Porta potties are a major part of any construction site or event. In fact, porta potty rentals increase every year by over 2%.
With so many porta potties around, having a porta potty tip over is a real possibility. If it happens to you, do you know what to do about it?
Porta Potty Stability
Most porta potties are very stable and they are designed so that the weight is centered and low. This helps to keep the porta potty from being wobbly and makes it harder for the porta potty to tip over. However, there are a lot of things happening on a busy job site.
One of the biggest causes of porta potties tipping over is a collision. Vehicles can clip the porta potty, or materials might fall against one. There are other reasons, but the result is always the same. Once the porta potty is tipped over, there’s a big mess.
There are a few things that you can do to increase the chances that your porta potty won’t tip over. One of those is making sure to place it in a good spot. This would be a place that’s out of the way and not prone to being passed by vehicles.
You can also take care to anchor the porta potty. If you’re renting a porta potty, make sure to ask the provider what steps you can take to make them safer. In some areas, such as northern Oklahoma, the wind can be strong enough to cause porta potties to tip over.
As long as you take proper precautions and place the porta potty in the right place, the chances of an accident are very low. In fact, while a lot of people have had nightmares about a porta potty flipping over on them, the reality is that this almost never happens to an occupied porta potty.
After the Porta Potty Tips Over
Once the porta potty has tipped over, there’s a good chance that raw sewage and treatment chemicals have spilled. Your first reaction may be to turn the porta potty upright again. Resist this urge, and contact the company that supplied the porta potty.
The contents of the porta potty are not safe to come into contact with. Waste management companies that supply porta potties have trained professionals who can take care of the problem for you. If it’s your own porta potty, then make sure you have the necessary equipment to clean the porta potty thoroughly.
What Are the Dangers?
Porta potty contents can hold several nasty surprises. There are viruses and bacteria that grow and thrive in human waste. These can include particularly nasty strains such as e. Coli, as well as rotaviruses. Dealing with pathogens like this can make a person sick if they aren’t wearing proper protective clothing.
You also don’t want to come into contact with the chemicals that are used in the porta potty. To prevent anyone else from coming into contact, make sure you have a procedure in place. The area around the porta potty should be cordoned off so that no one gets close while you wait for the provider to come and take the porta potty away.
In the worst-case scenario, there could be someone in the porta potty. If this happens, do what you have to to get them out. If the porta potty fell on the door, it may have to be rolled or lifted up. In any other circumstance, don’t risk doing this yourself. The person who was in the porta potty when it tipped over should seek medical assistance.
Why is septic maintenance so important?
There’s no getting around the need for porta potties. Whether you have an event planned or a job site that requires a crew to work, you’re going to need porta potties. They help make sure that work continues and that there aren’t any delays due to the physical needs of your crew or festival goers.
Proper placement will go a long way. If you have any questions about porta potties or what to do in the event of an accident or damage to a porta potty, discuss it with the waste management company you’re using. They will be able to give you good, actionable advice.
Your Next Porta Potty
When you find yourself in need of a porta potty, On Call Services & Rentals is a waste management company that you can count on. We service the Tulsa area and can cover almost all of north and eastern Oklahoma. We’d love to hear from you and help you set up your next event or job site.
When it comes to waste management, you don’t want to cut corners. On Call Services & Rentals is here to help make sure that your operation complies with all associated waste management regulations and ordinances. For more information, or to set up your appointment today, contact us.