Whether you’re organising a high-profile music festival, a local community fayre or have a construction project in the works, one thing you’ll definitely need is portable toilets. So, if you’re an event coordinator for outdoor occasions or a construction foreman/facilities manager on a construction site, hiring these toilets is probably a priority on your To-Do list.
From singular portable loos to whole toilet blocks, there are various decisions to be made. And, for those who have no idea about how hiring portable toilets works or what sort of things you need to take into account when planning your operation, this blog addresses all the important questions you might need to ask when thinking about portable toilet hire.
Where can the toilet be placed?
Portable toilets are designed for outdoor use only, perfect for any big summer events or construction sites. When deciding where to place them, try and opt for a flat area of land and avoid any sloping bits. In terms of health and safety, place them away from any potentially dangerous and hazardous areas, for example, any wires backstage at a music event or heavy-duty construction machinery in operation.
If your site is quite large with many guests or workers, you’ll need to think about separating the toilets you hire. If your toilets are in one specific place, this could be ineffective to guest enjoyment or worker productivity. Instead, try breaking them up and place them in clusters around the site.
How many mobile toilets will I need?
The number of mobile toilets you’ll need will depend on the area size and time length of your event or project, the number of guests attending or employees working and whether you’re planning to serve food and drink. A community festival event with fun fayre ground attraction and food and drink stands, for example, is a chance at a family day out and promotes a child-friendly atmosphere. For kids and parents combined, you’ll need more toilets and areas for baby changing also.
If your event lasts less than six hours with no food or alcohol, the general advice is to have one toilet per 100 female guests and one every 500 male guests, plus any additional urinals for every 150 male guests. If the event lasts longers than six hours and you’re still not serving food and drink, the per guest ratio should reduce 15% (e.g. one toilet per 85 female guests and one per every 425 male guests). If you’re serving alcohol and food, it’s usually advised to add an additional 15-25% extra toilets.
These numbers are simply guidelines - if you feel like your event or project would benefit from more portable toilets, then definitely consider investing in more. In turn, this will keep your guests happy and content, reduce queue times and supplies will last longer.
How many times can the toilet be used before the tanks need to be emptied?
As expected, a portable toilet has a limited capacity so it’s always good to know how long your portables will last before they need emptying. Fortunately, many portable toilet suppliers will empty your tanks for you - always ask this question before hiring the company.
At Manchester Cabins, we empty the portable toilets for you on a weekly basis (or sooner, if needed). Along with this we also carry out a refresh of your toilets e.g. replenish supplies, recharge water and give the whole block a clean.
Although your supplier will be able to empty them regularly, it’s always good to be aware. Usually, these portable toilets and tank sizes will be supplied after considering how many expected guests or workers there are. If you’re worried though, discuss it with your chosen company and you may be able to opt for toilets with larger tanks.
How is the waste disposed of?
Your chosen portable toilet supplier will be able to dispose of all waste for you and usually, this will be factored into a quote. They will arrive, empty and remove all waste from your event or construction site and transport it themselves to an appropriate disposal depot.
If your event or project is looking to last a few days or more, regular servicing and waste disposal are required regularly - usually every couple of days or more depending on numbers. Always check with the company you hire from and they’ll be able to provide expert advice and opinions on this.
How will they be delivered?
Included in their quote and fees, any portable toilet hire company will have the means to promptly deliver your hired facilities. Due to the size of them, they’ll usually be delivered in HGV vehicles such as a 7.5-tonne haulage truck. Depending on the number of toilets you’re hiring, some companies have larger vehicles at their disposal, a fleet of vehicles or tow trailers available to transport any extra toilets.
Using your company’s expertise and delivery services will be a lot more cost-effective than trying to arrange delivery and pick-up yourself. At Manchester Cabins, we can deliver and pick-up our hired portable toilets anywhere in and around Manchester.
Are any additions supplied with portable toilets? E.g. toilet paper, paper towels and soap
A respected company who specialises in portable facilities and supplies toilets will always ensure they supply all the extras that come with a toilet. From toilet paper to paper towels or a hand-dryer and soap, all of these should be supplied with your hire.
Are there lights in the toilets?
Depending on the model you opt for, some portable toilets will have lights and some won’t. If your event is taking place in summer whereby daylight hours are long or any work occurs during standard hours, you may feel you might not need lights.
However, for health and safety reasons, there are many portable toilet models that have automatic light built into the cubicles. Some toilets also have translucent roofs in order to maximise incoming light as much as possible. If you require lights in your portable toilets, speak to your local hire companies beforehand. At Manchester Cabins, we can accommodate for lights prior to your hire.
Are portable toilets environmentally friendly?
To make your facilities as environmentally friendly as possible, try and opt for models that have hand dryers over paper towels and have anti-bacterial hand sanitisers over water basins. To be even more environmentally friendly, perhaps talk to portable toilet hire companies about what chemicals are used and how they dispose of their waste environmentally responsibly too.
Manchester Cabins - providing service toilets and toilet blocks to events and construction sites
For a successful and memorable event, portable toilets are an absolute must, especially if you’re aiming to make it an annual extravaganza. You’ll know you’ve done it right when people don’t remember how good (or bad) the toilet facilities are. Instead, they’ll concentrate on what actually matters: which acts performed, what foods they could sample or what attraction was a personal highlight.
At Manchester Cabins, we provide portable toilet rental services to those in Manchester and the surrounding areas. Along with portable loos, we also supply toilet blocks, shower facilities and temporary office spaces - we can aid any event, workplace or project. For more information, visit our website or get in touch with our team today on 0161 684 3333.
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