1910.141(d)(2): Lavatories in the Workplace
Employers must make lavatories available in all places of employment, with hot and cold or tepid running water, hand soap or similar cleanser, and individual towels or air blowers. This does not apply to mobile crews or normally unattended locations if workers there have transportation readily available to nearby washing facilities that meet these requirements.
Key takeaways
- 1910.141(d)(2) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart J).
- OSHA cited it 130 times in the last 3 years, in 113 inspections, with $124,178 in current penalties.
- Most citations: PR (20), TN (14), OR (11).
- Related part: 1910.141(d) Washing facilities (158 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2) ("Lavatories") is one requirement inside 1910.141 Sanitation, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart J). It includes 4 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(2) Lavatories. 130 citations
(i) Lavatories shall 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 paragraph. Open (d)(2)(i) 17 citations
(ii) Each lavatory shall be provided with hot and cold running water, or tepid running water. Open (d)(2)(ii) 71 citations
(iii) Hand soap or similar cleansing agents shall be provided. Open (d)(2)(iii) 23 citations
(iv) Individual hand towels or sections thereof, of cloth or paper, air blowers or clean individual sections of continuous cloth toweling, convenient to the lavatories, shall be provided. Open (d)(2)(iv) 17 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.141.
Export the list: 113 inspections cited 1910.141(d)(2) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 47 |
| 2025 | 46 |
| 2026 | 27 |
Top states: PR (20), TN (14), OR (11), NY (10), MI (8)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE | NEW CASTLE, DE | $38,022 |
| SMYRNA READY MIX CONCRETE, LLC | PUNTA GORDA, FL | $8,036 |
| UNITECH COMPOSITES, INC. | HAYDEN, ID | $5,427 |
| DTOP | PONCE, PR | $5,000 |
| NPPR - CUARTEL POLIC?A ESTATAL MOROVIS | MOROVIS, PR | $5,000 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.141(d)(2), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.141(d)(2).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.141(d) Washing facilities 158 citations
- 1910.141(d)(2)(ii) 71 citations
- 1910.141(d)(1) General 26 citations
- 1910.141(d)(2)(iii) 23 citations
- 1910.141(d)(2)(iv) 17 citations
- 1910.141(d)(2)(i) 17 citations
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Frequently asked questions
What must a workplace lavatory have?
Hot and cold or tepid running water, hand soap or similar cleansing agent, and individual towels or air blowers.
Do mobile crews need lavatories?
Not if they have transportation readily available to nearby washing facilities that meet the other requirements.
Are shared cloth towels allowed?
The rule allows individual towels or sections, air blowers, or clean individual sections of continuous cloth toweling.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.141 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-11-06
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.