Construction Sites and Portable Restrooms: OSHA Regulations
Having a portable restroom at a construction site is a must for many reasons. It increases productivity and keeps employees healthy. It is also a legal requirement. OSHA requires a certain number of restrooms near job sites, depending on the size of a crew. So when you’re ready to rent restrooms for your next job site, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Let’s take a look at some of the nuances of the rules.
Following OSHA regulations at construction sites
First and foremost, OSHA regulations dictate that you must have a certain number of restrooms available on site. In regards to portable restrooms, the amount and location is important. Sites with 20 or fewer employees are required to have at least 1 toilet. For sites with 21-199 employees, 1 toilet and 1 urinal per 40 workers is required. For large sites with 200 or more workers, 1 toilet and 1 urinal per 50 workers is necessary.
Requirements don’t just apply to the number of restrooms, though. The location of those restrooms is regulated too. They need to be reasonably close by so that it’s not inconvenient to get to them. OSHA specifically says that restrooms must be ‘provided’ and therefore ‘available’, arguing that restrooms that are not close by are not available. OSHA goes on to state that ‘[I]n general, toilets would be considered ‘nearby’ if it would take less than 10 minutes to get to them.’ So, 10 minutes or less of travel time should be your rule of thumb when you think about placing restrooms at a site.
If you have mobile crews, the same principle applies. OSHA states that ‘Workers who continually or frequently move from jobsite to jobsite on a daily or hourly basis would be considered a “mobile crew.”’ In these cases, ‘nearby’ still requires prompt access within 10 minutes. There is flexibility, as long as restrooms are provided for (with the proper amount per number of employees) within the proximity to meet the definition of ‘nearby.’
Beyond compliance
OSHA regulations are just the bare minimum, though. You may want to exceed them to provide a better experience for your workers. Fortunately, it’s easy to find great options on portable restrooms and handwashing stations. Moon Portable Restrooms has a wide selection of portable restrooms and accessories specific to construction sites. For example, check out the PolyLift, a restroom solution designed for high-rise construction sites. Or, take a look at the Lift Sling, a sling accessory engineered for cranes to move restrooms between locations on site. Handwashing stations streamline everything, creating a centralized location by portable restrooms. Plus, for larger or longer jobs, don’t overlook the option to rent a holding tank. Moon’s 300 gallon holding tank is an effective waste receptacle that’s discrete, durable, and dead useful when indoor plumbing isn’t an option.
Moon Portable Restrooms has years of experience offering the best portable restrooms, restroom trailers, and handwashing stations available to customers across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. For more information, give Moon Portable Restrooms a call at 502-776-2199.
