Having a restroom at the jobsite is crucial in the construction industry because workers are often on the job for long hours and not located within walking distance to a public bathroom. Not providing workers with suitable restrooms can result in lost productivity, sanitary concerns, and even fines and lawsuits.
However, simply having portable toilets isn’t enough. The units must be placed in the correct location for workers to take advantage of them safely and conveniently.
These are some factors to consider when choosing where to position them:
Convenience
It’s easy to forget about convenience when carving out a space for porta potties. A jobsite supervisor may simply allocate some unused space for porta potties to avoid taking up prime real estate where materials, tools, and equipment needs to be. However, units should be located where there is easy access for workers. Providing a location that’s quick to get to from the main action on the jobsite reduces lost time. This convenience can really add up, saving money by increasing worker efficiency.
The right location will not only be close and convenient, but it should also be uncluttered. You don’t want workers having to walk around or over things to get to and from toilets because that can increase the risk of injury or damage to materials and tools.
Privacy
While portable toilets should be closely located to work being performed to aid in convenience, there should also be some privacy when using them. No one wants to walk into the bathroom to do their business right in the middle of everything that’s going on. Finding a nearby location with some seclusion from trees, bushes, or a building is ideal.
Out of the Way
Entering or exiting a porta john should never put a worker in the way of moving vehicles or other dangers. That means that units should be located out of the way enough that they can be accessed safely. This includes keeping them away from heavy machinery that swings or swivels (like excavators and cranes), which could accidently knock them over.
Access
Placing units inside of blocked off or fenced in areas decreases the risk that other people will use the units when passing by. This is an important step to minimize liability if someone decides to use one of your jobsite porta potties and gets injured. Additionally, it ensures that the unit’s capacity will be reserved solely for your workers, making servicing planning easier.
Level Surface
Saying that a portable toilet should be placed on level-ground sounds like a no-brainer, but on a construction site that can be tricky sometimes. A porta potty should only be placed on level, solid ground that is not close to ground that is being disturbed. Otherwise, as excavating or other earth-moving work is done, the unit can become unstable and tip over. On an active, large-scale construction site, this may require moving the unit often to keep it out of harm’s way.
Servicing
Keep in mind that units will need to be serviced regularly. They should be placed in a location that is accessible by a portable restroom company vehicle for pumping, cleaning, and restocking.
This doesn’t just apply to units on the ground either. Porta potties on elevated construction sites also need to take servicing requirements into consideration. Portable toilets on rollers or crane rack units should be placed where they can be easily accessed to bring them down for servicing.
Lighting
For jobsites that are active during all times of the day, placing units in a lit area allows them to be used throughout all shifts. Otherwise, workers won’t be able to see to use them after dark or before sunrise.
Regulations
Check local and state regulations governing portable toilet requirements to be sure that you’re not missing anything. Some industries will have their own requirements as well and large companies may have organization-wide policies to adhere to also.
Kerkstra Luxury Portable Restroom Service Inc. provides portable restroom service across Michigan and luxury restroom trailers for all of the states surrounding the Great Lakes. Take a look at our mobile restroom trailers and request a quote today!