Is Having a Porta Potty on Your Construction Site Really Worth It?

Let’s just be clear, in Ontario having a porta potty on a construction site isn’t just a good idea—it’s the law! According to the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), providing a safe, clean, and easily accessible bathroom for your workers is mandatory. But, if that’s not enough to convince you, or you operate your business in an area where it’s not mandatory, we’re here to break down the financial perks of renting a porta potty for your project.

Related: Does the Porta Potty on Your Ontario Job Site Need a Sink?

How Do Porta Potties Save You Money?

The secret sauce to savings? Time! When you have a porta potty on site, your employees can take bathroom breaks without leaving the premises. Without one, they often find themselves making a detour to the nearest gas station or convenience store.

Curious about the savings? Check out this video to see just how much you can save with a porta potty on the job!

Let’s break it down…

When workers have to leave the site, it’s not just about the bathroom break itself; there are a few sneaky time-wasters to consider:

- Driving time to and from the nearest public restroom

- Gas costs for those trips 

- The time it takes to refocus on their work after returning

Let's do the math...

On average, folks make about three bathroom trips during the workday. Let’s just say, each bathroom break lasts 15 minutes. That adds up to 45 minutes of bathroom time per employee daily! This is pretty conservative, and can vary depending on where the closest bathroom is to your job site. If the nearest bathroom is 15 minutes away, this would double the amount of time spent on bathroom breaks! Or more!

Now, let’s crunch some numbers: in Ontario, the average general contractor costs about $35/hour. This means each employee is essentially costing $26.25 per day on bathroom breaks. While that might not seem like a lot at first glance, it adds up quickly! Over a month, that’s around $550 for just one worker. 

Now imagine you have a crew of 5, 10, or even 15! For a job site with 5 employees, you’re talking about $33,000 a year spent on bathroom breaks. Yikes!

To Conclude...

Investing a couple of hundred dollars each month on a porta potty rental is a smart financial choice! It saves you money in the long run, and provides your team with a clean space to do their business. And trust us, your workers will definitely appreciate it!

So why not make your construction site a little more convenient and cost-effective? Rent a porta potty today!