Should a Honey Bucket be Staked Down?

You’ve spent so much time organizing the carnival entertainment, food, drinks, lights, sound, and even toilets.

And you are happy with how things are going.  

The last thing you want to happen is the honey bucket tipping over, and ruining the carnival. 

Unfortunately, there’s a very high chance of it happening as porta potties are small and light. So strong winds, mischief-makers, and something unfortunate can lead to a toppled porta potty.

Servicing a knocked-over unit is no easy job! It’s challenging for the technicians to manually clean up the waste and chemicals, and its massive, stinky mess makes things worse!

That’s why you need to do something like staking the porta potty to the ground to prevent it from tipping over.

Why portable toilets tip over

The wind is no doubt the leading cause for a tip-over. The honey buckets get heavy with the stored liquid and waste in the bottom, which is no match for the strong winds and storms. 

Besides, the tall and rectangular structure makes it relatively easy for the honey bucket to tip over when empty. It’s also easy for someone to accidentally or purposely tip over the toilet for a laugh.

Whatever the reason, it’s frustrating, messy, and an added expense to fix.

How to prevent toilets from toppling over

Prevention is always better than cure, even for portable restrooms. Here’s how to prevent porta potties from tipping over. 

1.     Place it on level ground

It’s always important to place the honey bucket on level ground, preferably on a concrete or paved surface. The chances of it toppling over are higher if placed somewhere uneven like a slope, damp or muddy ground or near a curb.

Not only do portable restrooms need level ground, but they also have to be easily accessible to guests and employees.

Sometimes you may realize that the first spot you choose isn’t ideal. In that case, don’t hesitate to call your service provider and request them to move the unit to a better location. 

2.     Offer some support

Look around to see if there are any available buildings and walls to use to support the portable restroom. The structural support makes it difficult for pranksters to knock over the toilet.

Besides, it also blocks the wind, thus reducing the risk of any toppling. Just make sure you select a spot with enough space for the rental company to drive in and service the units. 

3.     Build an enclosure

It’s worth building a temporary enclosure around portable toilets you’ll be using for a while. The enclosure prevents possible but unnecessary vandalism and tip-over associated with long-term porta potty rentals.

You don’t have to spend too much money on it. Some scrap wood, materials, and any waste material you can find around construction sites are more than enough. 

Also, the wall doesn’t make it difficult for your portable toilet provider to maintain and empty the units. It’s also vital that you leave a few inches of space between the wall or fence and the unit for ventilation purposes. 

4.     Staking them down

Don’t worry if there are no walls or buildings around and if it’s not worth building an enclosure.

In this case, you can ask your toilet rental provider to secure the unit to the ground with stakes. These stakes are tied to the toilet and go onto the ground.  

However, you have to do this properly as there’s a right and wrong way to do it. According to OSHA regulations, you need to stake the toilet to prevent dangerous problems for workers and guests. The honey bucket may end up tipping over in heavy rains if the ground is too soft. 

So don’t attempt to do it on your own. Your local toilet rental company knows where and how to safely and effectively secure the unit. 

5.     A well-lit spot

Placing the portable toilet in a well-lit and fenced area makes protecting the unit from vandals easier. So you should preferably place honey buckets in construction sites on some spot visible to the security cameras or guards.

Sometimes no matter what you do, the portable restroom may end up toppling over. Don’t attempt to clean up the mess or make the unit upright if this happens.

It only makes things worse. 

Instead, immediately contact your service provider. They will determine how to best clean it and even replace the unit is damaged. Your service provider will also come up with a solution to prevent accidents from recurring.