Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1410461
8 I PSAI Association Insight, September 15, 2021 ADA-compliant portable restroom units do not. So, it is imperative that operators understand the very nature of the differences between these two types of equipment will be seen as noncompliant by many. Even if an inspector does not cite you or the customer, the situation can quickly become undesirable. Know how you would fix it. Here's a real-life example from an operator in a hot southern state: "We were providing a trailer for a big box store rebuild of their interior restrooms. We didn't have an ADA-compliant trailer, so we provided a plastic ADA-compliant unit and placed it close to the trailer in the parking lot. After a few days a person in a wheelchair complained to the store because of the heat and odor in the portable. Soon the press was involved, and the store was about to be on the evening news. They called me and were suddenly willing to go to any lengths to get an ADA-compliant trailer. I could have got upset, but instead I offered to find a solution. It took me the better part of a day to track down and subcontract an ADA-compliant unit for them. It was expensive for us all, but it helped the store with the publicity and saved an important customer for my company." Companies should discuss trailer placement details and portable restroom options with their customers. Customers need to take into account the even larger flat space that will be needed for the trailer-plus-ADA- compliant-portable equipment scenario. As with the prior situation, if a flat spot for the ADA-compliant unit is some distance away from the trailer, make sure your customer is aware this could be viewed a non-ADA compliant hardship by some of the handicapped guests or site inspectors. Some operators try to include a few extra amenities in these non- temperature-controlled units. For example, an operator said, "We provide a small trashcan, [which helps] if they have any medical supplies that they need to replace. We use fragrance disks as well. In the winter we install small unit heaters, and, in the summer, we try to position these units so that they do not face the intense afternoon sun." The upshot is that portable sanitation companies should do the absolute best they can, given the constraints of the equipment available and should always communicate the limitations in advance to the customer. Nobody needs a bad surprise. Hand Wash Stations and Sanitizer Stands The COVID-19 pandemic has created ADA Compliance and the Portable Sanitation Industry: Issues for Operators (continued from page 7) a situation in which, at times, the demand for hand wash stations has far outstripped supply. As the situation stretches on, the goal for most operators at this point is to meet the demand of as many customers as possible, considering that handwashing is an important tool in battling the virus. Though it seems almost amazing in retrospect, our industry has historically had a difficult time selling customers on the idea of hand wash stations. Consequently, the number of models available and their amenities have not been as expansive as some other types of portable equipment. Of particular note for the purposes of this article is that portable hand wash stations are generally not ADA-compliant. Now, as the demand for hand washing is exploding, this gap presents a very clear issue our industry needs to address. At this point, none of the operators we interviewed offered hand wash equipment solutions that are viable for ADA compliance. This is clearly going to need the best thinking of engineering minds, both to deal with the ADA-accessibility challenges and better addressing the general challenges for these units such as keeping them operable in temperatures below the freezing point of water. (continued on page 9)