Winter 2026: Will porta potty antifreeze work below 20°F?
We have a 40-story high-rise going up in Chicago, with 120 workers on site daily through January. The ground is paved but exposed, and the…
2answers
108views
Marcus B. replied
Construction & Job Sites
OSHA ratios, long-term site rentals, weekly service, high-rise and crane-lift units, winter and vandalism.
150 questions
High-rise unit servicing when the building elevator is out.
We're 18 floors up on a high-rise project in Phoenix with a standard portable toilet on the slab. The crew is 50 guys, five days a week. The elevator…
1answer
43views
Deb K. replied
Residential remodel crew of about 20: sanitizer on the unit enough, or add a handwash station? ✓ Solved
Add the handwash station. Sanitizer on the unit is not enough for a remodel crew around 20.
2answers
71views
Tyler R. replied
OSHA 1926.51: Do subcontractors count toward our porta potty total?
Yes, subcontractors count toward your total employee headcount for OSHA 1926.51 compliance. The OSHA standard applies to all workers on the…
1answer
44views
Ray M. replied
High-rise build: How often should we service porta potties on the 20th floor?
We're 12 weeks into a 30-story build in downtown Phoenix. The crew is 150 strong, working six 10-hour days. We have four standard portable toilets…
2answers
35views
Marcus B. replied
OSHA 1926.51: Do temporary workers count toward our porta potty total?
We're running a 12-story concrete and steel job in downtown Tempe, a 40-week build. We have 60 permanent tradespeople on site and bring in a temp…
2answers
39views
Marcus B. replied
High-rise unit servicing when the building elevator is broken.
We have a high-rise unit on the 15th floor of a commercial job. It's a standard unit, the kind with a 60-gallon holding tank. The elevator is…
2answers
44views
Brad L. replied
OSHA 1926.51: Do weekend security guards count toward the headcount?
Weekend security guards count toward your OSHA 1926.51 headcount. The standard applies to any employee present at the site, including…
1answer
55views
Carl D. replied
Long road job: one unit mid-site or one at each end? ✓ Solved
Put one standard unit at each end of the quarter-mile job site. OSHA 1926.51 requires one toilet for a crew of 18, so a single unit in the middle…
2answers
43views
Deb K. replied
OSHA 1926.51: Does it apply to a remote 5-person surveying crew?
OSHA 1926.51 does not require a portable toilet for a remote 5-person surveying crew. The standard exempts mobile crews when transportation is…
1answer
42views
Tyler R. replied
High-rise unit servicing when the building elevator is down.
High-rise unit servicing when the building elevator is down. Our site is a 30-story high-rise, and we have a standard portable toilet on the 25th…
1answer
40views
Tyler R. replied
OSHA 1926.51: What if our crew size doubles next month?
You need to pre-book the extra units now to meet OSHA 1926.51 when your crew doubles. The standard requires one toilet for 1 to 15 workers, but at 16…
1answer
36views
Ray M. replied
Do subcontractors count toward our OSHA porta potty headcount? ✓ Solved
Every worker present on the job site counts toward the OSHA 1926.51 headcount, regardless of which company employs them. The OSHA standard applies to…
2answers
48views
Jake W. replied
Our crew grew from 25 to 40. Do we need a second porta potty now?
Our crew grew from 25 to 40. Do we need a second porta potty now? We have one standard portable toilet on site. The crew works a standard 8-hour…
1answer
38views
Ray M. replied
High-rise unit servicing: what if the building's elevator is out of service?
I have a standard portable toilet on the 15th floor for a crew of 40. The elevator is scheduled for maintenance next week, which means the vacuum…
1answer
45views
Brad L. replied
OSHA 1926.51: Does it apply to our 6-person road crew?
OSHA 1926.51 does not require a porta potty for a six-person road crew if they have a truck and immediate access to a nearby toilet facility. The…
1answer
40views
Deb K. replied
Can we lock our jobsite porta potty overnight so neighbors stop using it? ✓ Solved
You can lock a standard unit overnight, but you must coordinate the lock with the rental company for the service visit. The driver needs to open the…
2answers
55views
Deb K. replied
OSHA 1926.51: does 'readily available transportation' mean a crew truck?
No, a crew truck does not meet the 'readily available transportation' exemption in OSHA 1926.51. The exemption is for a mobile crew that can reach a…
1answer
47views
Carl D. replied
High-rise unit on the 20th floor: how is waste pumped down?
A high-rise unit is serviced from the ground using a dedicated waste line. The waste line is a large-diameter pipe, usually 4 to 6 inches, that runs…
1answer
56views
Deb K. replied
Monthly jobsite rental: weekly or every-other-week service for a 10-person crew? ✓ Solved
Weekly service is the standard for a crew of ten, and you should keep it that way for a six-week residential job. The OSHA construction sanitation…
2answers
44views
Deb K. replied
High-rise unit servicing: what if the building's freight elevator breaks?
We have a standard unit on the 12th floor of a steel-frame high-rise. It's there for a crew of about 30 working daily. The rental company has been…
1answer
42views
Carl D. replied
OSHA 1926.51: what if my crew size changes mid-project?
Yes, you must order more portable toilets immediately when your crew size increases from 15 to 45 workers. The OSHA construction sanitation standard,…
1answer
42views
Ray M. replied
Vandalism on a jobsite porta potty. Who pays for the repairs?
Someone tipped over our standard portable toilet over the weekend. The unit is on a residential construction site for a six-week project with a crew…
2answers
50views
Ray M. replied
Can a high-rise unit be serviced from the ground floor?
We're running a 12-story build in Phoenix and have a standard portable toilet on the 8th floor for a crew of 30. It's a long-term rental with weekly…
2answers
46views
Ray M. replied
Job site is muddy after rain. Can they still deliver a porta potty on soft ground?
Our framing lot turned into soft mud after two days of rain. We still need a standard porta potty this week before the crew shows Monday. Will a…
2answers
44views
Ray M. replied