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Crew jumps from 9 to about 25 for two weeks when all the trades overlap. Add a second porta potty or just bump service?

Brad L.asked 1 viewConstruction & Job SitesStandard unitOsha 1926 51Service frequencyCrew sizeConstruction site

We're framing and closing in a two story custom home, and most days it's my guys plus a sub or two, so nine people tops. One standard unit sits out by the dumpster on weekly service and it's been fine.

Problem is the next two weeks. Electricians, plumbers, HVAC and the insulation crew all overlap, and the super figures we'll have 22 to 25 people on site most days. Then it drops back down once drywall starts.

I tried reading the OSHA 1926.51 table and honestly can't tell if 25 people means a second unit or if a urinal counts toward it. Do rental companies even drop an extra unit for just two weeks, or is it smarter to keep the one and bump to twice a week? And does the count go by the peak day or the average?

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Deb K.Akron, OH

Add a second standard unit. The OSHA standard for construction sanitation, 29 CFR 1926.51(c), requires one toilet for 20 or fewer workers and one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers for 20 to 199 workers. At 25 people, you need two toilets. A urinal does not replace a toilet seat; it is an addition. Peak daily headcount determines compliance, not the average.

Rental companies will absolutely drop an extra unit for two weeks. Short-term rentals are common. The alternative, bumping service to twice a week, keeps the one unit cleaner but does not meet the OSHA minimum number of fixtures. You would still be out of compliance.

A second unit also reduces congestion. Twenty-five people sharing one toilet means long lines and lost productivity. Place the second unit near the first for a clear cluster. Keep both on weekly service; with two units, the waste volume per unit is lower, so weekly service should suffice. Inform your rental company about the temporary increase so they can plan the delivery and pickup.

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