How portable toilets enhance the productivity of the construction worker

The word productivity is often used in the work environment, including the construction site. To be considered productive, one must work hard and achieve excellent results. Other words that come to mind when you think of productivity are efficiency, work rate, output, and yield. In the UK, The Office of National (ONS) shared that the average productivity levels in the construction industry have consistently remained below the UK average. It establishes the need for an improved level of productivity, and this was severely challenged in the pandemic period of 2020 as the output per hour was 2% higher than in 2020.

Here are some ways a portable toilet improves the productivity at a construction site:

1. Saves the time required in searching for a toilet: When portable toilets are readily available on construction sites, workers do not have to travel long distances to find restroom facilities. It saves them time that would usually be spent walking to and from a distant restroom, freeing them up to focus more on the pressing construction tasks.
2. Reduced Downtime: Proper access to mobile toilets minimizes the need for extended restroom breaks, thus decreasing the spare time linked with bathroom trips. Construction workers can quickly use these facilities and return to workstations, maintaining a more consistent workflow.
3. Enhanced Optimism: Access to clean and conveniently located portable toilets can improve a construction worker’s morale. Employees who feel their basic needs are met are more likely to be content and engaged in their work, leading to more productivity.
4. Boosted health and hygiene: When portable toilets are available on a construction site, proper sanitation is maintained, reducing the risk of illness and absenteeism due to preventable health issues. When workers are more likely to stay healthy and on the job due to hygiene standards that are met, momentum is built around the building project. 
5. Mitigation of distraction and worry: When portable toilets are unavailable on a construction site, workers can quickly become distracted or anxious about when and where they will be able to use the restroom. Access to portable toilets removes this distraction, enabling workers to focus on the construction project.
6. Better safety standards at the site: Construction sites with well-serviced portable toilets are generally safer for workers. Workers may attempt to improvise toilet solutions, leading to accidents or precarious situations. The provision of portable toilets helps reduce these risks.
7. No hesitation or fear in hydrating: Providing sufficient restroom facilities encourages workers to remain hydrated without the fear of frequent toilet visits. Proper hydration is critical for maintaining energy and productivity on hot construction sites.
8. Prevention of accidents: In the absence of restroom facilities, workers might be more likely to relieve themselves in unsafe or inappropriate areas, increasing the risk of accidents or contamination of work areas. The provision of portable toilets provides a safe and designated to address such needs.

In conclusion, the reasons mentioned above emphasises the critical role portable toilets play in contributing to the productivity of construction workers. When a building site leader or site manager provides the workers with mobile toilets, the worry of looking for a nearby bathroom during the break is unlikely. Overall, hiring sufficient portable toilets can be the main reason a construction project is completed on time and on budget.