WEL/General/TBT-WEL-011

Drying Room and Changing Facilities

Welfare & Site Setup › General › Drying Room and Changing Facilities

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 require suitable changing and drying facilities on site.
Drying rooms allow workers to dry wet clothing and PPE, reducing the risk of cold stress and illness.
Changing facilities should provide a clean area separate from work clothing storage where reasonably practicable.
Facilities must be heated, ventilated, and maintained in a clean condition throughout the project.
Sites with more than five workers must provide adequate facilities proportionate to the workforce size.
Wet and muddy PPE stored without drying facilities breeds bacteria and causes skin infections.
Workers handling hazardous substances need separate storage for contaminated and personal clothing.
Lockers or secure storage should be available to protect personal belongings during the working day.
Welfare facilities must be in place before construction work starts on any site.
Failure to provide adequate welfare facilities is an offence under CDM 2015.

Worker health	Wearing wet or damp clothing causes hypothermia risk, skin complaints, and respiratory problems over time.
Legal requirement	CDM 2015 Schedule 2 requires adequate changing and drying facilities on all construction sites.
Morale and dignity	Decent welfare facilities show respect for the workforce and directly improve site morale and retention.

Don't

Provide heated drying rooms with hanging space for wet clothing and PPE
Ensure changing facilities are clean, ventilated, and accessible to all workers
Separate storage for work clothing and personal clothing where possible
Provide lockers or secure storage for personal belongings on site
Maintain drying rooms regularly — check heating, ventilation, and cleanliness
Ensure facilities are available from day one before construction work starts
Provide additional separate facilities for workers handling hazardous substances
Include welfare facility standards in the site induction for all workers
Scale facilities to match the peak workforce numbers on site
Report any welfare deficiencies to the site manager for prompt resolution

DON'T allow wet PPE to be stored in rest areas or canteen spaces
DON'T leave drying room heaters unattended or allow them to become fire hazards
DON'T use welfare facilities as additional storage for tools or materials
DON'T ignore broken heating or ventilation — report and repair it promptly
DON'T mix contaminated work clothing with personal clothing in the same area
DON'T allow facilities to become dirty, overcrowded, or poorly maintained
DON'T start work on site before welfare facilities are fully operational
DON'T remove or reduce welfare provision as the project progresses
DON'T block access to changing and drying rooms with site equipment
DON'T dismiss welfare complaints — workers have a legal right to these facilities

See also: Welfare Facilities Standards | Welfare in Extreme Weather

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