1910.141(c): Toilet Facilities at Work
Employers must provide toilet facilities in separate rooms for each sex according to Table J-1, based on the number of employees, unless single-occupancy rooms lock from inside. Mobile crews and normally unattended sites are exempt if transportation to nearby toilets is immediately available, sewage disposal must not endanger health, and each water closet needs a private compartment.
Key takeaways
- 1910.141(c) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart J).
- OSHA cited it 85 times in the last 3 years, in 84 inspections, with $214,365 in current penalties.
- Most citations: PR (15), MI (8), OR (6).
- Related part: 1910.141(c)(1) General (80 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.141(c) ("Toilet facilities") is one requirement inside 1910.141 Sanitation, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart J). It includes 7 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
(c) Toilet facilities — 85 citations
(1) General. Open (c)(1) 80 citations
(i) Except as otherwise indicated in this paragraph (c)(1)(i), toilet facilities, in toilet rooms separate for each sex, shall be provided in all places of employment in accordance with table J-1 of this section. The number of facilities to be provided for each sex shall 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 such facility in each toilet room shall be counted for the purpose of table J-1. Open (c)(1)(i) 68 citations
| Number of employees | Minimum number of water closets 1 |
|---|---|
| 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 | (2) |
| 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 shall not be reduced to less than 2⁄3 of the minimum specified. | |
| 2 1 additional fixture for each additional 40 employees. | |
(ii) The requirements of paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section 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 the other requirements of this subparagraph. Open (c)(1)(ii) 1 citations
(iii) The sewage disposal method shall not endanger the health of employees. 9 citations
(2) Construction of toilet rooms. 5 citations
(i) Each water closet shall occupy a separate compartment with a door and walls or partitions between fixtures sufficiently high to assure privacy. 5 citations
(ii) [Reserved]
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.141.
Export the list: 84 inspections cited 1910.141(c) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 34 |
| 2025 | 32 |
| 2026 | 17 |
Top states: PR (15), MI (8), OR (6), MD (6), TX (5)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| DOLGENCORP LLC/DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION | DUBLIN, PA | $70,938 |
| U.S. POSTAL SERVICE-MOCA | MOCA, PR | $19,862 |
| MAR-JAC POULTRY MS, LLC | HATTIESBURG, MS | $15,211 |
| DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION/DOLGENCORP LLC | DOVER, DE | $12,676 |
| OLDHAM CHEMICALS COMPANY, INC. | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $5,808 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.141(c), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.141(c).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.141(c)(1) General 80 citations
- 1910.141(c)(1)(i) 68 citations
- 1910.141(c)(1)(ii) 1 citations
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Frequently asked questions
How many toilets are required?
Table J-1 sets the minimum number of water closets based on the number of employees of each sex, for example 1 for 1 to 15 employees.
When are separate rooms for each sex not needed?
When toilet rooms are occupied by no more than one person at a time, can be locked from inside, and contain at least one water closet.
Do mobile crews need on-site toilets?
Not under (c)(1)(i), if they have transportation immediately available to nearby toilet facilities that meet the other requirements.
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 2026-11-01
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.