Portable Sanitation Association International

48 2018 INDUSTRY RESOURCE DIRECTORY What is OSHA? The US government agency known as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exists to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. It is part of the US Department of Labor. Why do the standards matter to the portable sanitation industry? Among the thousands of standards set by OSHA, several of them apply to general environmental controls and to sanitation in construction, fields, and labor camps. With rare exceptions, these standards have the force of law. Thus anyone subject to them who fails to adhere to the standards can be fined or otherwise held culpable. Who creates and updates the standards? The US government is responsible for these standards. They sometimes change through an administrative rule process and sometimes change because legislation requires it. Each US state also has agencies that set and apply standards at the state level based on the requirements of federal OSHA standards. Which standards are relevant to portable sanitation? The OSHA standards that are most relevant to portable sanitation are found in Title 29 in the Code of Federal Regulations (29CFR). They are highlighted below. The full text can be downloaded at www.osha.gov/law-regs.html. Part 1910, Subpart J—General Environmental Controls, including Part 1910.141—Sanitation Part 1915.88 OSHA Standards for Shipyard Employment: General Working Conditions—Sanitation These sections of the OSHA regulations cover General Environmental Controls and Sanitation in places of employment. They require that: • Toilet rooms provide privacy at all times • Toilet rooms be provided for each gender based on the number of employees of that gender for whom the facilities are furnished. If the rooms are 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 gender need not be provided • Washing facilities, hand soap, and hand towels must be provided at or adjacent to each toilet facility. Hand washing facilities must be equipped with either hot and cold or lukewarm running water • Portable toilets are used only when it is not feasible to provide sewered toilets. Portables must be vented and equipped, as necessary, with lighting • The employer must establish and implement a schedule to ensure that each sewered and portable toilet is maintained in a clean, sanitary, and serviceable condition OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)

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