Whole Document Navigator (Click Here)    ---------------------------------- Top of Document The Impact of Safety on Florida Agriculture Overview Definitions Housekeeping Waste Disposal Vermin Control Water Supply - Potable Water - Nonpotable Water Toilet Facilities Washing Facilities Change Rooms Clothes Drying Facilities Food Handling Consumption of Food and Beverages on the Premises Footnotes Disclaimer Copyright Infomation

Sanitation: OSHA Standard 1910.14 ¹

Carol J. Lehtola, William J. Becker and Chris Eversole²

The Impact of Safety on Florida Agriculture

Florida agriculture, including forestry and seafood, made an annual economic impact of $53 billion in 1998. More than 81,000 people work on the 40,000 farms in the state, and more than 50,000 are employed in other activities related to agriculture. The state's agricultural enterprises range from large citrus, vegetable and cattle operations to small family-operated farms.

Over the past 10 years, there have been approximately 240 deaths related to agriculture in Florida, according to data compiled by the Deep South Center for Agricultural Health and Safety. In addition, agriculture has one of the highest injury and death rates among U.S. industries.

Safety in Florida agriculture is challenging because:

• the state's agricultural enterprises are diverse,

• safety knowledge among workers varies,

• manual labor is used extensively,

• the climate creates year-round heat stress.

• Therefore, it is vital to assist the public in learning about OSHA documents related to agriculture. More related information is available at the Florida AgSafe Web site and at the OSHA regulations Web site .

Overview

This document is a condensation of Standard 1910.141 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It is not intended to be totally inclusive but rather to highlight the information and requirements in the complete OSHA standard that owners and managers of agricultural businesses should understand.

Standard 1910.141 applies to permanent places of employment. State and local codes may be more restrictive. Consult your local health department.

Definitions

Lavatory . A basin used exclusively for washing of the hands, arms, faces, and head.

Nonwater carriage toilet facility . A toilet facility not connected to a sewer.

Number of employees . The maximum number of employees present at any one time on a regular shift.

Personal service room . 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 . Water which meets the quality standards prescribed in the U.S. Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards or water which is approved for drinking purposes by the State or local authority having jurisdiction.

Toilet facility . A fixture maintained within a toilet room for the purpose of defecation or urination, or both.

Toilet room . A room maintained within or on the premises of any place of employment, containing toilet facilities for use by employees.

Toxic material . A material in concentration or amount of such toxicity so as to constitute a recognized hazard that is causing or is likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

Urinal . A toilet facility maintained within a toilet room for the sole purpose of urination.

Water closet . A toilet facility maintained within a toilet room for the purpose of both defecation and urination and which is flushed with water.

Wet process . Any process or operation in a workroom which normally results in surfaces upon which employees may walk or stand becoming wet.

Housekeeping

All places of employment shall be kept clean to the extent that the nature of the work allows. To facilitate cleaning, every floor, working place, and passageway must be kept free from protruding nails, splinters, loose boards, and unnecessary holes and openings.

The floor of every workroom must be maintained, so far as practicable, in a dry condition. Places where wet processes are used must have adequate drainage, and, where practicable, false floors, platforms, mats or other dry standing places must be provided; otherwise, the employer must provide appropriate waterproof footgear.

Waste Disposal

Any waste receptacle must be so constructed that it does not leak and may be thoroughly cleaned and maintained in a sanitary condition.

All sweepings, solid or liquid wastes, refuse, and garbage must be removed in such a manner that does not create a menace to health and as often as necessary or appropriate to maintain the place of employment in a sanitary condition.

Vermin Control

Every enclosed workplace must, so far as reasonably practical, shut out rodents, inseccts and other vermin. Where their presence is detected, a continuing and effective extermination program must be instituted.

Water Supply

Potable Water

Potable water must be provided in all places of employment, for drinking and washing in the toilet room and/or personal service rooms.

Sanitary conditions must be maintained in potable water dispensers. They must be capable of being closed and must be equipped with a tap. 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. Common drinking cups and other common utensils are prohibited.

Nonpotable Water

Construction of nonpotable water systems or systems carrying any other nonpotable substance must prevent backflow or backsiphonage into a potable water system.

Outlets for nonpotable water, such as water for industrial or firefighting purposes, must 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.

Nonpotable water may not be used for washing any portion of the person, cooking or eating utensils or clothing.

Provided it will not create unsanitary conditions or be harmful to employees, nonpotable water may be used for cleaning work premises other than food processing and preparation premises and personal service rooms.

Toilet Facilities

Toilet facilities in toilet rooms must be separate for each sex and be provided in all places of employment in accordance with Table 1 . The number of facilities to be provided for each sex must 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 may be counted for the purpose of Table 1.

These requirements 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 this standard. See the document "Field Sanitation: OSHA Standard 1928.110."

Each water closet shall occupy a separate compartment with a door and walls or partitions between fixtures sufficiently high to assure privacy. Sewage disposal method shall not endanger the health of employees.

Washing Facilities

Washing facilities shall be maintained in a sanitary condition.

• Lavatories must 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 standard.
• Each lavatory must be provided with:
  • hot and cold running water or tepid running water,
  • hand soap or similar cleansing agents,
  • 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.
• Whenever required by standard, one shower must be provided for each 10 employees of each sex, or fraction thereof, who are required to shower during the same shift.
• Showers must be provided with:
  • body soap or other appropriate cleansing agents convenient to the showers,
  • hot and cold water feeding a common discharge line, and
  • individual clean towels.

Change Rooms

Whenever employees are required by a particular standard to wear protective clothing because of the possibility of contamination with toxic materials, employers must provide change rooms equipped with storage facilities for street clothes and separate storage facilities for the protective clothing.

Clothes Drying Facilities

Where working clothes are provided by the employer and become wet or are washed between shifts, provision must be made to insure that such clothing is dry before reuse.

Food Handling

All employee food service facilities and operations must 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.

Consumption of Food and Beverages on the Premises

These rules apply only where employees are permitted to consume food or beverage, or both, on the premises.

• No employee may be allowed to consume food or beverages in a toilet room nor in any area exposed to a toxic material.
• Receptacles constructed of smooth, corrosion resistant, easily cleanable, or disposable materials, must be provided and used for the disposal of waste food. Their number, size and location must encourage their use and not result in overfilling. They must be emptied not less frequently than once each working day, unless unused, and must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. Receptacles must be provided with a solid, tight-fitting cover unless sanitary conditions can be maintained without use of a cover.
• No food or beverages may be stored in toilet rooms or in an area exposed to a toxic material.

Tables

Table 1.

Table 1. Minimum number of water closets per number of employees.
Number of Employees	Minimum Number of Water Closets1
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	One additional fixture per each 40 additional employees
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 may not be reduced to less than 2/3 of the minimum specified.

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Footnotes

1. This document is ABE189, one of a series of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date April 2000. Reviewed February 2008. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Carol J. Lehtola, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and Extension Safety Specialist; William J. Becker, Professor Emeritus, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering; Chris Eversole, editor, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.

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The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.

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Copyright Information

This document is copyrighted by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for the people of the State of Florida. UF/IFAS retains all rights under all conventions, but permits free reproduction by all agents and offices of the Cooperative Extension Service and the people of the State of Florida. Permission is granted to others to use these materials in part or in full for educational purposes, provided that full credit is given to the UF/IFAS, citing the publication, its source, and date of publication.