The Essential Partnership of Porta-Potties and Construction Sites

Porta-potties and the construction industry work hand-in-hand. These single-stalled facilities are an essential part of the worksite. It was, after all, in the mid 20th century that these two began their loving romance, earning their place on construction sites. Since then, both industries have developed and been touched by the changes of technological advances. But they have never left each other’s side! Porta-Potties have improved to make facilities safer, more durable, and easier to clean. And just like that, everything changed from one moment to another when a pandemic spread across the world. No person was untouched. No industry was unaffected. 

So what are some of the changes that have swept over the construction industry and how might they change in the future? How does construction move forward?

Construction Industry & Safety During the Onset of Covid 

The construction industry contributes a significant amount to the country’s GDP. A lot of jobs and industries revolve around construction. When the pandemic began, the construction industry played an integral role in the response to the disease. Many communities raced forward to build new facilities that could accommodate the growing demand for healthcare.

At the same time, other construction projects were halted and many sites completely shut down. This, of course, created major uncertainty for the millions of people that are employed in the construction industry and in related jobs. Even as some job sites opened up early on in the pandemic, they faced unprecedented challenges dealing with supply chains, sick personnel, shifting safety and health regulations, and other issues. Like every other sector, construction improvised to try its best to keep the work going and protect its workers. 

Changes in Job Site Safety and Health Regulations 

So with risk assessment very much on people’s minds, how did the construction industry deal with reopening job sites and keeping people safe? Working with government entities and local officials, many construction projects implemented new approaches to their health and safety standards. 

Some of the immediate changes involved: 

• Social distancing
• Staggering start times and breaks
• Increased security that limited access to construction sites to only essential personnel 
• New policies for handwashing, disinfecting, and cleaning facilities 
• Flexible rules regarding sick leave and self-quarantine 
• Using temperature checks to seek out possible exposures 

All of these mitigation strategies had to be rolled out quickly and efficiently in order to continue work on essential projects and keep work rolling. Construction companies also took advantage of technological advances to keep things moving. Remote meetings and conference calls could reduce the need for personnel to move through job sites and keep essential communication going. 

There has certainly been a high demand in the construction sector since mid-2020. As Mckinsey reports, experts are watching the construction industry closely to identify trends in investing and changes in overall demand and supply chains. They identify several short-term and long-term trends including: 

• More digitization of communication and processes
• Rebalanced supply chains
• Work with fabrication off-site in order to reduce on-site contact and work
• Increased focus on sustainable building 

The Post-Covid Construction Boom

As Forbes reported in early 2021, a construction renaissance got underway as local economies opened up. Home renovations continued to increase throughout the pandemic and the shortage of inventory seems to suggest that there will be a continued building boom in the immediate future. 

So, dear construction industry, porta-potties are here to see you through this. 

What Does This Have to Do With Porta Potties? 

Well, portable johns are an essential part of any construction site. So just like every other industry, portable restrooms had to ramp up their safety and sanitizing protocols to provide peace of mind to all users and customers. 

So how did portable johns have to adapt?

• Increase hand-washing stations
• Stress the rigor of sanitation protocols already in place
• Placed more units in job sites to increase access

Porta-Potties During Uncertain Times

As the pandemic waned, many outdoor events and worksites got underway. For many in the potty world, this meant a sudden increase in demand for portable toilets. And just like many other service industries across the nation, we faced a material shortage brought on by disruptions in supply chains due to the pandemic. The access to key materials for portable toilets was suddenly in high demand and low supply. This includes plastic resin, fiberglass, and other materials. 

Need More Portable Restrooms at Your Construction Site? Sarabia’s Can Help!

We supply construction sites, weddings, and all other outdoor events with the needed portable restrooms. Not only are our units modern and clean, but they are also made from state-of-the-art materials to ensure quality and longevity. Not only that, we provide handwashing stations and ensure that the units are cleaned and serviced regularly. 

Looking for reliable portable johns? Call Sarabia’s today.