for health, hygiene, dignity, productivity and compliance during HSE audits.
Here, we look at the legal minimums for construction welfare facilities in 2026 and provide guidance for site managers on meeting the standards efficiently.
The legal basics: what the HSE requires
According to the regulations, there must be an adequate number of toilets on site that are kept clean and accessible. Where possible, there should be separate male and female facilities, and they must be connected to the mains wherever possible. If this cannot be achieved, then portable toilets are acceptable.
Washing facilities must provide hot and cold, or warm running water, soap and hand drying with basins large enough for proper cleaning. Safe, clean drinking water must be clearly marked and accessible throughout the day.
There should also be sheltered warm rest areas for breaks and seating with back support, as well as facilities to heat food and boil water. Changing and drying rooms might also be required where PPE or workwear could become wet or contaminated. These must include heating and adequate space for drying wet clothing.
How these regulations apply in practice (and what’s changing in 2026)
In 2026, the core welfare requirements are likely to remain the same, but expectations will be tightening.
The HSE and principal contractors will be putting greater emphasis on sustainability, which means eco-friendly welfare units and water-saving systems, and reduced chemical waste. They will also pay close attention to accessibility with a growing expectation for units to be suitable for all workers, including wider doorways, ramp access and handrails.
Regular servicing and cleaning will be in focus as hygiene logs will be checked during site audits and evidence of waste disposal compliance will be requested more often.
Portable toilets and welfare units: meeting standards efficiently
Portable toilets are a practical and compliant solution for short-term or mobile sites. Professional hire companies like Get Loos are available to help sites stay compliant by providing regular scheduled servicing and waste disposal documentation. The units have been designed to match HSE requirements by providing running water, good ventilation, lighting and lockable doors.
Additional options include improved working conditions such as hand sanitiser stations, enhanced accessible units, larger welfare cabins for longer term projects and drying rooms with generator powered hot water systems.
By outsourcing your welfare requirements, it is possible to remove a lot of the administrative burden whilst ensuring that your hygiene standards remain consistent.
Common mistakes that lead to non-compliance
Common issues include too few toilets for the workforce size and no servicing schedule. Wash stations that do not have running water, soap or hand drying facilities can also be an issue, as well as facilities being placed too far from the work area.
Some construction sites fail to have rest shelters in winter conditions or do not have any accessibility considerations in place. There is also often a lack of servicing logs or waste documentation or evidence that welfare units have been installed after work begins, which will breach the CDM obligations.
Compliance checklist for site managers (2026 edition)
Construction sites will need toilets, washing areas and rest spaces in place before the work starts, and site managers must ensure that hot and cold water, soap and towels are always stocked.
Drinking water must be accessible and labelled and there should be an adequate number of toilets based on the size of the workforce. Regular servicing needs to be booked and documented, and the facilities should be located safely and conveniently, with accessible units being available where needed. There should also be waste disposal paperwork stored for any audits.
Welfare is a legal requirement and a duty of care and by providing the right facilities it is possible to improve worker wellbeing, reduce sickness and downtime, and enhance professionalism. Site managers need proactive planning and using partners like Get Loos can help to maintain compliance, cleanliness and efficiency all year round.
Ready to stay fully compliant for 2026?
Managing welfare facilities on a construction site comes with strict legal responsibilities and the pressure to stay compliant, hygienic and efficient is only increasing. While you focus on running a safe site, we’ll make sure your team has clean, properly serviced and fully compliant welfare units, toilets and washing facilities that meet all HSE expectations for 2026 and beyond.
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