[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1910.141]
[Page 453-455]
TITLE 29--LABOR
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR
PART 1910_OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS--Table of Contents
Subpart J_General Environmental Controls
Sec. 1910.141 Sanitation.
Authority: Secs. 4, 6, and 8, Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657); Secretary of Labor's Order No. 12-71 (36
FR 8754), 8-76 (41 FR 25059), 9-83 (48 FR 35736), 1-90 (55 FR 9033), 6-
96 (62 FR 111), 3-2000 (65 FR 50017), or 5-2002 (67 FR 65008), as
applicable.
Sections 1910.141, 1910.142, 1910.145, 1910.146, and 1910.147 also
issued under 29 CFR part 1911.
(a) General--(1) Scope. This section applies to permanent places of
employment.
(2) Definitions applicable to this section.
Nonwater carriage toilet facility, means a toilet facility not
connected to a sewer.
Number of employees means, unless otherwise specified, the maximum
number of employees present at any one time on a regular shift.
Personal service room, means a room used for activities not directly
connected with the production or service function performed by the
establishment. Such activities include, but are not limited to, first-
aid, medical services, dressing, showering, toilet use, washing, and
eating.
Potable water means water which meets the quality standards
prescribed in the U.S. Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards,
published in 42 CFR part 72, or water which is approved for drinking
purposes by the State or local authority having jurisdiction.
Toilet facility, means a fixture maintained within a toilet room for
the purpose of defecation or urination, or both.
Toilet room, means a room maintained within or on the premises of
any place of employment, containing toilet facilities for use by
employees.
Toxic material means a material in concentration or amount which
exceeds the applicable limit established by a standard, such as
Sec. Sec. 1910.1000 and 1910.1001 or, in the absence of an applicable
standard, which is of such toxicity so as to constitute a recognized
hazard that is causing or is likely to cause death or serious physical
harm.
Urinal means a toilet facility maintained within a toilet room for
the sole purpose of urination.
Water closet means a toilet facility maintained within a toilet room
for the purpose of both defecation and urination and which is flushed
with water.
Wet process means any process or operation in a workroom which
normally results in surfaces upon which employees may walk or stand
becoming wet.
(3) Housekeeping. (i) All places of employment shall be kept clean
to the extent that the nature of the work allows.
(ii) The floor of every workroom shall be maintained, so far as
practicable, in a dry condition. Where wet processes are used, drainage
shall be maintained and false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry
standing places shall be provided, where practicable, or appropriate
waterproof footgear shall be provided.
(iii) To facilitate cleaning, every floor, working place, and
passageway shall be kept free from protruding nails, splinters, loose
boards, and unnecessary holes and openings.
(4) Waste disposal. (i) Any receptacle used for putrescible solid or
liquid waste or refuse shall be so constructed that it does not leak and
may be thoroughly cleaned and maintained in a sanitary condition. Such a
receptacle shall be equipped with a solid tight-fitting cover, unless it
can be maintained in a sanitary condition without a cover. This
requirement does not prohibit the use of receptacles which are designed
to permit the maintenance of a sanitary condition without regard to the
aforementioned requirements.
[[Page 454]]
(ii) All sweepings, solid or liquid wastes, refuse, and garbage
shall be removed in such a manner as to avoid creating a menace to
health and as often as necessary or appropriate to maintain the place of
employment in a sanitary condition.
(5) Vermin control. Every enclosed workplace shall be so
constructed, equipped, and maintained, so far as reasonably practicable,
as to prevent the entrance or harborage of rodents, insects, and other
vermin. A continuing and effective extermination program shall be
instituted where their presence is detected.
(b) Water supply--(1) Potable water. (i) Potable water shall be
provided in all places of employment, for drinking, washing of the
person, cooking, washing of foods, washing of cooking or eating
utensils, washing of food preparation or processing premises, and
personal service rooms.
(ii) [Reserved]
(iii) Portable drinking water dispensers shall be designed,
constructed, and serviced so that sanitary conditions are maintained,
shall be capable of being closed, and shall be equipped with a tap.
(iv) [Reserved]
(v) Open containers such as barrels, pails, or tanks for drinking
water from which the water must be dipped or poured, whether or not they
are fitted with a cover, are prohibited.
(vi) A common drinking cup and other common utensils are prohibited.
(2) Nonpotable water. (i) Outlets for nonpotable water, such as
water for industrial or firefighting purposes, shall be posted or
otherwise marked in a manner that will indicate clearly that the water
is unsafe and is not to be used for drinking, washing of the person,
cooking, washing of food, washing of cooking or eating utensils, washing
of food preparation or processing premises, or personal service rooms,
or for washing clothes.
(ii) Construction of nonpotable water systems or systems carrying
any other nonpotable substance shall be such as to prevent backflow or
backsiphonage into a potable water system.
(iii) Nonpotable water shall not be used for washing any portion of
the person, cooking or eating utensils, or clothing. Nonpotable water
may be used for cleaning work premises, other than food processing and
preparation premises and personal service rooms: Provided, That this
nonpotable water does not contain concentrations of chemicals, fecal
coliform, or other substances which could create insanitary conditions
or be harmful to employees.
(c) Toilet facilities--(1) General. (i) Except as otherwise
indicated in this paragraph (c)(1)(i), toilet facilities, in toilet
rooms separate for each sex, shall be provided in all places of
employment in accordance with table J-1 of this section. The number of
facilities to be provided for each sex shall be based on the number of
employees of that sex for whom the facilities are furnished. Where
toilet rooms will be occupied by no more than one person at a time, can
be locked from the inside, and contain at least one water closet,
separate toilet rooms for each sex need not be provided. Where such
single-occupancy rooms have more than one toilet facility, only one such
facility in each toilet room shall be counted for the purpose of table
J-1.
Table J-1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minimum
number of
Number of employees water
closets
\1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 to 15..................................................... 1
16 to 35.................................................... 2
36 to 55.................................................... 3
56 to 80.................................................... 4
81 to 110................................................... 5.
111 to 150.................................................. 6
Over 150.................................................... (\2\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Where toilet facilities will not be used by women, urinals may be
provided instead of water closets, except that the number of water
closets in such cases shall not be reduced to less than \2/3\ of the
minimum specified.
\2\ 1 additional fixture for each additional 40 employees.
(ii) The requirements of paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section do not
apply to mobile crews or to normally unattended work locations so long
as employees working at these locations have transportation immediately
available to nearby toilet facilities which meet the other requirements
of this subparagraph.
(iii) The sewage disposal method shall not endanger the health of
employees.
[[Page 455]]
(2) Construction of toilet rooms. (i) Each water closet shall occupy
a separate compartment with a door and walls or partitions between
fixtures sufficiently high to assure privacy.
(ii) [Reserved]
(d) Washing facilities--(1) General. Washing facilities shall be
maintained in a sanitary condition.
(2) Lavatories. (i) Lavatories shall be made available in all places
of employment. The requirements of this subdivision do not apply to
mobile crews or to normally unattended work locations if employees
working at these locations have transportation readily available to
nearby washing facilities which meet the other requirements of this
paragraph.
(ii) Each lavatory shall be provided with hot and cold running
water, or tepid running water.
(iii) Hand soap or similar cleansing agents shall be provided.
(iv) Individual hand towels or sections thereof, of cloth or paper,
warm air blowers or clean individual sections of continuous cloth
toweling, convenient to the lavatories, shall be provided.
(3) Showers. (i) Whenever showers are required by a particular
standard, the showers shall be provided in accordance with paragraphs
(d)(3) (ii) through (v) of this section.
(ii) One shower shall be provided for each 10 employees of each sex,
or numerical fraction thereof, who are required to shower during the
same shift.
(iii) Body soap or other appropriate cleansing agents convenient to
the showers shall be provided as specified in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of
this section.
(iv) Showers shall be provided with hot and cold water feeding a
common discharge line.
(v) Employees who use showers shall be provided with individual
clean towels.
(e) Change rooms. Whenever employees are required by a particular
standard to wear protective clothing because of the possibility of
contamination with toxic materials, change rooms equipped with storage
facilities for street clothes and separate storage facilities for the
protective clothing shall be provided.
(f) Clothes drying facilities. Where working clothes are provided by
the employer and become wet or are washed between shifts, provision
shall be made to insure that such clothing is dry before reuse.
(g) Consumption of food and beverages on the premises--(1)
Application. This paragraph shall apply only where employees are
permitted to consume food or beverages, or both, on the premises.
(2) Eating and drinking areas. No employee shall be allowed to
consume food or beverages in a toilet room nor in any area exposed to a
toxic material.
(3) Waste disposal containers. Receptacles constructed of smooth,
corrosion resistant, easily cleanable, or disposable materials, shall be
provided and used for the disposal of waste food. The number, size, and
location of such receptacles shall encourage their use and not result in
overfilling. They shall be emptied not less frequently than once each
working day, unless unused, and shall be maintained in a clean and
sanitary condition. Receptacles shall be provided with a solid tight-
fitting cover unless sanitary conditions can be maintained without use
of a cover.
(4) Sanitary storage. No food or beverages shall be stored in toilet
rooms or in an area exposed to a toxic material.
(h) Food handling. All employee food service facilities and
operations shall be carried out in accordance with sound hygienic
principles. In all places of employment where all or part of the food
service is provided, the food dispensed shall be wholesome, free from
spoilage, and shall be processed, prepared, handled, and stored in such
a manner as to be protected against contamination.
[39 FR 23502, June 27, 1974, as amended at 40 FR 18446, April 28, 1975;
40 FR 23073, May 28, 1975; 43 FR 49748, Oct. 24, 1978; 63 FR 33466, June
18, 1998]
