The rule is 29 CFR 1926.51(c). It sets a minimum count by crew size, requires the units be kept sanitary, and requires handwashing. Florida has no state OSHA plan, so federal OSHA covers private construction sites.
| Workers on site | Minimum toilets (OSHA 1926.51 Table D-1) | At weekly service (ANSI Z4.3) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20 | 1 toilet | 1 per 10 workers |
| 20 to 199 | 1 seat + 1 urinal per 40 | 1 per 10 workers |
| 200 or more | 1 per 50 | 1 per 10 workers |
Toilets must be kept clean and in working order. OSHA's May 17 2006 interpretation letter says an unsanitary toilet does not count toward the required number. In practice: a unit pumped once a week for 20 workers in a Florida summer is not compliant by midweek. Plan service by use, not by the calendar.
Employers must provide washing facilities with soap and single-use towels or dryers. A handwash station next to the units is the normal way to meet this.
Mobile crews with transportation readily available to nearby toilet facilities are exempt from the count. A road crew with a truck and a gas station nearby qualifies. A 3-month vertical build does not.
FBC Plumbing 311.1 requires toilet facilities for construction workers and that they be kept sanitary; non-sewered units follow ANSI Z4.3. There is no statewide rule that a unit must be on site at a given inspection. Check your jurisdiction.
Fort Lauderdale's jobsite checklist says remove or tie down portable restrooms. Manatee County and Fort Myers Beach set jobsite preparation at 48 hours before a hurricane warning's expected landfall. United Site Services' guidance: latch the door, face the unit toward a barrier, strap it, sandbag it, and never upright a tipped unit yourself.
Sources: 29 CFR 1926.51; OSHA standard interpretation 2006-05-17; FBC Plumbing 311.1 (2023); ANSI/PSAI Z4.3; county hurricane guides. This is a summary, not legal advice.