The legal baseline: Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR §1526
California construction sanitation is governed by Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR §1526 ("Toilets at Construction Jobsites"). Federal OSHA's 29 CFR 1926.51 provides a floor; California's §1526 is generally stricter and is what Cal/OSHA inspectors enforce on San Diego County job sites.
The toilet-to-worker ratio
Cal/OSHA §1526(a) requires: 1 toilet for 1–20 workers, 2 toilets for 21–35 workers, 3 toilets for 36–55 workers, 4 toilets for 56–80 workers, with one additional toilet per each additional 30 workers. The count includes all workers expected to be on site at one time — not just the GC's direct employees. If you have 18 framers and 5 plumbers on site simultaneously, you have 23 workers and you need 2 toilets.
Hand-wash requirements
Cal/OSHA requires hand-wash facilities at every construction site where running water is not otherwise available. A foot-pump hand-wash station next to your portable toilet satisfies this requirement. Hand sanitizer alone does not — Cal/OSHA inspectors have cited contractors for trying to substitute sanitizer for a hand-wash sink.
Drinking water
Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR §3395 (heat-illness prevention) requires potable drinking water — at least one quart per worker per hour — accessible at all times. This is separate from the sanitation requirement and is not satisfied by the hand-wash station.
ADA-covered workers
If any of your workers are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and require a wheelchair-accessible toilet, you must supply one at no cost to the worker. This is independent of the Cal/OSHA ratio.
Placement, privacy, and condition
Cal/OSHA requires the toilets to be reasonably accessible (typically interpreted as within 5–10 minutes walking distance), provide privacy (an enclosed unit with a door that latches), and be maintained in a sanitary condition (which is where regular servicing comes in).
Servicing frequency for compliance
Cal/OSHA does not prescribe a specific service frequency; it requires units to be "maintained in a sanitary condition." The industry standard for a 5-person crew on one unit is weekly servicing; crews of 7+ on one unit should be on twice-weekly. Inspectors will look at unit condition; if your unit is overflowing or filthy on inspection day, you have a problem regardless of when the last service stop was.
Documentation in your site safety plan
Best practice is to keep a sanitation section in your site-specific safety plan that lists: unit count, service vendor, service frequency, hand-wash location, drinking water location, and ADA accommodation. Vesper provides signed service tickets and emailed service reports you can drop directly into your safety binder.
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