OSHA toilet requirements protect employees from the health risks of working in an environment with unsanitary or too few toilet facilities. Employers who do not follow OSHA standards can get citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor and protects workers from unsafe and unhealthy work conditions.
OSHA toilet requirements specify that employers must maintain sanitary toilet facilities. Specifically, OSHA requirements mandate that the sewage disposal method does not put employees at risk for any health problems due to unsanitary conditions.
Each toilet should have doors, walls or panels of sufficient height to ensure privacy for employees, according to OSHA toilet requirements. To guarantee privacy between employees of different genders, employers must either provide separate facilities for each sex or single-toilet bathrooms with individually-locking doors that either sex can use.
Number of Toilets
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to provide enough toilets for their employees. Workplaces with one to 15 employees should have at least one toilet, 16 to 35 employees require at least two toilets, 36 to 55 employees must have at least three, 56 to 80 employees should have at least four, 81 to 110 workers should have at least five, 111 to 150 workers should have at least six and the employer should supply at least one more toilet for every 40 employees over 150. In men's bathrooms, 1/3 of the required number of toilets can be replaced with urinals instead of full toilets.
Temporary Labor Camp Toilets
OSHA toilet regulations require that toilet facilities for temporary labor camps meet certain standards. Regulations state that there should be a toilet within 200 feet of each sleeping room, but not closer than 100 feet to a sleeping room, dining area or kitchen. Employees should be able to access the toilet areas without walking through a sleeping room. Employers also need to make sure that somebody cleans the toilet areas at least once per day, that toilets are sanitary and that toilet areas have adequate lighting for employee safety.