Whether you’re planning an outdoor wedding, a music festival or a corporate meeting in Hutchinson, KS, an important part of event planning is arranging temporary restrooms. This will have a significant impact on how comfortable and enjoyable your attendees are at the event. Here are the main things to keep in mind when you set up temporary restrooms at your venue.
Understanding Venue Layout and Traffic Flow
Evaluate the layout of your venue carefully before deciding where to put the temporary restrooms. Think about how people normally walk through the space and try to pinpoint any potential slowdowns. To avoid crowding, keep the restrooms in easily accessible locations. If your event is going to take place over a large area, you might want to set aside certain areas for bathrooms so that everyone can easily access them.
Assessing Guest Numbers and Needs
Your event’s size and duration will determine the type and quantity of toilet facilities you’ll require. One portable toilet for every 50 people is a good rule of thumb for events up to four hours long. Longer events call for a higher ratio. Think about the makeup of your audience too. Luxurious bathroom trailers might be a good choice for expensive occasions, while changing tables could be necessary for family-friendly events. Consider the number of employees and suppliers attending the event as well.
Locating Restrooms Near Main Activity Areas
Make sure that the restrooms are in a strategic location near the main areas of activity. Usually, this implies that you won’t have to walk more than two or three minutes to get to a bathroom from any area. For bigger gatherings, it’s a good idea to set up several clusters of restrooms in different areas of the venue. This method makes it easier to reduce wait times and gets attendees back to the event activities faster. Most importantly, it reduces crowded areas and safety hazards.
Considerations for Accessibility
Incorporate handicapped-accessible choices into your temporary restroom layout. There should be flat, unobstructed terrain surrounding ADA-compliant portable restrooms. In addition to having ample room for wheelchairs, these portable toilet areas should have amenities like grab bars and low doorknobs. Aim for a minimum of 5% of your restrooms to be accessible.
Proximity to Food and Beverage Areas
Keep the restrooms away from the food and drink areas, but don’t put them too far away either. The general rule of thumb is to put restrooms within 50 feet of dining areas, but not directly in front of them. This closeness ensures cleanliness and keeps bad smells from ruining eating experiences, in addition to being convenient. Prior to making a final decision, consider the direction of any prevailing winds.
Avoiding High Traffic or Sensitive Areas
Keep restrooms away from anything that could be a logistical nightmare or ruin the event’s ambiance. This means staying away from the main entrances, exits and emergency routes. You should also avoid placing restrooms near any event focal points, such as stages or speaker locations. If your event is in a public place, think about the people who live next door or work there, and put the restrooms in a place so as not to disturb those people and their property.
Ensuring Privacy and Seclusion
Make the restrooms invisible by erecting screens, temporary fences or carefully arranging decorative items. In addition to making your event venue seem better, this will make your attendees feel more at ease and protect their privacy.
Providing Adequate Lighting and Signage
Light up the walkways leading up to and surrounding the restrooms. Think about using solar-powered lights if you’re concerned about the environment. Represent the men’s, women’s and accessible restrooms with globally understood symbols.
Planning for Maintenance and Servicing
Consider the number of people and the length of the event when planning how often to service the restrooms. Consider bathroom cleaning, refilling and waste pumping needs. Ensure that service vehicles can easily reach the restrooms without causing any disturbance to the event. Larger events may benefit from having attendants there to handle any urgent matters and keep the area tidy.
If you need portable restrooms for an event in Hutchinson, Hutchinson Septic Service is the company to call. We provide restroom rentals and handwashing stations for all types of events and construction projects. We also offer septic pumping and maintenance. Call us now to learn more about portable restroom options for indoor and outdoor events.
