Porta potties for construction sites- Do you need separate units for men and women?

So you know that you need to get porta potties for construction sites. However, you wonder if you need to get separate units for men and women or not.

The confusion is especially higher since there is an increase in the number of women working in the construction industry.

Don’t worry. It is a question that crops up quite a few times in most construction site managers’ minds. This article should give you an idea if you need one, and how you can keep both men and women comfortable on your site.

OSHA requirements for construction site restrooms

It’s better to first understand OSHA’s construction sanitation requirements before deciding on anything. According to them, one restroom is enough if you have 20 or fewer workers working on your site. You, however, need to have one urinal and one toilet seat if you have between 20- 40 workers on site.

The porta potties should be placed somewhere safe and easily accessible by workers, about 10 minutes from where they work. They should also be cleaned and serviced at least once a week for optimal cleanliness. Don’t also forget to provide hand sanitizers or handwashing stations to your workers.

About separate male and female portable restrooms

Okay, now that you know OSHA’s requirements for restrooms, here’s their say about gendered washrooms.

OSHA maintains that regular portable restrooms must meet the set requirements for gendered bathrooms on the site. Their statute maintains that the number of gendered toilets on site depends on the maximum number of employees from each sex at any time during a work shift.

However, the number of people working for you at any time on any shift varies. It makes you difficult to maintain a count, and plan accordingly. This is where you need to know that you meet OSHA’s gendered restroom requirements as long as you provide the right number of restrooms on your job site.

While you do not need to have separate male and female porta potties on your site, some site managers have decided to provide gendered restrooms. They feel that the women designated porta potties will make women more comfortable while using them.

It’s more a personal choice. However if you do opt for gendered restrooms, It’ll be more like a bonus to you. it’ s because the more comfortable your female workers feel onsite, the less is the time they spend delaying restroom trips.

Female friendly amenities

Some construction site managers have made things easier and better for everyone. Instead of opting for separate porta potties for men and women, they decided to go the extra mile. They work at ensuring both men and women are comfortable using their restrooms.

Here are some measures they have implemented, and which you could try at your site too.

Enhanced access restrooms

You could consider renting more abundant enhanced access porta-potties. They have a larger area inside, thus giving women more space, comfort, and confidence to use them.

Renting handwashing stations

Hiring hand washing stations are also a welcome addition to everyone at construction sites.

Yes, there may be hand sanitizers in your porta-potties, but handwashing stations make female workers feel more comfortable. They are usually foot pump operated and placed near portable restrooms for easy access and use after using the restroom.

Some crucial tips worth knowing

Single occupancy toilets are considered as one unit, no matter how many toilets it may have. They should be lockable from inside and should not accommodate more than one employee at a time.

Toilet facilities containing more than one toilet must have a separate compartment for each toilet. It should have a door, walls, and partitions that are high enough to ensure complete privacy.

Besides all of this, make sure to position the porta potties for construction sites somewhere well lit. It provides easy access to all onsite workers and makes both male and female workers feel safe while using restroom facilities.

To wrap it up, you don’t need to rent separate porta potties for construction sites for men and women. You can rent some standard restrooms that meet OSHA requirements and are lockable from inside.

Just make sure to place them in the right spot, somewhere easily accessible. You can also throw in a few extra amenities to make your female workers more comfortable using the restrooms.

Remember, a little thought on your side about your employees’ welfare leads to their going the extra mile, keeps them happy, and gives them a reason to work harder and complete your work on time!