We are, all, fortunate to live in a society where outdoor sanitation requirements are strictly mandated. In fact, OSHA ? the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ? is known for continually updating its rules and regulations for healthy work conditions, as they should.
Construction sites, like any work environment, absolutely must have access to clean restrooms for workers, around the clock, if necessary. In addition to clean facilities, it is crucial and mandated that enough portable restrooms be available, at all times. Here are OSHA's current requirements regarding sanitation provisions for construction sites:
1. Enough portable restrooms must be available ? dependent on the size of the workforce ? to prevent long lines.
OSHA states that when there are 20 or fewer construction workers, only one portable restroom is required, and it does not have to be flush-capable. When more than 20 workers are on site, one toilet seat and one urinal are required for every 40 workers. In instances that involve more than 200 employees, one toilet and one urinal must be on-site for every 50 workers. Additionally, numbers of employees need to be rounded up to the nearest multiple of 10. For example, if there are 34 employees, it must be rounded up to 40; 52 would be rounded to 60, etc.
The purpose of this standard is to ensure that employees will not suffer adverse health effects that can result if an adequate number of toilets is not available. Furthermore, any toilets that would be deemed 'unsanitary', according to OSHA's standards, would not/cannot not be included in any number requirements and would be considered 'unavailable' for use.
When men and women occupy the same construction site, OSHA's 'ANSI Z4.3 guidelines state that there should be one toilet for every 10 males and one toilet for every 10 females.
2. Unreasonable restrictions with restroom use is not allowed.
3. Some stipulations, such as requiring workers to sign out for a key to use the restroom, cannot result in extended delays with getting to a restroom, in time.
4. Any worker must be allowed to exit his or her respective work locations in order to use a restroom, as needed.
5. If a portable restroom is not available at a certain type of construction site, such as roadway/highway construction, available transportation must be readily available for workers to reach a restroom that must be less than 10 minutes away.
6. Portable restrooms must be well lit, ventilated, and in a secure area.
7. Soap & water and/or anti-bacterial hand cleansers must be available, at all times.
8. Individual hand towels or air-blowers or continuous toweling must be readily available.
9. All restrooms should provide locking systems for privacy, and should be separated by gender.
OSHA does not indicate a certain type of portable restroom that must be used on construction sites, but basic, plastic portable restrooms are sufficient, yet, mobile trailers can be used, as well. The main point is: any unit must have adequate internal space for ease-of-movement; it must have self-closing doors; and any unit must have a type of finish ? inside and out ? that can be easily cleaned and sanitized.
Stay On Top of Ever-changing Regulations
Every state incorporates specific plans to meet job-site sanitation requirements, and there is a multitude of regulatory details. Keeping up with OSHA and complying with its regulations and the state's regulations concerning Texas construction sites is extremely important. Though it can become frustrating, OSHA regularly reviews and revises their regulations so even if you think your Texas construction site falls within OSHA compliance, you could be mistaken ? don't take that chance.
Be prudent and proactive and visit OSHA's website on a regular basis: www.OSHA.gov. You can, also, call OSHA at 1-800-321-6742.