OSHA 1926.51: 45 workers, one porta potty and one urinal enough?
OSHA 1926.51(c) requires one toilet and one urinal for 40 workers, so 45 workers need one toilet and one urinal. You are compliant. OSHA construction…
1answer
18views
Ray M. replied
Construction & Job Sites
OSHA ratios, long-term site rentals, weekly service, high-rise and crane-lift units, winter and vandalism.
147 questions
OSHA 1926.51: 110 workers, how many toilets and urinals?
OSHA 1926.51(c) requires one toilet and one urinal for every 40 workers on a construction site with 110 employees. For 110 workers, you need three…
1answer
19views
Marcus B. replied
Winter 2026: will porta potties freeze on a Montana construction site?
We're on a commercial build outside Billings that runs through February. We've got 45 crew on site ten hours a day. The ground is gravel, and the…
2answers
18views
Toni S. replied
High-rise site: what's the backup if service elevator is unavailable?
We're 20 stories up on a downtown Phoenix tower. I've got six standard units and one ADA-compliant unit for a crew of 120. The service elevator is…
2answers
18views
Carl D. replied
High-rise project: what's the protocol if the crane for the porta potty is down on service day?
We're running a 30-story high-rise in downtown Phoenix with a crew of 120. We've got a standard portable toilet and an ADA-compliant unit up on the…
2answers
24views
Deb K. replied
OSHA 1926.51: does a 'mobile crew' exemption apply if the nearest bathroom is 10 minutes away?
OSHA 1926.51 does not exempt your crew from providing a toilet on site if the nearest bathroom is 10 minutes away. The mobile crew exemption applies…
1answer
20views
Ray M. replied
Snow plow on our parking lot job is going to bury the porta potty this winter. Where should it sit before the snow starts? ✓ Solved
Place the standard unit and handwash station on a curbed island where the plow can't reach it. That keeps them clear of snow piles and blade strikes.…
2answers
19views
Marcus B. replied
High-rise site: service elevator reserved, what's the backup plan?
We have a 22-story commercial build in Phoenix. The site has 120 workers, so we have three standard units and one ADA-compliant unit on the 18th…
2answers
26views
Ray M. replied
High-rise site: what if the service elevator is out?
I have two standard portable toilets and one ADA-compliant portable toilet on the 15th floor of a 22-story build. The crew is 80 guys, 10-hour days,…
2answers
29views
Brad L. replied
What's the OSHA rule for a 120-worker site with multiple buildings under construction?
The OSHA rule for a 120-worker site requires one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers for the entire site, not per building. That's three…
1answer
20views
Marcus B. replied
What's the OSHA rule for a 75-worker solar farm spread over 60 acres?
OSHA 1926.51(c) requires one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers for a 75-worker construction crew, regardless of site size or crew dispersion.…
1answer
24views
Deb K. replied
High-rise site: what's the backup plan if the service elevator is reserved by another trade?
We have a 40-story tower going up in Phoenix. The crew is 120 men, so we have four standard units and one ADA-compliant unit on the 15th floor. They…
1answer
21views
Deb K. replied
Winter 2026: Should we winterize our site's porta potties in late October or wait?
We're finishing a six-month residential gut rehab in Chicago. The site has four standard portable toilets and one ADA-compliant unit for a crew of…
2answers
25views
Hector V. replied
Framing three spec houses on side by side lots: one porta potty per lot or can the crews share? ✓ Solved
OSHA considers this one site because the lots are adjacent and the same crew works all three. The OSHA construction sanitation standard, 29 CFR…
2answers
25views
Marcus B. replied
Solar farm install spread over 60 acres: cluster units at the laydown yard or scatter them down the rows? ✓ Solved
Scatter units along the access roads. OSHA 1926.51 requires at least two units (one toilet and one urinal) for your crew of 40, but on a 60-acre…
2answers
24views
Marcus B. replied
OSHA 1926.51: does it cover subcontractor workers separately?
OSHA 1926.51 counts all workers on the construction site, regardless of employer. Your general contractor crew and the three subcontractor crews are…
1answer
20views
Deb K. replied
OSHA 1926.51: 40 workers, one porta potty enough?
OSHA 1926.51(c) requires more than one portable toilet for 40 workers on a construction site. For 20 to 199 workers, the standard mandates one toilet…
1answer
19views
Deb K. replied
Wasps built a nest up by the porta potty vent on our framing job. Spray it ourselves or wait for the rental company?
We're framing a two story house and the standard unit has been on site since August. This week the guys noticed wasps going in and out right where…
2answers
20views
Deb K. replied
Cold mornings on our framing job: the inside of the porta potty drips and the toilet paper is soaked. Fixable? ✓ Solved
Deb is right about condensation, but the rental company can also add a winterization antifreeze solution to the holding tank during the next service…
2answers
27views
Ray M. replied
Holding tank looks full three days before weekly service. Can we get an emergency pump-out? ✓ Solved
Yes, rental companies offer emergency pump-outs, but you will pay extra for the unscheduled service visit. Call your provider now and explain the…
2answers
32views
Ray M. replied
What's the protocol if a porta potty tips over in high winds?
We're building a three-story office in an open field west of Phoenix. The site is exposed and we get those afternoon monsoon gusts. Last week a…
2answers
27views
Ray M. replied
OSHA rule for a 50-person crew on a 10-story building?
OSHA 1926.51(c) requires at least two standard portable toilets for a 50-person construction crew. The standard mandates one toilet seat and one…
1answer
29views
Brad L. replied
Winter 2026: How do high-rise units handle freezing at elevation?
We're on a 40-story high-rise in Chicago, winter 2026. The crew is 150 people, five days a week. We have a cluster of standard units and one…
1answer
30views
Deb K. replied
High-rise site: what's the protocol if the service elevator is out?
We're five months into a 20-story high-rise build in downtown Phoenix. I have a standard-unit and an ADA-compliant on every third floor, serviced…
1answer
25views
Brad L. replied
OSHA 1926.51: Do temp workers count toward the toilet ratio?
Yes, OSHA 1926.51 counts all workers on a construction site toward the toilet ratio, including temporary workers. The standard applies to all…
1answer
26views
Ray M. replied