How Many Units Does a Farm Crew Need?
Start with the headcount, not the acreage. Under OSHA 1928.110, agricultural operations with hand-labor employees need potable water, toilet facilities and handwashing within a quarter mile walk, at a rate of one facility per 20 workers. A 15-person picking crew needs one unit. A 45-person crew during peak harvest needs three, spread across the field rather than clustered at one end. Everett Porta Pros walks the property with you before delivery, because a farm laid out in long rows is not the same placement problem as a gravel lot. Our standard porta potty rental covers most crews: a 60 to 70 gallon holding tank on a unit that runs about 44 by 48 inches on the ground and 92 inches tall, easy to skid onto a flatbed or truck bed and move as the work moves. If your crew works multiple fields across a season, check the monthly porta potty rental rates before you commit to weekly service, since a season often runs longer than growers plan for. For operations near Lake Stevens, 6.3 miles northeast of Everett, or out toward Monroe, 15.9 miles southeast, the same headcount math applies regardless of how rural the access road gets. Use our how many porta potties do I need guide if your crew size shifts week to week.
Where Should Units Go on a Working Farm?
Put restrooms where crews already stop, not where they look tidy from the road. Dust, mud and heavy equipment traffic change placement rules on a working farm compared to a construction lot, and a unit set on soft ground after Everett's wet months will sink or tip. We stake a stable pad, usually gravel or plywood, before drop-off, since ADA Standards section 302.1 calls for stable, firm, slip-resistant ground even on temporary flooring. If your farm hosts u-pick days or a fall festival open to the public, you need at least one accessible unit under ADA Standards section 213.2, which requires 5 percent of clustered units, and never fewer than one, to meet accessible standards. Our ADA accessible porta potty has a wider door and interior turning space built to that spec. Keep units at least a truck's length from irrigation lines and away from low spots that flood after rain. For wash stations near packing sheds, our handwashing station rental pairs with 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2), which requires soap and towels or a hand-drying device at any wash station; hand sanitizer alone does not satisfy it. If your crew handles pesticides or herbicides, OSHA 1926.51(f)(1) requires washing facilities specifically for that contaminant exposure, separate from general field sanitation.
Do Farms Need Septic or Holding Tank Service Too?
Yes, if the farm has a fixed structure, a residential septic tank on the property typically needs pumping every 3 to 5 years depending on tank size and household or crew load. Farmhouses, bunkhouses and packing facilities around Everett often run on septic rather than city sewer, and a system that handles a family fine can get overwhelmed fast once you add seasonal labor housing. Our septic pumping service handles routine pumping, and if you are unsure where your tank stands, septic tank warning signs covers what to watch for before a backup happens mid-harvest. Packing sheds and on-site kitchens that generate fats, oils and grease need separate attention: a grease interceptor gets pumped once it reaches 25 percent solids and grease by liquid depth, and our grease trap pumping crew checks that on schedule so it does not back up during a busy processing run. For labor housing without a fixed bathroom, a holding tank rental is often simpler than running new septic lines mid-season. If a line fails during harvest, emergency septic service gets a crew out fast rather than losing a day of picking. Farms further out, like those near Marysville 11.9 miles north, still fall inside our regular route.
Rental Options and Pricing
| Service | Duration | Typical Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard unit | Week | $200 |
| Standard unit | Month | $200 |
| Handwashing station | Week | see quote |
| Septic pumping | Day | $250 |
Seasonal farms usually do better on a porta potty rental per day basis for short harvest bursts, or a month-long term for ongoing crews. Check full breakdowns on our porta potty rental cost page before you decide. Everett Porta Pros also delivers temporary fencing around equipment yards and storage container rental for tool and supply storage during harvest season, useful if your farm runs a seasonal market stand too.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I book for harvest season?
Book at least two weeks out if possible, since harvest season across Everett and nearby growing areas pulls units from the same fleet. Last-minute requests still get filled through emergency porta potty rental, but a planned order guarantees the unit count and placement you actually need.
Can one unit serve two separate fields?
Not if crews work both fields at the same time and the walk between them exceeds a quarter mile, per OSHA 1928.110. Split crews across fields need separate units placed within that walking distance of each work area, not one shared unit in the middle.
Do farm restrooms need weekly cleaning?
Yes, ANSI/PSAI Z4.3 sets a baseline of one service visit per week for units seeing regular use. Heavy harvest crews often need twice-weekly service; ask us to adjust the route once your crew size is set for the season.
What if the farm has no road access to the field?
Tell us before delivery. We can often reach field edges with off-road capable trucks, but a 60-foot straight clearance is standard for larger equipment drops, and rough terrain may mean placing units closer to the access road instead.
Does a small family farm need the same setup as a commercial operation?
If you hire any outside labor, yes, OSHA 1928.110 applies regardless of farm size. A family operating alone without hired crew is not covered the same way, but most farms bringing in seasonal help need at least one compliant unit.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.