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
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: do weekend overtime crews change toilet counts?
Weekend overtime crews do not change the minimum toilet count for a construction site under OSHA 1926.51(c). The rule sets minimums by the maximum…
1answer
26views
Ray M. replied
High-rise site: what if the porta potty door freezes shut in winter?
We're running a high-rise project in Chicago, 20 floors up. Nights drop below freezing, and the wind up here is brutal. We've got a cluster of…
2answers
23views
Ray M. replied
Saturday overtime for three weeks: do we add a weekend pump-out on top of Friday service? ✓ Solved
Yes, you add a Saturday pump-out. Two standard units on a Friday service schedule with 35 workers daily are already at the limit by Thursday, and a…
2answers
32views
Deb K. replied
What's the protocol for a porta potty fire on a construction site?
A standard portable toilet fire is rare but possible from a discarded cigarette or vandalism. The plastic shell and holding tank fumes can ignite.…
1answer
33views
Deb K. replied
High-rise site: What's the plan if the crane is down on service day?
We're on a 35-story build in Phoenix with 150 workers, standard 40-hour week. The crane goes down for maintenance next Tuesday, our regular service…
2answers
29views
Deb K. replied
OSHA 1926.51: do subcontractor crews count toward the toilet ratio?
Yes, OSHA 1926.51 includes all subcontractor workers in your total toilet count. The standard applies to every employee on the construction site,…
1answer
26views
Deb K. replied
High-rise site in 2026: what's the protocol if a unit is vandalized overnight?
We have a 30-story residential tower going up downtown. The site has 90 workers on the concrete crew, so we have seven standard portable toilets and…
2answers
26views
Ray M. 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
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
High-rise site: what if the crane is down on service day?
We have a 20-story commercial build going. The crew is 150 to 200, depending on the day. We have a cluster of 15 standard units and one ADA-compliant…
2answers
29views
Deb K. 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
Construction site overnight: should we lock the porta potty, or does locking it cause more headaches? ✓ Solved
Locking the standard unit overnight is a bad idea. It creates more problems than it solves. The rental company requires free access for the service…
2answers
30views
Ray M. 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
Late fall framing job: do we need antifreeze in the porta potty before overnight freezes start?
We are framing an addition on a vacant lot through November. Crew is usually 6 to 8 guys. The standard unit sits on gravel by the driveway and gets…
2answers
28views
Carl D. replied
Drywall crew of 12 on a house remodel: does OSHA want a separate handwash station, or is the sanitizer on the unit enough? ✓ Solved
OSHA 1926.51 requires a separate handwash station with water for a 12-person drywall crew, not just a hand sanitizer dispenser on the unit. The…
2answers
32views
Jake W. replied
2026 winter: Do high-rise units need special antifreeze for crane lifts?
We're breaking ground on a 40-story tower in Chicago next January. The crew will be around 150 people, working five days a week for two years. We'll…
2answers
29views
Ray M. replied
High-rise site: what's the backup plan if the service truck is late?
We're on a 40-story build in Phoenix with 175 workers on site daily. The porta potty setup is a cluster of eight standard units and one ADA-compliant…
2answers
27views
Deb K. replied
What's the OSHA rule for a 30-person crew on a 5-story build?
OSHA 1926.51 requires one portable toilet for a 30-person construction crew. The standard states that for 20 to 199 workers, you must provide one…
1answer
33views
Ray M. replied
High-rise build: what if the crane is down on service day?
We have a standard unit on the 15th floor of a high-rise build in Phoenix. The crew of 60 uses it daily. Our rental company does the weekly service…
2answers
36views
Marcus B. replied
What's the OSHA rule for a 25-person crew on a 3-story building?
One standard portable toilet is enough for a 25-person crew on your three-story building. This meets the minimum requirement of OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51.…
1answer
31views
Deb K. replied
High-rise site: what happens if the service truck breaks down on route day?
My high-rise site has 10 standard portable toilets across 20 floors. The service truck is supposed to come every Tuesday. We have 65 workers on site…
1answer
30views
Deb K. replied
Four day reroof on an occupied house: do I still need a porta potty if the homeowner says use the bathroom?
I do mostly framing but picked up a tear off and reroof on a two story house next week. Crew of six, four days if the weather holds, and the family…
2answers
33views
Deb K. replied
Our porta potty got tagged with graffiti. Who handles cleanup?
Our crew of 40 has a standard portable toilet on site, rented for a 12-week commercial build. It's on level ground with truck access for weekly…
2answers
30views
Marcus B. replied