Can a portable urinal replace a standard unit for a male crew?

Question

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 heavy use. The rental company services it weekly, but it still fills up fast. I am considering swapping it for a portable urinal to save space on the tight lot and maybe cut costs. A urinal uses less space and might need less frequent pumping. But I know OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51 requires one toilet for 20 or fewer workers, and a urinal alone does not meet that. Has anyone used a urinal instead of a full unit for an all-male crew? Did you get cited?

Ray M. · Answer

A portable urinal cannot replace a standard portable toilet for your crew because OSHA 1926.51 requires at least one toilet for 20 or fewer workers, and a urinal alone does not meet that requirement. You would risk an OSHA citation for non-compliance. For 20 workers, the standard mandates one toilet; adding a urinal is only an option for larger crews. Your weekly service is the norm, but heavy use fills a standard unit's holding tank faster. To address the issue, request more frequent service from your rental company, which may increase costs due to extra labor and disposal fees. Alternatively, consider a larger capacity unit if space allows, but swapping to a urinal-only setup is not legal for worker sanitation under federal regulations. Keep the standard unit to avoid fines and ensure compliance.

Can a portable urinal replace a standard unit for a male crew?

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