HOW TO MEET OSHA RESTROOM REQUIREMENTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES

Executing a significant renovation, new build, or reconstruction of a building requires strict compliance to federal regulations, including OSHA’s sanitation requirements. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, “under temporary field conditions, provisions shall be made to assure not less than one toilet facility is available.” But which facilities are acceptable and how many of them are adequate? Read below for the specific sanitation standards OSHA has set for the Construction industry and learn about Cotton Logistics’ compliant solutions.

What toilet types are OSHA-compliant for construction sites?

Per OSHA’s standard number 1926.51, the below toilets are acceptable for temporary construction sites: 

• Privies
• Chemical toilets 
• Recirculating toilets
• Combustion or incinerating toilets

How many toilets are required on the job site? 

To comply with OSHA standards, employers must provide the following: 

• 20 employees or less = 1 toilet
• 20+ employees = 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers
• 200+ employees = 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 50 workers

However, the requirements for sanitation facilities do not apply to mobile crews having transportation readily available to nearby toilet facilities.

Additional considerations for a safe and healthy working environment

Employers may also want to consider the following best practices to ensure employees won’t suffer adverse health effects that can result if toilets are not readily available when needed:

• Toilets should provide privacy and should be separated by gender. 
• Toilets should be no more than 10 minutes from where workers are assigned to work. For high-rise construction sites or other scenarios where sanitary facilities are located more than 10 minutes away, employers should provide more facilities in accessible areas.
• Additional toilet facilities may be necessary if several workers will need to use the restroom at the same time, such as during scheduled breaks. 
• Toilet facilities must be kept clean to meet workers’ health and sanitation needs. This includes routine cleaning, waste removal, and replenishment of supplies such as toilet paper.
• Facilities must be well lit, ventilated, and in a secure area. 
• Employers must also provide soap and water or antibacterial hand cleansers, hand towels or drying equipment, and trash cans.

Cotton Logistics offers compliant restroom solutions

When it comes to providing safe, OSHA-compliant facilities for your temporary or remote crews, trust Cotton Logistics to deliver rapid solutions to your job site. For decades, our team has deployed thousands of portable restrooms and restroom trailers for use on construction sites, industrial job sites, and emergency scenarios. 

In addition to providing temporary toilet facilities, Cotton can provide your crews with handwashing stations, potable water, and housekeeping services for a full, turnkey solution. Contact us today to see how we can help make your construction site OSHA-compliant and safe for your temporary crews.