There are some state-level OSHA break laws in Washington State or California with more specific requirements tied to hydration and heat illness prevention in outdoor work. In letters of interpretation, OSHA has said there are too many factors that influence these needs from individual to individual and that employers should be "flexible." There are no federal OSHA break laws related to the minimum length and frequency of bathroom and water breaks. Employers can require you to get coverage at your station first, use a bathroom key, or require a sign-in sheet, as long as access is still "reasonable and prompt." The OSHA sanitation standard also requires workplaces to "allow employees prompt access to the bathroom facilities," which implies a requirement for bathroom breaks. They don't explicitly require water breaks in the relevant standards, but the rules require "reasonable opportunities" and for the water to be "readily available." If your employer restricts drinking and eating to certain areas – which they're allowed to do – they're still required to give you "access." However, they do require employers to give workers the opportunity to drink water and go to the bathroom – and to have safe, sanitary facilities for both nearby.Īs we've discussed before, OSHA requires employers to provide potable water. To date, they've never set requirements for meal or rest breaks because they don't consider it a workplace safety issue. OSHA's mission is to safeguard workers' safety and health. What are OSHA's Break Law Requirements for Workplaces? OSHA 10 & 30-hour General Industry Package.
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