Units for a small crew on one site
One or two standard units at the edge of the work area. They suit a renovation, a small addition or a short job with a steady headcount.
Serving Wayne County
Construction Site Portable Toilets in Detroit, MI
Portable toilets sized to the crew and placed across Detroit construction sites, serviced on a schedule the job can plan around.
- Standard, ADA and flushable trailer units
- Festival weekends, race circuits and parade routes downtown
- Freeway crews, tower sites and inner-ring renovations
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (888) 351-0294. Or send this and we call you back.
Construction Sites
Construction Site Portable Toilets: what it covers
Quick answer
Construction site portable toilets are units sized to the crew and placed across a job, serviced on a set schedule. Federal construction guidance sets one toilet for crews of 20 or fewer workers, with more units above that. Michigan has its own construction sanitation rule, so Detroit Porta Potty Rental sizes each job to the headcount and the current rule.
A construction crew needs its toilets to be where the work is, not where the site office is. A unit set at the far gate sends workers across the yard, over the materials and past the machines several times a day. The placement is part of the job plan, and it changes as the work moves from the foundation to the roof.
In Detroit the construction work runs from downtown towers and the reconstruction of major roads to the renovation of older houses and the industrial sites on the river. The headcount, the length of the job and the ground all change from one site to the next, so the unit count is worked out for each one.
The first question on any job is the headcount, and the second is how long it will last. Those two figures set the number of toilets and the service schedule, and they are confirmed before the first unit is delivered.
- Service area
- Detroit & Wayne County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7
- Phone
- (888) 351-0294
How many toilets does a construction crew need in Michigan?
Federal construction guidance sets one toilet for 20 or fewer workers, and more above that. Michigan's construction sanitation rule, MIOSHA Rule 129, also sets a count by headcount, but the ratio in the 2008 legislative summary is not the current text, so the rule should be checked before the count is fixed.
Federal guidance adds one seat and one urinal per 40 workers above 20, and per 50 at 200 or more. A crew working in Michigan must meet the state rule as well, and that rule has its own wording on mobile crews. Mobile crews that move from site to site have been treated differently under the state rule, which is one reason to check the current text for each job.
- Federal rule: one toilet for 20 or fewer workers
- Federal rule: one seat and one urinal per 40 above 20
- Michigan rule: check the current MIOSHA text
- Mobile crews: check the current exemption wording
Do crews who work alone need an accessible unit?
Generally no. The federal event guidance on accessible units is aimed at public events, and a construction crew working as a known group is generally outside it. A worker who uses a wheelchair still has the right to a usable toilet, so the layout should suit the people who will use it.
A site with a worker who uses a wheelchair should have a unit that fits the job, placed on a firm, level route from the work area. The employer's obligations are set by the rules that apply to the job, and this page does not give legal advice on them. Ask the provider what the accessible unit includes if one is needed on site.
- Event guidance is aimed at public events
- A worker who uses a wheelchair needs a usable unit
- Place it on a firm, level route
- Ask the provider what the unit includes
How do the big downtown and road jobs affect placement?
Long reconstruction jobs on the city's main roads and the downtown corridor need units that move with the work. The reported I-94 reconstruction between I-275 and Michigan Avenue runs through 2029, and the Michigan Avenue work in Corktown has its own phases, so the units follow those phases.
On a corridor job the work zone changes every few weeks, and a unit that stood in one lane last month may now be in the way of a crane or a new shoulder. Plan the moves with the contractor's schedule, and keep a unit within a short walk of each active zone. The job's own sanitation plan should show the units and the moves, so an inspector can see the count at any point.
- Plan unit moves with the contractor's schedule
- Keep a unit within a short walk of each zone
- Show the units and moves in the sanitation plan
- Check the count against the current phase
What should a contractor ask for from a provider?
A count matched to the headcount, a service schedule, a placement plan that moves with the phases, and proof that the septage company holds the state licences. The contractor should also ask how the units are cleaned and restocked during the job.
Ask the provider to put the count and the service interval in writing before the job starts, and to name the septage company that will pump the units. The company's licence can be checked in the state's septage haulers directory, which shows whether it is valid and when it expires. Keep that record with the site's safety file.
- Count matched to the peak headcount
- A written service schedule
- Named septage company and its licence check
- Cleaning and restocking agreed in advance
Warning signs
Signs you need construction site portable toilets
Keep units clear of excavation edges, swing radii and the paths of heavy machines. Do not let a loaded truck back toward a unit without a spotter. If a unit tips, leaks or is hit by machinery, clear the area and call (888) 351-0294 before anyone returns to it.
- A crew that has grown past the number of toilets on site
- A job where workers walk across the yard or over materials to the only unit
- A foundation or demolition phase with no toilet inside the work area
- A site where the units are full before the morning break
- A job expected to run for months with a single unit on the gate
- A subcontractor that has joined the site without a count of its workers
- A site inspection that asks for the sanitation plan on paper
Our process
How our construction site portable toilets visit works
Get the peak headcount and the program
Ask for the peak number of workers on site and the phases of the job. The headcount per phase sets the count, and the phase plan sets when units move.
Apply the federal and Michigan rules
Federal construction guidance gives one toilet for 20 or fewer workers, and Michigan's construction sanitation rule sets its own ratio. The current state text is checked before the count is fixed.
Place the units in the work zones
Units go at the edge of each work zone, on firm, level ground, clear of the materials and the machine routes, so workers reach one without crossing the active work.
Move the units as the phases change
When the work moves to a new floor or area, the units are moved to match. A move is planned with the site superintendent so the crew is never without a toilet.
Service on a schedule and record it
Units are emptied on a set interval and restocked, and the service is logged. A septage company pumps the waste under Michigan's Part 117 rules.
Options
Types and options for construction site portable toilets
Units for a large crew across phases
A set of units moved as the phases change, with a count for each phase. This is the usual arrangement for a multi-storey or multi-phase build.
Units for a demolition or excavation
Units placed clear of the excavation edge and the demolition routes, on ground that will not move under them. The placement is checked after each phase of heavy work.
One call and it gets handled.
Most construction site portable toilets calls are scheduled the same day when a technician is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.
Wayne County
Why construction site portable toilets is different in Wayne County and Metro Detroit
Downtown towers and the mid-rise projects in the central grid are built on tight lots, so the units often stand on a street-side deck or a temporary yard. Each floor of a tall job is planned as a separate work zone with its own count.
Michigan Avenue in Corktown and the I-94 corridor run through the southwest and west side of the city, where a major road job has long phases and a constant stream of trucks. Units are set well back from the lane edges and out of the truck turning paths.
Renovation of the older houses on the west and northwest sides is slower and smaller, usually one unit on a drive or a side yard for a crew of a few people. The unit is moved to the rear or the side so the front of the house stays clear.
Related
Related services
Road and Bridge Crew Restrooms
Portable toilets for Detroit road and bridge crews, moved with the work zone and kept clear of the traffic lanes and the crane routes.
Long-Term Portable Toilet Rental
Portable toilets rented for months or years on a Detroit project, serviced on a steady schedule and moved as the work moves.
Warehouse and Industrial Site Restrooms
Portable toilets for Detroit warehouses, plants and industrial yards, set clear of forklift lanes and loading docks and counted to each shift.
Renovation and Block Party Restrooms
Portable toilets for Detroit home renovations and block parties, set on the drive or side yard so the house and street stay usable.
Where we work
Construction Site Portable Toilets across Wayne County
- Construction Sites in Downtown Detroit
- Construction Sites in Midtown and New Center
- Construction Sites in Southwest Detroit and Corktown
- Construction Sites in East Side Detroit and Eastern Market
- Construction Sites in Northeast Detroit
- Construction Sites in Northwest Detroit
- Construction Sites in West Detroit and Rouge Park
- Construction Sites in Hamtramck
- Construction Sites in Highland Park
- Construction Sites in Dearborn
- Construction Sites in Dearborn Heights
- Construction Sites in Melvindale
- Construction Sites in Allen Park
- Construction Sites in Lincoln Park
- Construction Sites in River Rouge
- Construction Sites in Ecorse
- Construction Sites in Wyandotte
- Construction Sites in Inkster
- Construction Sites in Redford
- Construction Sites in Southfield
- Construction Sites in Oak Park
- Construction Sites in Ferndale
- Construction Sites in Royal Oak
- Construction Sites in Madison Heights
- Construction Sites in Warren
- Construction Sites in Eastpointe
- Construction Sites in Roseville
- Construction Sites in Saint Clair Shores
- Construction Sites in Harper Woods
- Construction Sites in Grosse Pointe Park, City and Farms
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
Construction Site Toilet Requirements in Michigan
Michigan construction sites are counted under MIOSHA construction Rule 129, which ties the number of toilets to headcount.
Where Portable Toilet Waste Goes in Michigan
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy regulates septage servicing under Part 117 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
Choosing a Rental Term for a Detroit Construction Site
Choose the rental term from the project schedule, not from the price you hope to see.
FAQ
Construction Site Portable Toilets FAQs
How many toilets does a crew of ten need?
Under the federal guidance a crew of ten needs one toilet, since the rule is one for 20 or fewer workers. Michigan's construction rule sets its own count by headcount, so the state text should be checked before the count is fixed for the job.
Do units have to be moved as the job progresses?
Usually yes, on a job with several phases or floors. The units follow the work zones so each crew is within a short walk of one. The moves are planned with the site superintendent, so no crew is left without a toilet.
Who pumps the units on a construction job?
A septage company does, under Michigan's Part 117 rules for septage. Ask the provider which company it uses and check that company's licence in the state's septage haulers directory.
Can the units be placed on a public street?
Only with the city's agreement, and the placement must fit the street closure. Ask the city about the street before the unit is delivered, and keep the sidewalk clear for pedestrians.
How do I get a sanitation plan for an inspection?
Give the provider the headcount per phase and the site plan. The office returns a plan with the units, their positions and the service schedule, which can be kept on site for an inspector to read.