Keeping your projects on schedule, especially if it’s on a strict timeline, can be difficult when things are chaotic in the bustling environment of a construction site. To keep things running smoothly, every construction site requires essential elements of equipment – tools, materials, hard workers – and even portable toilets can be considered a necessary piece.
When it comes down to the morale and efficiency of a construction site, there’s no denying that portable restrooms are a part of that process. On a construction site without a porta-potty, crews will have no choice, but to take care of business offsite. This could be as easy as walking down the street to the convenience store, or it could be considered more difficult by requiring more travel just to find a toilet. We all know what this can turn into: less productivity and higher costs per man-hour of work, not to mention potential liability issues. When it comes down to the pros and cons of portable toilet rentals, it just makes good business sense to have a portable restroom on the construction site.
But how do you determine how many portable toilets you need for your construction site? Where will they need to be placed? How often do they need to be serviced? Here are some tips for understanding the factors affecting portable toilets for construction sites:
Servicing Portable Toilets
Ultimately, when it comes down to how often these portable toilets need to be serviced, it will depend on the amount of traffic/use and the length of time for the construction project. In order to maintain sanitary conditions and meet industry requirements, any long-term construction projects will require numerous toilet service visits. Generally, every seven days is the recommended timeline to service and clean the toilets. However, this could vary depending on the amount of workers on the site (some weeks there may be more than others), as well as the season – summer heat might necessitate more frequent servicing – and usage volume.
Number of People Working on the Project
An easy and simple rule of thumb to follow is that each construction site needs a minimum of one portable toilet for every ten workers. As a standard, if there are more than 20 workers, it’s recommended that there be 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per every 40 workers. And on especially large projects where crew numbers exceed 200, the standard is 1 toilet and 1 urinal for every 50 workers. Whenever possible, having a urinal/toilet combination unit onsite is recommended to accommodate a higher volume of use.
Plan for the Layout and Size of the Job Site
Rather than placing the toilets all in one location, it’s recommended that they are placed in conveniently located and easily accessible locations throughout the job site, especially if it’s a large worksite. By having the toilets strategically placed within the working area, it will reduce the amount of time it will take for the crew members to walk to the toilets and “take care of business”. While the time saved might seem small at the moment, those saved minutes over time can really add up over the course of weeks and months, so proper planning and placement are important to avoid lost time and productivity.
Portable Restrooms on Job Sites are a Good Investment
When you offer a restroom on the job location, you’ll be able to cut down on the distance workers must travel to use a toilet and the time they need to search for an alternative facility since no other restroom is available nearby. Here is a breakdown of the annual cost of 10 minutes of wasted toilet time per employee, per day:
Hourly Rate 5 Employees 10 Employees
$10.00 $2,125.50 $4,250.00
$13.00 $2,762.50 $5,525.00
$15.00 $3,187.50 $6,375.00
(Formula: Hourly Rate divided by 60 Minutes Per Hour x 10 Minutes x Number of Employees x 255 Days Per Year. Referenced through a study conducted by the Portable Sanitation Association International).
When it comes down to the disadvantages of not having toilets, it’s easy to see why having portable toilets on-site is a must. Just like in an office environment, builders and laborers require bathroom breaks and by keeping a few clean portable toilets on hand you can boost employee morale, which can be seen as favorable by clients. Keeping both sides of the business satisfied is critical to the success of your project!
If you are looking for portable rental restrooms for your next job site in Fort Collins, be sure to check out redbox+ Dumpsters of Northeast Denver! Our innovative product combines a portable restroom and a dumpster to create the most efficient option for your construction site. Call us at 303-586-7038 to learn more!