Handwash station
Also called: hand wash sink, portable sink, sink station
A handwash station is a freestanding portable sink with a fresh water tank, a foot pump, a soap dispenser and a paper towel holder, placed next to a group of portable toilets. Health departments commonly require handwashing near food service and at events.
Stations come as single or double-sided units with one or two basins on each side. The fresh water tank is filled at delivery and at each service; the gray water drains into a separate tank that the driver pumps out.
One station per four to six standard units is a common planning ratio at events. On construction sites, OSHA requires washing facilities where workers handle harmful materials, and many sites use a handwash station to meet it.
See also: Hand sanitizer dispenser, Gray water, OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51
Questions that use this term
Search allResidential 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.
Do I need a handwash station with porta potties, or is hand sanitizer enough? ✓ Solved
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Youth soccer tournament on grass fields: how many porta potties and do we need handwash stations? ✓ Solved
You need more than 7 standard units for a 10-hour event with 350 people; plan for 9 or 10 standard units plus one ADA-compliant portable toilet.…
Does OSHA require a handwash station on a construction site, or just toilets? ✓ Solved
Yes, OSHA requires a handwash station on a construction site for crews working with materials that leave residues not removed by sanitizer alone. The…
Sink inside the unit vs a separate handwash station: which is better for an event?
I'm organizing a weekly farmers market with about 300 visitors over four hours. We have food vendors and some alcohol sales. The site is grass, flat,…
Does OSHA require a handwash station on a construction site, or just toilets?
Our crew of 35 is on a six-week foundation job handling concrete and treated lumber daily. The safety auditor flagged us for not having a handwash…
2026 fall festival: handwash stations with fresh water or just sanitizer?
A fall festival needs both handwash stations with fresh water and soap, not just hand sanitizer. The health department requires handwashing with…
2026 Fall Festival: Handwash stations or sanitizer only?
I'm planning a two-day fall festival next year and working through the restroom plan. We expect about 1,500 people per day from 10 AM to 8 PM. There…