For a crew of 30 men, can we use two portable urinals and one standard unit?

Question

We have a crew of 30 men on a commercial site for a 10-week build. The site has gravel ground and the truck access is clear for service. I'm looking at the OSHA 1926.51 rule for construction, which says for 20 to 199 workers, you need one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers. That would be one standard unit and one urinal for our crew. Right now we have two standard units. I'm thinking about swapping one standard unit for two portable urinals to save space and maybe reduce the rental cost. The urinals take up less room and can serve more guys faster during breaks. But I'm not sure if the crew will accept it. Has anyone made this switch? Did it work or did you get complaints?

Porta Potty Forum Team · Answer

Yes, two portable urinals and one standard portable toilet meet the OSHA 1926.51(c) minimum for 30 men. The standard requires one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers in the 20 to 199 range, so your plan satisfies the rule. Using urinals can speed up use during breaks because they take less time per person than a full toilet.

Crew acceptance is the main variable. Some crews prefer the privacy of a standard unit for all functions. Urinals are open and lack doors, which can be an issue on sites without screened-off areas. If the crew is used to two standard units, swapping one for two urinals might feel like a reduction in privacy or convenience.

Rental cost may be lower since a portable urinal typically rents for less than a standard unit. Space savings are real; a urinal has a smaller footprint. Servicing remains weekly for normal use. The vacuum truck pumps both the standard unit's holding tank and the urinal's waste tank in one visit. Consider keeping the second standard unit if the crew balks, because productivity losses from complaints can outweigh the rental savings.

For a crew of 30 men, can we use two portable urinals and one standard unit?

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