We are demanding basic, safe, and sanitary bathroom conditions for construction sites. Specifically,

 

Climate-controlled bathrooms capable of maintaining a safe temperature in extreme heat
Handwashing sinks with running water and soap
Adequate toilet paper at all times
Daily cleaning and maintenance
A maximum ratio of 1 bathroom per 20 workers, with the requirement regularly enforced

 

When was the last time you used a bathroom on a construction site? How were the conditions?

 

Construction workers are required to use hard hats, safety glasses, fall protection, lockout/tagout, safe ladders, scaffolding, and countless other safety measures. Basic bathroom facilities should be treated with the same seriousness.

 

Hello, I am a commercial electrician and I’ve been in the trades for over 11 years. For too long, tradesman like me and blue collar workers alike have been expected to accept bathroom conditions that would be unacceptable in almost any other workplace. In Southern Utah, we experienced weeks of temperatures around 110+°F this summer. Inside an enclosed portable toilet, temperatures can become dangerously higher (150 degrees or more) We would never consider it acceptable to leave a pet in a car under temperatures much less than this, yet workers are expected to use bathrooms like this all day. It’s not just uncomfortable. It’s a safety issue. 

 

Some trades are required by their employer not to leave job sites, so we cannot just go find a bathroom at a public facility or gas station. We are forced to endure the heat and soak through our clothes with sweat when we need to use the restroom, and proceed to not have the option to wash our hands before returning to work or eating. This is disgraceful. 

 

This brings us to another big concern. Sanitary conditions. It is an OSHA requirement of 1 bathroom per 40 workers. This already is an outrage, but it’s also is rarely met or even enforced. The cleaning standard is twice a week, while still not enough it is also neglected or not enforced. This leads to bathrooms being out of toilet paper for days at a time. Leaving us with no other options than to bring our own. 

 

Hand sanitation stations or hand washing facilities are also a requirement but usually disregarded, or kept in such poor conditions that it often feels cleaner to skip washing your hands altogether. Because of this sickness spreads constantly through our job sites. 

 

I get it. We are “tough” construction workers we can “handle it” or We are “gross” tradesmen why should we have such nice facilities. But this treatment is borderline inhumane, and we are being treated as animals. 

 

We are not asking for special treatment or “luxury” we are asking for basic human necessities that white collar jobs have already come to expect while at their workplaces. If an office building lost plumbing or air conditioning they would be sent home for the day.  These same buildings have janitors clean bathrooms daily, why are we expected to put up with less of a standard? 

 

We build the roads, hospitals, schools, and all the infrastructure of this country. We deserve better. Please sign this petition for stronger standards, and share it with others if you agree. Thank you