How do operators decide on service frequency for a new long-term site?

Question

We're kicking off a six-month residential gut rehab with a crew of about twelve people on site from 7 AM to 4 PM, five days a week. The rental company dropped off a standard unit and an ADA-compliant unit yesterday and set the service frequency for weekly visits. They're placed on the gravel driveway, which is level and has clear truck access for the vacuum truck. I know weekly is the industry norm, but I'm curious how an operator decides that's the right call for a new long-term site like ours. Do they just start everyone at once a week and adjust if we complain, or do they use a specific calculation based on crew size and hours? What factors would make them recommend increasing the service frequency to twice a week from the start?

Kim S. · Answer

Operators start with weekly service for a standard unit and an ADA-compliant unit on a long-term site like yours because it's the industry norm and meets OSHA 1926.51 minimums for your crew size. For 12 workers, OSHA requires only one toilet, so two units with weekly service is more than sufficient under typical use.

They adjust based on actual usage patterns reported by the customer or observed during service visits. Factors that would prompt recommending twice-weekly service from the start include: a crew larger than 20, extreme heat increasing fluid intake, if the crew primarily uses one unit over the other, or if the site has no other restroom options nearby. Your setup, level gravel driveway with clear truck access, makes frequent service easy, but weekly is the efficient starting point unless those high-use factors are present.

How do operators decide on service frequency for a new long-term site?

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