A construction worker’s typical shift can range anywhere from 8 to 9 hours. That means working in the elements and usually being outdoors, often far away from any facility where one could answer nature’s call. And, as we know, nature’s calls come at unexpected times. And when the call comes, answering it is very important. If you have a construction crew hydrating and working all day, chances are they will have to empty that bladder eventually. It didn’t take long—during the early days of porta potties— to figure out that these portable toilets could be a major lifesaver for several industries including big job sites, plants, factories, and more. As we have covered before the history of the porta-potty starts due to a necessity for the workers working endlessly on the home front repairing and building ships. The same thing happened in a construction site and one of the most immediate benefits was the simplicity of it.
In the early days of the porta-potty, construction workers and event organizers quickly saw the great benefits of portable toilets. The early porta-potties, of course, were not made of today’s fabulous fiberglass material. They were mostly of metal and wood, which still left much to be desired but was far better than no toilet at all. Some of the early manufacturers of construction portable toilets were Biff and Job Johnny. Once fiberglass came into the picture, this improved working conditions at job sites even more.
There are several reasons why portable toilets are important in job sites. If you work in the industry, you can likely guess these with not much trouble. Let’s take a look at some of the main reasons:
Convenience — Simple and Nearby
One of the main reasons for having portable johns at every construction site is pure and simple convenience. They can be used at any time, day or night. It is inconvenient for workers to have to stop what they are doing and wander off throughout a large worksite. Sometimes work sites require cutting off water and sewer lines, which means no access to bathrooms. Having the porta-potties nearby makes it easy to keep the breaks short, while having little disruption to workflow. At the same time, you have someone else take care of the cleanup. The facilities are simply put there and then taken away and this means less to worry about.
Safety & Sanitation — Keep Workers in the Vicinity
Construction sites are mostly always concerned with safety. Endless regulations and protocols are kept in place in order to ensure the utmost safety and protection of every person working the job. Having facilities at a few feet from where they are working helps maintain safety by keeping workers from walking long distances through the construction site or having to wander off to a nearby store, etc. At the same time, you want to have workers exposed to clean facilities and ensure sanitation. This way you don’t risk your workers getting sick or spreading germs.
Productivity — Keep Unnecessary Interruptions to a Minimum
Anyone who works in construction knows that there are often unexpected issues, interruptions, or unforeseen pauses in the work. You don’t want potty breaks to add to the disruptions of productivity. Having the bathrooms nearby means that it takes less time off work to take the necessary potty breaks. The convenience helps workers stay focused and on task without having to disrupt their momentum.
Client Satisfaction — Less Disruption to Client Facilities
If workers are working in a commercial building, store, or other venture, they might not necessarily want their business constantly disrupted with the trudging in and out of construction workers. It might just add a little more distraction that is not necessary. Keeping the facilities for workers in a separate place helps maintain the client’s satisfaction and maintain professionalism.
Following OSHA Standards — Complying with Federal and State Regulations
If you work in construction, you have likely heard of OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This organization has been quite clear in setting regulations and standards for construction sites and other types of work sites. OSHA will require portable toilets to be put in place when sewer lines are shut off for 72 hours or more. It is likely then, that you will have to provide facilities to follow these regulations but doing so can improve your construction or worksite in other ways, as we’ve discussed.
Improve Your Work Site and Productivity with Sarabia’s Portable Toilets
We all know that construction workers are indispensable. If it wasn’t for them, our great buildings, structures, and homes would not be built. Providing porta potties is one simple way to improve a worksite and make it more convenient and productive for those working. Sarabia’s has been serving the El Paso community for many years and has helped many construction sites remain clean and tidy while providing the necessary facilities for their workers.
