Portable toilets are an important component of construction sites. Anyone who has worked onsite will testify to how vital these facilities are to maintaining work running smoothly and keeping workers comfortable. Construction projects are always running on a tight schedule and having clean and hygienic facilities play a role in the morale and productivity of the crew.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plays an important role in setting and enforcing regulations to keep worker facilities in good condition.
Are you looking to rent portable toilets for your construction site or work project? Call Sarabia’s to find out more.
Who is OSHA and What are Their Regulations?
OSHA is a branch of the United States Department of Labor. Their job is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for workers across multiple industries. They aim to enforce standards by providing training, outreach, education, assistance, and more. Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which gave way to the creation of OSHA.
Congress drafted the Act as a response to public outcry over rising injury and death rates on the job. Since then, the organization has worked to conduct research and maintain the necessary regulations to maintain good working conditions, and reduce injury, illness, and death in the workplace.
OSHA’s Portable Toilet Guidelines and Regulations
According to OSHA regulations, contractors and construction sites are required to provide a certain number of portable toilets and keep them in a certain condition to avoid noncompliance. Employers who do not meet these regulations may find themselves facing a hefty fine. Porta-potties and construction sites thus share an essential partnership.
Standard 1926.51 in OSHA states that employers must provide:
- At least one toilet for every 20 employees or less
- One toilet or one urinal for every 40 workers or when an employer has 20 employees or more
- One toilet seat and one urinal for every 50 workers when an employer has over 200 employees
The regulations also say that the toilets need to be ‘readily available.’ This stipulation ensures that employers and contractors ensure not only that there are sufficient facilities, but that they are close by and available close to where the work is taking place.
Other OSHA requirements include:
- The necessity to provide an adequate number of restrooms for the size of the workforce
- Ensuring the restrictions that include working locking doors
- You cannot cause extended delays for restroom use by —for example— keeping the key in an inconvenient place
- Toilets should be available for both genders
- Facilities should also provide soap and water
- Facilities should also include hand towels or air blowers, as well as trash bins
Standards on Cleanliness and Hygiene
OSHA itself does not mandate a certain cleaning schedule, but they refer to the American National Standard Institute, which states that a facility should be served at least twice a week when 20 people are using one toilet. When 10 people are using the toilet, once a week will be enough.
Having unclean facilities can earn employers some fines as well. Violations of the standard can cost employees up to $12,675 per violation. Repeat violations can reach up to $126,749. No employer wants to risk that.
In order to avoid that, employers can rent out portable toilets from a reputable provider in their area. At Sarabia’s, we maintain clean portable toilets for rent for construction sites, parties, and more.
The Need for Handwashing Stations
Hand washing stations are part of providing facilities. The necessity to provide adequate amenities that maintain hygiene for workers is essential for safety and health protocols. This was especially highlighted during the pandemic, as people became hyper-aware of the need for consistent handwashing.
These handwashing stations need to provide:
- Running water (hot and cold)
- Soap or disinfectant (such as hand sanitizer)
- Drying capabilities
- Written instructions providing guidelines for safe handwashing, handling certain materials, chemicals, etc.
Serving Schedules and Keeping Things Tidy
In order to avoid penalties, employers should stay on top of the serving schedule for their facilities. Employers want to avoid a porta-potty dropped at the site and never visited or cleaned until a few weeks later. OSHA recommends—depending on how many workers are on-site— regular scheduled cleanings and servings. It’s likely that you will have to provide a servicing schedule that records when the facilities are checked and serviced.
Don’t Risk a Fine, Get Your Sanitation Needs Taken Care Of
Here at Sarabia’s, we provide clean and sanitary facilities for worksites. We also provide servicing schedules to ensure that project managers don’t have to worry about the facilities and can leave that to a dependable cleaning crew.
Want to learn more about how Sarabia’s can provide the porta-potties you need in the right condition? Call us today.
