What is a temporary power pole?
It is a freestanding pole, usually wood or metal, with a meter socket, breaker panel and outlets, built to bring utility power to a site before permanent service exists. Contractors use it to run construction site services like saws, pumps and lighting. The pole itself gets permitted and inspected through the city and the utility, not through a sanitation vendor, so treat it as its own line item on the schedule. Once power is confirmed, you can plan everything else around it: a temporary fence rental around the compound, a light tower rental for night work, and a portable toilet rental placed near the crew break area. Glendale sites often stage all of this in the same mobilization week.
How do I install a temporary power pole for a construction site?
A licensed electrician sets the pole, wires the panel, and the utility energizes it after inspection; you cannot legally DIY the connection. Most crews order the pole first because everything downstream, from temporary power pole energizing to trailer hookups, depends on that inspection date. While you wait on power, sanitation and site setup do not have to wait. We can still deliver a standard porta potty rental or a deluxe flushable porta potty on day one, since neither needs electrical service to function. If the job also needs a mobile office trailer rental or a storage container rental on site, get those placed before the pole goes in so the electrician has clear access. OSHA 1926.404(b)(1)(ii) requires ground fault circuit interrupter protection on construction sites, which your electrician will build into the temporary panel, and OSHA 1926.56(a) sets minimum lighting levels for active work areas once power is running.
What does a temporary power pole installation cost, and what else does a site need?
Pole and permit costs vary by utility territory and amperage, and that is outside what we quote, so get pricing straight from your electrician or Glendale's building department. What we do quote is everything else your compound needs while that pole gets scheduled and inspected. A standard portable toilet runs in the range shown below for short jobs, and monthly rates apply for longer builds; see our porta potty rental cost and monthly porta potty rental pages for the full breakdown.
| item | day | week | month |
|---|---|---|---|
| standard toilet | $100-$350 | $130-$500 | $125-$325 |
| ADA unit | $200-$400 | $240-$400 | - |
| 10-20 yard dumpster | $51-$112 | $426-$778 | $500-$778 |
OSHA 1926.51(c)(1) sets toilet counts by crew size: one unit for 20 workers or fewer, then one toilet and one urinal per 40 workers up to 200. Pair that with a handwashing station rental, since 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2) requires soap and towels or a hand-drying device at any washing facility, sanitizer alone does not meet it. If the crew is under 20, our how many porta potties do I need guide walks the math.
Do I need a permit for a temporary power pole in Glendale?
Almost certainly yes, through both the utility and the city, but the exact permit path is not something we track since we do not install poles. Confirm requirements directly with Glendale's building department before scheduling the electrician. See our porta potty permit requirements page for the sanitation side of permitting.
How long does it take to get a temporary power pole installed?
Timelines depend on your utility's inspection queue and permit turnaround, which we do not control. Build a buffer into your mobilization schedule. Meanwhile order your roll-off dumpster rental and toilets so the rest of the site is ready when power lands.
Can I run a light tower without a temporary power pole?
Yes. Most light tower rental units are diesel or battery powered and stand independent of site electrical service, which makes them useful before the pole is energized.
Does Blue Peak Porta Potty install temporary power poles?
No. We handle portable toilets, septic pumping, dumpsters, storage, fencing and handwashing stations. For the pole itself, contact a licensed electrician and Glendale's permitting office.
What size crew needs more than one portable toilet on site?
Once you pass 20 workers, OSHA 1926.51(c)(1) requires a toilet and urinal per 40 workers. Check our OSHA portable toilet requirements page, or request a quote for your Glendale crew size at request a quote.
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