OSHA creates webpage on restroom sanitation obligations

Bathroom signs

Photo: James Anderson/iStockphoto

Washington – OSHA has created a webpage to help explain employers’ obligations for providing workers with sanitary toilet facilities.

The page includes information on the minimum number of separate toilet facilities an employer must provide to members of both sexes. Restrooms must have hot and cold water, hand soap, and a means to dry hands.

A link to a guide on restroom access for transgender workers is included on the page. Readily accessible and sanity restroom facilities are necessary to ensure workers do not suffer ill health effects, OSHA states.

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TARA SHRAKE
November 19, 2018
Who, on a job site, is responsible for ensuring the porta-johns are accessible to being serviced? I am being told it is my responsibility for my employees to call the site manager and then wait for someone to move construction vehicles/equipment so they can service the units. I don't see that keeping the area clear is my responsibility.

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charles
October 28, 2019
I'm looking for some kind of break down with sanitation as far as normal daily, weekly and a monthly cleaning list, as for mopping the floors, partitions, the walls that are covered in filth, trash cans that are not being moved, plungers that are not being moved, fecal matter on the floor around the plungers and on the base board. their should be something stating how often certain things are being cleaned and how often based on the number of employees using the restrooms. It seems osha is skipping over the important details.

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Enela
April 7, 2020
How often show a grocery store with 20+ workers daily and a public restroom be cleaned? We share our 2 single toilet bathrooms with the public and they are super filth never seat covers! I urinated myself a few times in the 3 months I've worked there due to the disgusting mess! I've brought this to my supervisor several times and nothing changes.

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Alene Aguilar
April 7, 2020
How often should a grocery store bathroom be cleaned? We have 2 bathroom old which we share with the public and they are filthy dirty. Never paper towels, seat covers, urine and human waste on toilet! I've urinated on myself 3 times in the 3 months I been working for this grocery store. We are open 24hr, 20+ employees daily, we get a 10 min break and it's not enough time due to having to find stuff to clean up before using the bathroom. Please help.. I'm literally wanting to put in a 2 week notice due to this issue.

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Robert McVey
May 18, 2020
I'm building a women's restrooms in a 275.000 sq ft manufacturing plant. Plant population is 260 employees with aprx 85 women. I understand I need 4 toilets for that amount of women, does there need to be one restroom or one with four to five toilets enough. Thank you Robert

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Barbara A Cole
June 10, 2020
After you clean a commercial or public toilet, is it more appropriate to leave the lid and seat up to show it's been cleaned, or leave the seat down and leave wash water in the bowl, or flush everything down and leave the seat down, as well

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Name
July 15, 2020
Proper way to clean Rest Homes Bathroom

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Christopher
November 24, 2020
My place of employment does not clean or disinfect bathrooms for employees daily

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Angela Gutierrez
November 23, 2021
My employer is making us the employees responsible for cleaning & maintaining the restroom which is also used by the public. Is this responsibility of a 3 rd party who should be doing this? I need some real help on this matter as to why this is required of us employees when our job duties & other responsibilities keep us extremely busy & not able to address or maintain such issues. I'm in retail & work for a big chain store they is widely known & located in every city in the US. This creates stress & is very overwhelming to handle especially when upper mgmt is aware & does nothing to help resolve this growing concern. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.