The Importance of PPE & Safety Procedures for Portable Restroom Operators

In the portable restroom industry, safety procedures aren’t just a box to check — they’re built into the workday. After all, seasoned PROs know to keep those safety glasses on and to avoid splashback. But long days, new faces, and tight turnarounds can increase risky behavior.

As a PRO, it’s crucial to ensure your crew has reliable personal protective equipment (PPE) and understands your safety policies. Here’s how you can instill the importance of PPE and safe practices in your business.

Protecting Employees with PPE

Personal protective equipment is your company’s first line of defense against injuries and health risks in the field. The most basic protective gear includes hand and eye protection. Reusable rubber gloves keep hands covered when working with chemicals, whereas disposable solutions can be tossed after dealing with waste, reducing cross-contamination risks.

Choose high-quality, puncture-resistant gloves to avoid infections. Cheap versions can tear easily, leaving workers unprotected. For safety glasses, look for a lightweight, worksite-ready option with a wrap-around lens to ensure complete eye coverage.

If your teams work in construction or disaster zones, keep a supply of high-visibility safety vests and hard hats. Add coveralls and respirators if your portable restroom business responds to emergencies or hazardous locations. And listen to feedback from your team about PPE products. If the goggles aren’t comfortable or the gloves don’t fit, eventually, they’ll stop wearing them.

Reviewing PPE Safety Procedures

Veterans of the portable restroom business know the drill. Without safety glasses and gloves, you can’t handle human waste, clean tipped-over units, or deal with chemicals. But even with years of experience, it’s easy to slip into bad habits.

That’s why it’s so important to remind your team that just because they’ve done the job a hundred times doesn’t mean they can skip their PPE. New hires, in particular, must be made aware of the seriousness of PPE and safety procedures.

Keep checklists and extra PPE on hand. Set reminders to meet with your team to review the safety procedures outlined in your handbook. Consider stopping by job sites or spot-checking PPE truck supplies to follow up after meetings.

Communicating the Dangers of Invisible Risks

You might encounter employees who wear goggles for certain tasks but don’t properly dispose of their gloves or grasp the seriousness of sewage exposure. This can be frustrating, especially in cases involving an otherwise excellent worker, and potentially dangerous for anyone coming in contact with contaminated tools or equipment.

However, you must prioritize your business and deal with workplace safety issues. In addition to your safety procedures, take a proactive approach to communicating the dangers of human waste.

Consider these ideas:

• Add signage in the workplace with catchy sayings reminding them to leave “waste” at work
• Give a quick demo on how germs spread using glow-in-the-dark powder or UV sanitizing lights
• Offer a PPE incentive program with a small reward

Drive Home the Importance of PPE

Regular training and consistent messaging about risks are key to increasing PPE use. By providing your team with accessible supplies like any other workplace tool, you can prevent cross-contamination from job sites to trucks and the workplace. To explore eye protection, gloves, and more, see PRO’s Choice PPE.

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