CDM Regulations and What They Mean for Construction Worker Welfare

According to the HSE’s statistics, the construction industry contributed to the majority of work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain during 2023-24. This starkly highlights how the construction industry operates in dangerous environments. Workers in the building and construction sector are often injured in work-related accidents or develop job-related illnesses. Unfortunately, health and safety risks are still prevalent despite protective gear and safety equipment being in place.

Since 1994, in response to the significant challenges in health and safety in this industry, the UK government has implemented Construction, Design and Management (CDM) regulations with subsequent revisions. According to the CDM Regulations 2015 Health and Safety file, adhering to specific CDM regulations for welfare, in particular, is vital to counter the industry’s risky nature.

These regulations go beyond legal requirements, working as a vital tool for safeguarding all stakeholders involved in a construction project. In this blog, we learn more about these regulations and their significance for site worker welfare.

Understanding the Current CDM Regulations

The CDM regulations are a set of defined rules that ensure effective planning right from the early design stages of a building project. It integrates all the project stages by involving all aspects of the construction process, from the initial concept, design, and planning to the construction, maintenance, and demolition of a structure. 

The CDM 2015, the current CDM regulation in force, provides important guidelines for health and safety protocols during the main construction phase.

The regulations apply to all those involved in the project, including commercial and domestic clients, designers, contractors, principal designers, principal contractors, and workers. 

Does CDM Apply to All Construction Projects?

Yes, the 2015 CDM regulations apply to all construction work in the UK, covering projects on new builds, extensions, renovations, repairs and demolition, irrespective of the project’s size, duration and the nature of the work.

Failure to comply with CDM regulations can lead to the HSE enforcing action and subsequent prosecution. The levied penalties can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the breach. To avoid any negative impact on your project or reputational damage, you should adhere to the current CDM regulations as the best practice and a legal mandate.

CDM Regulations 2015 Health and Safety File

According to the current CDM regulations in the UK, a health and safety file must be maintained for a project with more than one contractor on board. This file will be put together by your project’s principal designer and contains important information related to health and safety and managing risks on the site. It needs to be updated and revised from time to time as the project progresses. 

Importance of Schedule 2 - Minimum Welfare Facilities Required for Construction Sites

Health and safety regulations under CDM go beyond the management duties placed on the project stakeholders. CDM regulations for the welfare of site workers feature extra requirements that consider the nature of work and the environment on construction sites. These include:

Sanitation Facilities

The rules recommend readily available sanitary conveniences for all workers on site. These facilities must be adequately ventilated, lit, and maintained properly and have doors that can be properly secured from the inside. 

You can hire toilets or portaloos, but nothing comes close to the privacy, comfort, and convenience our 6 to 16-person Ecosmart welfare units with self-contained toilets provide to your workers.

Washing Facilities

Schedule 2 of the CDM Regulations 2015 specifies that construction sites need suitable and sufficient washing facilities with a supply of clean, running hot, cold and warm water. These need to be supplemented with amenities for cleaning and drying, like soap and towels.

Meeting these requirements becomes easy with Hireforce’s range of welfare units containing wash basins along with other sanitary conveniences. Browse our range here.

Drinking Water Facilities

Ready-to-access drinking water facilities are a must according to the CDM 2015 regulations. These facilities must be conspicuously marked with an appropriate sign to be easily identified. Unless it’s a drinking water jet, drinking water facilities must be accompanied by drinking vessels such as cups. 

Changing Facilities

CDM rules deem making appropriate arrangements for changing rooms and lockers, particularly if workers have to change into special clothing for construction work and cannot change elsewhere.

Spacious changing rooms and storage areas in Hireforce Welfare’s line of welfare units help meet this important welfare need.

Facilities for Rest

A dedicated place for workers to escape the intense working environment is just as important as the rest of the health and safety facilities. CDM regulations for welfare mandate temperature-regulated rooms or areas for rest with tables and seating units with backs for all site workers to use at any time. It also specifies suitable arrangements for pregnant women and nursing mothers to rest lying down. These rooms must be equipped with appropriate amenities and space to prepare and eat meals and boil water. 

Hireforce Welfare’s portable welfare units are temperature-regulated and fully equipped with all the necessary facilities for worker health and safety welfare. Our fully-equipped welfare units ensure you go above and beyond the requirements mandated by the CDM and the HSE, providing added comfort for your workers and their welfare needs. 

Meet Current CDM Regulations with Hireforce Welfare’s Welfare Units

We recommend complying with the laws and regulations under CDM by ensuring there are enough welfare facilities for the number of workers on your project site. It’s best to assess and meet your welfare requirements early on in the project, particularly in the planning stage.

Hireforce Welfare is a division of the Hireforce Group and a leading tool and equipment hire company. Partner with us for all your project’s worker welfare needs, ensuring compliance with legislation that construction work is preplanned and carried out safely and risks are managed from start to finish. Browse our range of towable site welfare units with all the specifications here.