Reviewed by Noel, owner of Noel Portable Toilets Rental
How many porta potties does my construction site need?
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51(c), a jobsite with 20 or fewer workers needs at least 1 toilet. A site with 20 to 199 workers needs 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers. A site with 200 or more needs 1 seat and 1 urinal per 50 workers. Minnesota adopts this federal rule through MNOSHA.
| Workers on site | OSHA legal minimum | Noel's recommendation (weekly service) |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | 1 toilet | 1 standard unit |
| 11–20 | 1 toilet | 2 standard units |
| 21–40 | 1 seat + 1 urinal | 3–4 standard units (each has a urinal) |
| 41–80 | 2 seats + 2 urinals | 5–8 standard units |
| 81–120 | 3 seats + 3 urinals | 9–12 units, or add a second service day |
Why we recommend more than the minimum: a 60-gallon tank handles about 200 uses before service. Ten workers on a 40-hour week reach that in about 5 days, so 1 unit per 10 workers keeps it usable until the weekly visit. The legal minimum comes from OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51; the recommendation is ours. Confirm crew requirements with your safety officer.
Worked example: a framing crew of 14 on a 50-hour week. OSHA requires 1 toilet. At 1 unit per 10 workers, 14 workers need 2 units. Add 1 hand washing station if they handle treated lumber or adhesives.
How does jobsite billing and servicing work?
Construction porta potties bill every 28 days, not by calendar month. Each 28-day cycle includes weekly service: the tank is pumped, the inside is scrubbed and sanitized, and toilet paper and hand sanitizer are restocked. The rental renews at the same price until you call for pickup, and there is no pickup fee.
- Same service day every week. Tell us which day suits the site; most contractors want Monday or Friday.
- Extra service before inspections or pours. One call adds a visit, priced on the quote.
- Billing stops on the cycle you call. A 28-day cycle is not prorated, so call for pickup near the end of a cycle.
- Invoices for contractors. Approved contractors can be billed by invoice; homeowners pay by card.
Do workers need a hand washing station on site?
OSHA 1926.51(f) requires washing facilities when workers apply paints, coatings, herbicides or other harmful materials. Concrete, masonry, roofing and food-handling crews should have a hand washing station near the toilets. A standard porta potty only carries hand sanitizer, which does not remove cement or chemical residue.
Our two-sink hand washing station needs no hookup and is refilled on the weekly service visit.
Where should the porta potty go on a jobsite?
Place the jobsite porta potty on level, firm ground within 25 feet of where a pump truck can stop, out of the path of equipment and away from trenches and excavation edges. On windy open sites, ask us to stake or strap the unit. In winter, keep the path to it plowed.
- Keep it at least 10 feet from building openings and fresh-air intakes.
- Leave a lane the service truck can reach every week, even after the slab or driveway is poured.
- On multistory or tight urban lots, tell us before delivery so we bring the right unit and crew.
Do you serve construction sites outside Alexandria?
We serve jobsites across 11 counties, from Fergus Falls and Perham to St. Cloud, Willmar and Little Falls. Douglas County jobs have delivery and pickup included. Sites farther than 25 miles add one flat trip charge per delivery, and weekly service keeps the same day every week.
See Stearns County, Otter Tail County or the full service area list.