Construction sites are always bustling and full of workers working hard to keep the project on track and on schedule. Like all other necessary pieces of equipment, portable toilets, are considered one of the essential elements of equipment that every job site requires in order to keep running smoothly, along with tools, and hard workers.
There is no denying that by renting portable restrooms on a construction site you will not only benefit morale and efficiency, but you could even say that it is a crucial piece of equipment to keep the construction process moving forward in a timely manner. Without a porta-potty, construction crews are forced to take care of business offsite. This might be a convenience store up the street, but with more remote job sites, it can mean a lot more travel time just to find a toilet. We all know what that can mean: 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 renting a portable toilet, it simply makes good business sense to have a portable restroom on hand.
While we have determined that having a portable restroom is a bonus for the workflow, you probably have several questions or concerns before you take the next step. For example, you might be wondering how many portable toilets you need for your construction site or where on the job sites should the toilets be placed. Or how often will they need to be serviced? All of these are valid questions, so we’ve compiled some tips to help reduce any stress on your end and to help you understand the factors affecting portable toilets for construction sites.
Servicing Portable Toilets
Generally, every seven days is the recommended time to service and clean toilets. Of course, the amount of traffic/use and the length of time for the construction project will ultimately determine how often portable toilet servicing is required and could change the recommended time frame. If you are working on a long-term construction project, to maintain sanitary conditions and meet industry requirements you will be required to have numerous toilet service visits. All of this can vary depending on the number 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
As a simple rule of thumb, every construction site should have a minimum of one portable toilet for every ten workers. If there are more than 20 workers, 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per every 40 workers is standard. And if you are on an especially large project where the crew numbers might exceed 200, 1 toilet and 1 urinal for every 50 workers is the standard. 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 all of the toilets in one location, especially on a large worksite, it’s recommended that they are conveniently located and easily accessible at various locations around the site. Having the toilets strategically placed throughout the working area will reduce the amount of time it takes for crew members working in the far back lot to “take care of business”. It might not seem like much at the time, but over the course of weeks and months, those saved minutes can really add up, so proper planning and placement are important to avoid lost time and productivity.
Portable Restrooms on Job Sites are a Good Investment
Have you considered renting portable restrooms, but just aren’t sure they are a good investment? By offering a restroom on a job location, you may 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 restroom is available nearby. Here is 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).
After looking at these numbers and when you think about the disadvantages of not having toilets, it’s easy to see why having portable toilets on site becomes a must. Just like those who work in an office environment, builders and laborers require bathroom breaks, so keeping a few clean portable toilets on hand is important for employee morale and will be seen favorably by clients. Keeping both satisfied is critical to success.
If you are looking for portable rental restrooms for your next job site in Monroe, be sure to check out redbox+ Dumpsters of Toledo! Our innovative product combines a portable restroom and a dumpster to create the most efficient option for your construction site. Call us at 419-780-2688 to learn more!