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Practical advice for event organisers and site managers. No fluff.
Both provide site sanitation, but they are built for different jobs. A portable toilet gives you a single self-contained cubicle. A welfare unit gives you toilets, hot water, drying room, canteen, and rest facilities in one package. Which you need depends on workforce size, project duration, and your CDM 2015 welfare obligations.
If you are running a short-term event or a micro-site with a couple of workers, a portable toilet is usually enough. If you have a construction site running for weeks with operatives on site full days, CDM 2015 requires the level of welfare provision that only a welfare unit delivers.
| Portable Toilet | Welfare Unit | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilet | Yes, single cubicle | Yes, integrated |
| Hot running water | No | Yes |
| Canteen / eating area | No | Yes |
| Drying room for wet clothing | No | Yes |
| Rest / shelter area | No | Yes |
| Power requirement | None | Built-in generator or mains |
| Mains water required | No | Optional — can run on tanks |
| Footprint | ~1.2m x 1.2m | ~6m x 2.5m up to 12m+ |
| Typical hire duration | Days to weeks | Weeks to months |
| Typical cost | Lower | Higher |
| CDM 2015 compliant as standalone | Only for very small/short sites | Yes |
| Best for | Events, short jobs, supplementary | Ongoing construction sites |
For a wedding, festival, or any event, portable toilets are what you want. For a construction site with a workforce on site for weeks, a welfare unit is not just more comfortable — it is probably required for compliance. Many sites combine both: welfare unit for core facilities, portable toilets to reduce queues at peak times.
Not usually. CDM 2015 requires more than just toilet provision — sites need hot water, a rest area, somewhere to eat, and somewhere to dry wet clothing. Multiple portable toilets cover only the toilet provision. Welfare units integrate the rest.
Welfare units are larger, more complex, and require generator/mains setup — so typically 3-5x the hire cost of a single portable toilet. But they replace 3-5 pieces of separate provision (toilet, water, canteen, drying, rest) so cost per facility is reasonable.
For very small sites, a portable toilet plus an existing indoor welfare area (if available) might cover your obligations. For most construction work under CDM 2015, a welfare unit is the simplest compliant solution.
Not sure which you need? Ask us directly.
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