Picture this: you’re at a large-scale event, having the time of your life. All of a sudden, you get the unavoidable urge to go. Only when you look around, there’s not a bathroom to be found.

Not having accessible bathrooms is one of the biggest nightmare situations for any event or festival. That’s why when it comes to event planning, you can’t ignore the bathroom situation.

But the planning does stop at securing your porta potty rental. You also have to place your porta john rental in the right place. Use these tips to help you out.

Choosing an Accessible Location

Your portable toilet rental doesn’t just need to be accessible to guests. It also has to be accessible for the drivers who are placing the toilets. Additionally, there are sanitation laws to consider.

Many event planners only think of the event’s guests when determining a location. Doing this, however, will undoubtedly lead to a nightmare when it comes to cleaning, pick up, and delivery.

For events lasting longer than a day, you have even more factors to take into consideration. Consider the following questions when choosing a location:

  • Can emergency vehicles maneuver through the area?
  • Will smells disrupt party-goers?
  • Can event guests easily get to the porta johns?
  • Will delivery trucks be able to access the toilets?
  • Can cleaning staff easily do their job?

Each of these is essential for a seamless event.

Don’t Ignore Visibility

While a porta john can be a bit of an eyesore, they still need to be somewhat visible to your event guests. The key is to strike a delicate balance.

No matter what size event you’re hosting, it can be helpful to spread your porta potties out a little bit. Keeping them in multiple locations gives your guests more options.

Try to keep restrooms near seating locations. You want them close enough to food and drinks for easy access, but far enough away that they won’t ruin any appetites.

You can also place your portable toilet rental near already existing restrooms if your event location has them. This works especially well with luxury restroom trailers.

Don’t Ignore the Smells

Sight isn’t the only one of the senses you need to worry about when placing your porta potty rentals. As a general rule of thumb, you should never place your porta potty rentals upwind from the crowd.

This is especially true if you’re placing your porta potty units near the food or seating areas. Nothing ruins an appetite quicker than the smell of a portable toilet.

Look for Level Ground

No one wants to deal with a tipped-over porta potty. So, before setting up any portable toilets, be sure the land is dry and level. Level ground will also prevent any slipping or sliding in case of heavy rains.

Setting porta potties up against some kind of barrier, such as a wall or a fence, could help prevent tip-overs in the case of any strong winds that could pop up.

Law and Order for Your Porta Potty Rental

As we mentioned earlier, there are certain public sanitation laws you have to follow with any porta potty rental. Generally, you will have to get some kind of permit with outlined guidelines you must follow. For example, certain guidelines could state things such as:

  • Not placing portable toilets on sidewalks
  • Keeping portable toilets a particular distance from certain areas

In almost every case, however, you cannot keep portable toilets in any location that blocks fire hydrants or other emergency equipment. This also means you cannot block fire lanes or emergency exits.

Additionally, portable toilets must meet the requirements set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Handicapped Toilet Requirements

According to the ADA, at least 5% of all porta potties at your event must be accessible to handicapped individuals. At absolutely any sized event, there must be at least one. Of course, there should be more for larger events.

In addition, you must clearly label all handicap-accessible. They should also be visible and highly accessible.

Space Requirements for Handicap-Accessible Toilets

When it comes to placing your porta potties, be sure to take the size of handicap-accessible toilets into consideration. These toilets are typically larger due to the addition of grab bars and the larger size to fit wheelchairs. Some of these toilets also include baby changing stations.

Before deciding where to place your restrooms, figure out how many handicap-accessible toilets you’ll need. Then be sure you have enough space for them. Nothing’s more unpleasant than a crowded bathroom area.

Securing the Porta Potty Area

For larger events, it may be a good idea to have additional security posted around the porta potty area. Porta potties are sometimes the perfect target for nasty pranksters who could end up vandalizing or tipping your restrooms.

Additionally, posting security can make some people feel a bit more comfortable about using portable toilets, especially at larger events. For overnight events, this is also a great precaution to take.

Keeping your restroom area well-lit is another good way to deter would-be pranksters.

Take Your Event to the Next Level

Though it’s often overlooked, your porta potty rental is one of the most important parts of any event. From the quality of your rental to the location of the toilets, an improper bathroom set-up is one of the quickest ways to ruin an event.

To rent your own portable toilets, request a quote for our luxury toilets today. We also offer additional services, such as construction storage container rental and traditional porta johns.