Key facts
- OSHA 29 CFR 1928.110 applies to farms with 11 or more hand-labor field workers.
- 1 toilet and 1 handwashing facility per 20 workers.
- Facilities must be within a quarter-mile walk of the work.
- Towable sets move with the crew from field to field.
What does OSHA require for farm field crews?
OSHA 29 CFR 1928.110 requires agricultural employers with 11 or more employees doing hand labor in the field to provide 1 toilet and 1 handwashing facility for every 20 workers, located within a quarter-mile walk of where they work. Potable drinking water is also required. Official text: OSHA 29 CFR 1928.110.
| Crew size | Toilets | Handwash facilities |
|---|---|---|
| 11–20 | 1 | 1 |
| 21–40 | 2 | 2 |
| 41–60 | 3 | 3 |
| 61–80 | 4 | 4 |
Can the units move with the crew?
Yes. Towable toilet-and-handwash sets can be moved between fields when you call dispatch by noon the day before. Hidalgo County citrus groves, onion and vegetable fields often need the set relocated every few days during harvest.
Straight answers
Questions callers asked us
What do farm field crews need?
OSHA 29 CFR 1928.110 requires 1 toilet and 1 handwashing facility for every 20 field workers, within a quarter-mile walk of where they work. The rule applies when 11 or more workers are in the field. A towable unit-plus-sink setup can move with the crew between fields.
Can you deliver to a field down a dirt road?
Yes, if the road is firm. Ranch, farm and campout deliveries are common. Send a map pin, tell us about gates and low spots, and avoid placing the unit where rain collects. After a heavy Valley storm we may wait for the ground to firm up.
Do you rent hand washing stations?
Yes. A standalone two-sink handwash station runs about $199 per event and is refilled on multi-day events. Food vendors, festivals and jobsites use them most. For small parties, the deluxe 2-in-1 unit with a built-in sink is usually the better buy.
Will it smell in McAllen heat?
Heat speeds up odor, and Valley afternoons regularly pass 100°F in summer. Keep the unit in shade if you can, turn the vent away from seating, and keep weekly service. Busy summer jobsites should add a second service visit. One caller put it plainly: as the week goes on, heat makes it progressively worse.
Do I have to pay for a full month if I only need it two weeks?
Usually yes, and it is the cheaper option. Jobsite units bill in 28-day cycles with weekly cleaning included. A weekly rate costs more per day because the delivery and pickup trips still happen. Call for pickup the day the work ends and billing stops that day.