Sanitation
Sanitation includes housekeeping, waste disposal, vermin control, water supply, toilet facilities, washing facilities, change rooms, consumption of food and beverages on work premises, and food handling.
Sanitation
What are the hazards associated with unsanitary work conditions?
Employers are required to provide accessible and sanitary facilities for their employees and ensure these facilities are maintained in an appropriately clean and sanitary condition. Unsanitary work conditions can spread diseases, cause injuries to employees and leads to an unproductive work environment.
What measures should be implemented to protect workers?
Employers should evaluate each worksite and its facilities to ensure working men and women are provided with safe and healthful working conditions. They may also need to be flexible in developing procedures to ensure that workers have access to toilet facilities as needed. Employers with mobile workers must provide readily available transportation that provides prompt access (i.e., less than 10 mins) to restrooms if they are not available at the work location. Toilets for farmworkers must be located no more than a quarter mile from the location where workers are working on similar findings. Also, when work stations require constant coverage (e.g., production lines and bus drivers), employers may implement a system for workers to request relief as long as there are sufficient relief-workers to assure the wait is not unreasonably long. Employers must ensure restrictions, such as locking doors or requiring workers to sign out a key, do not cause extended delays.
What resources are available to assist employers?
Training and Outreach Services
To assist employers with their training efforts, example presentations are available along with pre-recorded webinars which can be accessed at any time. In addition, the education, training and technical assistance bureau provides free online safety and health training and outreach services (i.e., speaker's bureau requests, safety booths) upon request.
Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (including streaming video service) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC).
Safety and Health Programs
Example safety and health programs are also available for employers to download and adapt to their specific work conditions.
Safety and Health Topics
Additional information and resources can be found on the safety and health topics page.
Consultation Services
Lastly, the consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards.
Which standards apply?
OSH has adopted the following standards which are applicable to sanitation in North Carolina. This is not all inclusive.
Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic.
General Industry
- 29 CFR 1910.141 - Sanitation
Construction
- 29 CFR 1926.51 - Sanitation
Agriculture
- 29 CFR 1928.110 - Field Sanitation
Recordkeeping
- Refer to Recording and Reporting
Other Applicable Standards
The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can also help identify other standards that may be applicable to your worksite.
Where can I learn more?
Industry Guides
- Industry Guide 48 - OSHA Construction Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training highlights the requirements of standards related to sanitation in construction.
- Industry Guide 49 - OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training highlights the requirements of standards related to sanitation in general industry.
- Industry Guide 50 - OSHA Agriculture Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training highlights the requirements of standards related to sanitation in agriculture.
Compliance Documents
- CFR 149 - Sanitation provides the promulgation of changes to the sanitation rule.
Technical Assistance
- Inquiries about workplace safety and health requirements can be submitted to Ask OSH online or by phone at 919-707-7876.