Office remodel: 25 workers for 3 months. How many porta potties?

Question

We're gutting a two-story office building downtown, with 25 construction workers on site daily for three months. The crew is all trades, no mobile teams, so everyone is here the full shift. We have a small paved lot behind the building for [placement](https://portapotty.forum/glossary/placement/), and the [vacuum truck](https://portapotty.forum/glossary/vacuum-truck/) can back right up to it. I know OSHA says one toilet for 20 or fewer workers, but we're right at that line. Should I get two [standard units](https://portapotty.forum/glossary/standard-unit/) to avoid lines and overuse? Or is one enough if we schedule weekly service? And do I need an ADA unit for a crew this size, or is that only for bigger sites?

Porta Potty Forum Team · Answer

You need two standard portable toilets for a crew of 25 workers on a three-month construction project. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51(c) sets the minimum for 20 to 199 workers as one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers. Since you have 25, a single unit is the legal minimum, but adding a second unit is a practical necessity to prevent long lines and reduce strain on each unit's 50- to 70-gallon holding tank. Heavy use by a full crew will fill tanks faster and require more frequent cleaning to maintain sanitation.

The ADA cluster rule requires at least one ADA-compliant unit when you cluster multiple portable toilets. With two standard units, that is a cluster, so you must include one ADA-compliant portable toilet. A second standard unit is still needed to meet the worker count requirement, so your setup would be one standard unit and one ADA-compliant unit.

Weekly service is standard, but with 25 workers using two units, the rental company may recommend service every five to six days to keep them clean. The paved lot with direct truck access is ideal and helps avoid missed service fees.

Office remodel: 25 workers for 3 months. How many porta potties?

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