The question gets asked constantly, usually by someone hoping the answer is no: does a construction site legally need a toilet? Yes. From the first day of work, in proportion to the crew, with washing facilities alongside. There is no small-job exemption.
Where the duty comes from
On construction sites, Schedule 2 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 lists the welfare facilities that must be provided: suitable and sufficient toilets, washing facilities with hot and cold water, drinking water, changing and storage, and rest facilities. Our CDM 2015 guide breaks down the full list. For non-construction workplaces the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 carry equivalent duties. Either way, the toilet is not optional.
The excuses that fail inspections
- "We use the cafe over the road." Only defensible with a genuine, written arrangement that is actually available every working hour. A vague nod towards the petrol station is not provision
- "It is only a two-week job." Duration changes what is proportionate, not whether provision is required
- "The client would not pay for welfare." The client has their own CDM duty to ensure welfare arrangements exist before work starts. This excuse implicates two parties instead of one
What sufficient looks like
Clean, ventilated, working toilets with hand washing and warm water alongside, scaled to the peak crew, available from day one. Welfare failures are among the most common enforcement actions on small sites precisely because an inspector can assess them in the first two minutes of a visit.
A self-contained welfare unit answers the whole Schedule 2 list in one delivery: flushing toilet, hot water hand wash, canteen, drying room, no mains needed. See the units, or price one for your job.