OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51
Also called: OSHA toilet requirements, construction sanitation standard
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51 is the construction industry sanitation standard that sets the minimum number of toilets on a job site by crew size: one toilet for 20 or fewer workers, one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers from 20 to 199 workers, and one toilet seat and one urinal per 50 workers at 200 or more. It also covers drinking water and washing facilities.
The standard counts toilet seats and urinals, so a unit with a urinal counts for both. Mobile crews with transportation readily available to nearby toilet facilities are exempt under the same section.
General industry workplaces follow 29 CFR 1910.141 instead, which uses a table of employees to toilets. Neither standard sets a service frequency; that comes from the rental agreement and from ANSI Z4.3.
See also: Units per person guideline, ANSI Z4.3, Handwash station
Questions that use this term
Search allDoes a construction site need an ADA unit for a crew of 12?
Yes, you need an ADA-compliant portable toilet for a crew of 12. The city inspector is correct. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51 sets minimum toilet numbers for…
OSHA porta potty requirements for a construction site: how many toilets per worker? ✓ Solved
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51(c) requires one standard portable toilet for 1 to 20 workers, one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers for 21 to 199…
Does the ADA cluster rule apply to a construction site with 10 units?
Yes, the ADA cluster rule applies to a construction site with 10 standard portable toilets. The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design require that…
How many porta potties per person does OSHA require, and does the rule change by trade? ✓ Solved
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51(c) requires one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers for a construction crew of 20 to 199 people. For your framing crew of…
Are porta potties required on construction sites, even for a two-person remodel crew?
I'm a residential remodeler in Chicago, and my crews are usually just two guys. We're often working on occupied houses where the homeowners let us…
50-person crew, all men: can we meet OSHA with just portable urinals?
We have a 50-person construction crew, all men, on a tight urban site for a six-week foundation and steel package. The site is a narrow lot with a…
OSHA 1926.51: Does a 10-man crew on a 30-story exterior need a unit on the roof?
OSHA 1926.51 does not require a portable toilet on the roof for a 10-man crew doing facade work. The standard is based on total worker count at the…
Can a portable urinal replace a standard unit for a male crew?
I run a roofing crew of 20 men on a four-month residential gut rehab in Chicago. We have one standard portable toilet on the ground, and it gets…