What 29 CFR 1910.141 requires (plain English)
29 CFR 1910.141 sets the sanitation requirements for general-industry workplaces: the basics of drinking water, toilets, washing facilities, and workplace cleanliness that protect workers from disease and unsanitary conditions. Though less dramatic than fall or electrical hazards, inadequate sanitation causes real harm: dehydration and heat illness without accessible water, disease transmission without proper toilets and handwashing, and pest problems from poor housekeeping. The standard ensures every workplace meets a minimum standard of hygiene.
The core provisions are concrete. Potable (drinking-quality) water must be provided in all places of employment, and outlets for non-potable water (used only for firefighting or industrial processes) must be clearly marked as unsafe for drinking. Toilet facilities must be provided in numbers scaled to the workforce (one toilet for 1 to 15 employees, two for 16 to 35, three for 36 to 55, four for 56 to 80, five for 81 to 110, six for 111 to 150, and one additional for each additional 40 workers) with separate facilities for each sex (or lockable single-occupancy rooms). Washing facilities must be provided and maintained in a sanitary condition, with lavatories supplying hot and cold running water, soap, and individual (or air) towels.
The standard also addresses cleanliness and food handling. Workplaces must be kept clean and orderly and, so far as practicable, in a dry condition, with floors maintained and drainage provided where wet processes are used. Where employees eat on the premises, eating and drinking are prohibited in areas exposed to toxic materials, and food may not be stored in toilet rooms or where exposed to contamination. Enclosed workplaces must be constructed and maintained to prevent the entrance and harborage of rodents, insects, and other vermin. These requirements keep the everyday workplace environment from becoming a health hazard.