How Many Porta Potties Do I Need?

No one wants to scramble to find a bathroom when nature calls. Regulations require workplaces and other venues to have a certain number of restroom options for the number of people at the event. Does your event have enough bathrooms to accommodate your workers or guests? When looking for portable restroom options for your guests, you want to make sure you choose ones that offer the best accessibility and cleanliness. Proper hygiene keeps your guests happy and healthy as they mingle.  Are you planning a special event or job site but unsure about the porta-potty setup? At John To Go, we’ve worked enough of these events to know the ins and outs of hygienic portable restrooms.  Keep reading to learn the basic requirements of how many porta potties you need for various situations, such as construction job sites and private events. We will also review other portable hygiene products and ADA requirements to complete your sanitary needs. 

OSHA Restroom Requirements in the Workplace

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set minimum restroom requirements for the workplace depending on the number of employees sharing the workspace.  These requirements ensure workers have reliable access to restroom facilities throughout the day, which can improve productivity and overall cleanliness.  For smaller companies that have 15 or fewer employees, you’re required to have only 1 restroom option with a locking door. The number of required restroom facilities increases from there as the number of employees increases.  The general guidelines for OSHA workplace restroom requirements include:

• 16 to 35 Employees: 2 Toilets
• 36 to 55 Employees: 3 Toilets
• 56 to 80 Employees: 4 Toilets
• 81 to 110 Employees: 5 Toilets
• 111 to 150 Employees: 6 Toilets
• Over 150 Employees: 1 Additional Toilet per 40 Employees Over 150

Some porta-potty options come with urinals, but it’s important to note that these do NOT count toward the minimum toilet requirements. You can have urinals in addition to toilets, but you will still need to meet these minimum toilet counts. 

OSHA Restroom Requirements for a Construction Site 

Similar to other workplace environments, OSHA also has strict guidelines for restrooms on a construction site.  Since these job sites can be in remote areas with more limited access to bathrooms and running water, porta-potties become a necessity. There needs to be enough toilets to account for the number of people working on the job site.  The specific OSHA porta-potty requirements on a construction site vary depending on the number of employees. The more employees are working on the job site, the more porta-potties you’ll need to accommodate all of them.  If you have fewer than 20 workers, you will need at least 1 porta-potty. This number will go up with the number of employees.  The general porta-potty requirements include: 

• Job sites with more than 20 workers but less than 200: 1 Toilet and 1 Urinal Per 40 Workers
• Job sites with more than 200 workers: 1 Toilet and 1 Urinal Per 50 Workers

How Many Porta Potties Per Person For an Event? 

Weddings and special events are supposed to be a magical time for all guests who attend. Don’t have your guests wait in line to use the bathroom. Reserving enough porta-potties leaves your guests happy and hygienic as they join the dance floor during the reception.  The general rule of thumb for wedding porta-potties tends to be to have 1 porta-potty per 50 guests for every 4 hours.  If your big event is shorter than 4 hours long, then you would need 1 toilet per 50 guests who attend. For events that last longer than 4 hours, add an additional porta-potty per 50 guests. This guideline can give you a good starting point when figuring out how many porta-potties you would need to reserve for your event. However, there are other factors you should take into account when planning for your big day.  Think about the specifics of your event, such as the number of people attending and the food and drink options. If there’s going to be alcohol, guests will need to use the restroom more often, so you may want to consider an additional porta-potty. 

Portable Hand Washing Stations 

In addition to a certain number of toilets based on the number of employees, workplaces are also required to have a certain number of hand-washing facilities.  This improves general hygiene and helps to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria throughout the workplace, keeping workers safe and healthy as they go about their jobs.  Proper sanitization and cleanliness require running water, soap, and either paper towels or hand dryers. These handwashing facilities need to be easily accessible and properly maintained to ensure proper hygiene.

ADA Compliant Restrooms

Whether you’re planning your wedding or looking to properly stock your job site, there must be porta-potty options available for everyone at the event.  Some guests may have limited mobility or difficulty using standard porta-potties, and you want to make sure everyone has safe access to clean restroom facilities. For every 20 or fewer porta-potties at the venue, one of them must be ADA-compliant. These specific porta-potties are designed to abide by ADA regulations, ensuring that individuals with certain disabilities still have access to the bathroom.  ADA-compliant porta potties need to have specific safety features to improve accessibility and keep users safe.  Certain features include a spacious interior to fit a wheelchair or other mobility aid, easy-to-grab handrails or safety bars, ramp entry, and easy-to-operate toilet paper. 

Make Sure There’s a Bathroom for Everybody!

How many porta-potties do you need per person? The short answer: it depends on the event. From the number of people attending to the type of event, the number of porta-potties you’ll need can vary. It relates to the number of guests or people at the venue.  Looking for the right porta-potties for your next event? John To Go offers a wide range of portable hygienic products such as portable toilets and hand-washing stations. Our iconic purple stalls work for any event or job site, from construction sites to weddings.  No matter the event you’re hosting, we’ve got the perfect portable restroom solution for you. Browse our online catalog or give us a call to book the best porta-potties for your special day.