OSHA Porta Potty Requirements for Construction Sites
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.51 requires 1 toilet for 20 or fewer construction workers, and 1 toilet seat plus 1 urinal per 40 workers from 20 to 199. Handwashing is required where workers handle contaminants. Farm field crews follow a separate rule, 1928.110.
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What does OSHA Table D-1 require?
OSHA Table D-1 requires 1 toilet for 20 or fewer employees, 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers for 20 or more, and 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 50 workers for 200 or more. The table sets a legal minimum for construction sites; it is not a comfort target.
| Number of employees | Minimum facilities |
|---|---|
| 20 or less | 1 |
| 20 or more | 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 40 workers |
| 200 or more | 1 toilet seat and 1 urinal per 50 workers |
Official text: OSHA 1926.51 Sanitation.
How do I turn Table D-1 into a unit count?
Turn Table D-1 into a unit count by dividing the crew by 40 and rounding up, since each standard porta potty has one seat and one urinal. A crew of 55 needs 2 units: 55 ÷ 40 = 1.4, rounded up to 2. A crew of 90 needs 3 units.
Worked example. A framing site in Erie has 34 workers on the busiest day. 34 is more than 20, so the 1-per-40 row applies: 34 ÷ 40 = 0.85, rounded up to 1 seat and 1 urinal. One standard unit meets the minimum. We would place 2 because 34 people sharing one unit makes long lines at lunch.
Does OSHA require handwashing on a job site?
OSHA 1926.51(f) requires washing facilities that are kept clean and supplied with water, soap and towels where workers apply paints, coatings, herbicides or insecticides, or handle other contaminants. Many general contractors require a hand-washing station on every site to meet this rule simply.
Are there exceptions to the OSHA toilet rule?
OSHA exempts mobile crews and normally unattended work locations from Table D-1 if workers have transportation readily available to nearby toilets. A paving crew moving along a road can use that exception. A fixed job site with a crew on it all day cannot.
What about farm field crews?
Farm field crews follow OSHA 1928.110, not 1926.51. It requires 1 toilet and 1 hand-washing facility for every 20 workers, located within a quarter-mile walk of each worker. Weld County farms with seasonal crews of 21 to 40 workers need 2 toilets and 2 hand-washing facilities.
Official text: OSHA 1928.110 Field sanitation. This guide is not legal advice; confirm with your safety officer.
Related questions
Does an ADA unit count toward the OSHA toilet number?
A wheelchair-accessible unit counts as one toilet seat toward Table D-1. Construction sites used only by crews are exempt from the ADA 5% portable-unit rule.
Is a porta potty required for a residential roofing job?
A residential roofing crew working on site all day is covered by Table D-1, so 1 toilet is required unless the homeowner gives the crew access to an indoor bathroom.
Next step: Order units sized to Table D-1 on the construction rental page.
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