They Said One Toilet Was Enough… Until It Wasn’t

“One unit should be fine.”
You’ve heard it. We’ve all heard it.
Then you come back two days later and it’s full, filthy, and the crew’s complaining.

Truth is, most jobsites underestimate how many toilets they need — and it always comes back to bite ‘em.

🚽 How Many Toilets Do You Actually Need? (And Why)

Here’s the general industry rule (based on OSHA guidelines and years of field experience):

✅ Baseline Standard

• 1 portable toilet per 10 workers

• Based on a standard 40-hour workweek

• That’s for regular shifts with access to water and a well-maintained schedule

➕ Add More If…

• You have more than 10–15 workers → Add 1 more unit for every 10–15 extra

• Shifts run longer than 8 hours → Consider 1–2 extra units or more frequent service

• All-male crews or high-traffic users → Add extra (men statistically use more per unit)

• Crews eat on-site or drink lots of water → Plan for heavier use

• Remote sites with no plumbing → Always add handwash stations or hand sanitizer dispensers

💡 Why it matters:
Overused toilets don’t just look bad — they wear out faster, smell worse, and overflow more often. That leads to:

• Higher service costs

• More complaints

• Emergency cleanouts

• Bad first impressions on your brand

🧼 Why It Matters (To Everyone)

If the customer skimps on units, here’s what happens:

• 🚨 Health risks for workers

• 💩 Overflows and odor complaints

• 📞 Emergency call-outs that mess up your whole route

• 🤝 Unhappy customers who blame you for “bad service”

And here’s the part nobody wants to say out loud:
Even when it’s their fault, it makes you look bad.

If the unit's overflowing, filthy, or out of TP, the crew doesn't care who ordered how many — they just know your name's on the side.

It’s your brand. Your rep. Your next review.

Under-servicing makes it look like you’re not on top of your game — even if you're doing everything right.

🧠 How to Get Customers on Board

• Show the math. Break it down in simple terms.

• Use photos of overloaded units to make the point

• Add usage recommendations directly to your quotes

• Offer a "cleaning schedule upgrade" or "extra unit discount" if needed

You’re not upselling. You’re protecting your service and their site.

💡 Bottom Line

One toilet isn't enough for most jobs. But you know what is enough?
Setting the right expectations from day one — because how that unit looks reflects on you, not the GC.

📣 Call to Action:

Seen a “one-toilet disaster” in the field?
Send the story or photo to stories@builtonwaste.com — the nastier, the better.