Construction Site Setup Checklist: Temporary Facilities to Line Up Before Day One

An efficient construction site starts with a thorough setup. If crews arrive and there's no fence around the lot or no restroom on site, work gets delayed and your schedule slips. The good news is that setting up temporary facilities on most sites is straightforward. It usually takes just a few orders placed a week or two ahead of time to prevent problems once work begins. This construction site setup checklist is for site superintendents and general contractors getting ready to mobilize. It covers the easy-to-forget temporary facilities you need in place for the weeks and months ahead, including restrooms, handwashing, water, fencing, waste services, and more. A quick note: John To Go has been setting up construction sites in New York, New Jersey, and Florida since 2004. This guide walks through the same items we review with every contractor we partner with, and it ends with a short, printable checklist you can share with your team.

Calculate How Many Restrooms You Need

The number of restrooms you need depends on how many workers you expect on site throughout the project. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend one restroom for every 20 workers. Count carefully, though. Your core crew may only be 10 people, but you may also need facilities for subcontractors who arrive at different stages of the project. OSHA sets minimum toilet requirements for construction sites in its sanitation standard, 29 CFR 1926.51. Under the standard's Table D-1:

Sites with 20 or fewer workers need at least one toilet.
Sites with 20 or more workers need one toilet seat and one urinal per 40 workers.
Sites with 200 or more workers need one toilet seat and one urinal per 50 workers.

These are minimums, and local codes or your contract may require more. We generally suggest going above them. A few extra units keep workers and subcontractors comfortable and make your site more efficient by reducing lines. For more detail, see our guide to OSHA porta potty requirements for construction. To see how many units we recommend for your site, use the Unit Calculator on our website. Just enter how many workers you expect on site at the same time, and it will recommend the number of units to rent. You'll also need to choose the right unit types:

Standard construction units: Our construction porta potties include a toilet and a urinal, plus a translucent roof that lets in daylight, which is a nice touch in winter.
ADA-accessible units: If any workers or site visitors need an accessible restroom, add an ADA-accessible unit from the start.
Hi-Rise units: For high-rise jobs, our Hi-Rise unit has a steel frame and can be lifted by crane or rolled onto a construction elevator.
Restroom trailers: For longer jobs, or where staff are on site all day, consider construction restroom trailers from our sister company, VIP To Go. They come with mirrors, running water, flushing toilets, and climate control.

Plan for Hand Washing and Sanitizing

Restrooms are only half the job. Workers also need a place to wash their hands, especially if their work leaves hands dirty or greasy. We generally suggest placing hand-washing or sanitizing stations next to restrooms, as well as in break areas, so workers can clean up before eating. OSHA's construction sanitation standard requires employers to provide adequate washing facilities near the worksite for employees who apply paints, coatings, herbicides, or insecticides, or who do other work where contaminants may be harmful. Those facilities need to be equipped so workers can remove the substances, and where lavatories are required, they must be stocked with hand soap and individual towels or air dryers. Even if those requirements don't apply to your job, hand wash stations help keep your crew comfortable and healthy. John To Go's hand wash station is fully self-contained. It holds 22 gallons of fresh water and 24 gallons of gray water in separate tanks, provides up to 200 hand washes between services, and comes with hygienic foot pumps, soap, and paper towels. Let us know how many workers will use them, and we'll estimate how many stations you need. Where running water isn't practical, our foam sanitizer stand is a good supplement. It needs no water or soap and has four dispensers, so several people can use it at the same time after a shift. Keep in mind that sanitizer doesn't replace washing facilities where OSHA requires them.

Line Up Fresh Water Where There Are No Hookups

No water or sewer hookup on site? The JTG Water System supplies site and sales trailer restrooms in locations without utility connections. A fresh water tank feeds the restroom, and waste goes into a secured holding tank for pumping. We fill the tank from outside the trailer, so nobody working inside is disturbed. The system runs on electricity, so make sure a generator or electrical hookup is available before the trailer arrives. Also plan where the trailer will sit. Service trucks need to reach it for refills and pumping. Don't forget drinking water. OSHA requires an adequate supply of potable water at all places of employment, and drinking water should be kept separate from handwashing water.

Add Temporary Fencing and Barriers

Temporary fencing secures your site and lets the public know work is underway. Several types of fencing can protect your perimeter:

Temporary fence panels: Panels join with secure connectors, with optional sandbags at the base for added stability.
Barricade fencing: A heavy-duty welded steel option that doesn't require digging.
Water-filled barriers: Interlocking barriers we can drop off and help you set up.

For more ideas, read our guide on keeping construction sites secure with temporary fencing.

Arrange Waste Services and Delivery Access

You'll also need waste services for your restrooms, sinks, and holding tanks. Technicians must be able to reach units to empty them regularly, especially in winter. Standard rentals typically include weekly servicing, and high-use sites may need more. Our team can schedule pumping around your timetable and adjust it as the project moves along. Access is just as important. If service and delivery trucks can't reach your restrooms and tanks, they can't pump them. To keep access easy:

Place units on firm, level ground, close to the people who use them but clear of equipment and crane swing areas
Keep a clear, open route for service trucks
Set up gate access. If your gates are locked, give technicians a way in or have someone ready to meet them when they arrive

Set Your Service Schedule

The last item on the checklist is a reliable service schedule, which determines how often we service each unit. We generally recommend weekly servicing for standard rentals, with more frequent visits for larger crews or heavy use. Some sites need servicing two or three days a week. We can also add extra service visits as your needs change. For example, if you have a small crew in the early phases and more trades later, we can start with weekly servicing and increase the frequency as more contractors arrive. See our guide to how often porta potties need servicing for more.

Your Construction Site Setup Checklist

Here's our free construction site setup checklist. Print it out and share it with your team.

Restrooms and Hand Washing

Estimate your peak headcount, including subcontractors
Calculate units using the OSHA minimums, then add a little extra
Order ADA-accessible units for any workers or visitors who need them
Consider restroom trailers for longer or more complex jobs
Place hand-washing facilities next to restrooms
Add sanitizer stands to break areas where needed
Set a restock schedule for soap, paper towels, and sanitizer

Water

Arrange a water system if you don't have a water hookup
Provide drinking water separately from handwashing water

Fencing

Measure your perimeter to know how much fencing you need
Choose fence panels, barricades, or water-filled barriers
Mark your gate and delivery access points

Waste and Access

Make sure trucks have a clear route to every facility
Create a gate access plan for service drivers
Place all units on firm, level ground

Service Schedule

Set service frequency based on headcount and usage
Add service days to your site schedule

Get Your Site Ready with John To Go

John To Go can help with the temporary facilities your construction site needs, from restrooms and hand wash stations to fencing and water systems. Contact our team or call 845-362-2300 to get your site ready for day one.

Construction Site Setup Checklist: Temporary Facilities to Line Up Before Day One

Calculate How Many Restrooms You Need

Plan for Hand Washing and Sanitizing

Line Up Fresh Water Where There Are No Hookups

Add Temporary Fencing and Barriers

Arrange Waste Services and Delivery Access

Set Your Service Schedule

Your Construction Site Setup Checklist

Restrooms and Hand Washing

Water

Fencing

Waste and Access

Service Schedule

Get Your Site Ready with John To Go

Portable Toilet For Rent

Insurance

Additional Servicing Per Week

Attached lock

Full Setup

Construction Site Setup Checklist: Temporary Facilities to Line Up Before Day One

Calculate How Many Restrooms You Need

Plan for Hand Washing and Sanitizing

Line Up Fresh Water Where There Are No Hookups

Add Temporary Fencing and Barriers

Arrange Waste Services and Delivery Access

Set Your Service Schedule

Your Construction Site Setup Checklist

Restrooms and Hand Washing

Water

Fencing

Waste and Access

Service Schedule

Get Your Site Ready with John To Go

Portable Toilet For Rent

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