Sanitation and Accommodation

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Employers have to consider the needs of the employees and the hazards present in the workplace when setting up work areas. Is there enough lighting to work safely? Should the workplace have showers and change rooms? Is there access to clean water for drinking and washing hands? How often should the workplace be cleaned, and what kinds of cleaning services are needed?

Employers must make sure their workplaces are clean and have enough toilets and hand-washing facilities to meet the needs of those in the workplace. Good housekeeping is the first and most basic form of risk prevention. Poor housekeeping contributes to incidents by creating or hiding hazards that cause injuries. If the sight of paper, debris, clutter, and spills is accepted as normal, then other more serious health and safety hazards may be taken for granted.

The employer must:

Provide sufficient lighting to work safely considering

the quantity of illumination; and
the quality of illumination, including whether there is reflectance, direct glare, and reflected glare.

Make sure that all industrial lighting follows ANSI standard ANSI/IES-RP-7, "American National Standard Practice for Industrial Lighting".
Make sure that all office lighting follows ANSI standard ANSI/IESNA RP-1, "American National Standard Practice for Office Lighting".
Make sure emergency lighting is available if a lighting failure in the workplace would put people at risk.
Make sure there is enough potable water for those in the workplace to drink and wash their hands. Make sure employees have easy access to water, that is no further than 200 meters away from the workplace.
Provide potable water that meets standards set out in the latest version of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality published by the Canadian government's Department of Health.
Provide water in a covered container if it is not delivered by pipe to the workplace. If the container is going to be used by more than one person, it must have a faucet.
If practical, provide individual sanitary cups or other drinking vessels or a water fountain which delivers the water through an upward jet from which people may drink.
If the workplace has both potable and non-potable water outlets, clearly label both outlets.
Make sure those working in motor vehicles or in workplaces such as a logging operation or a survey site that are isolated, small and temporary have reasonable access to toilet facilities as per the minimum number of toilets for each gender where practical.
Make sure toilets are either water flushing, chemical, self-contained portables, or a similar type of toilets.
Make sure that men and women have access to separate toilet facilities. Where the occupancy of persons normally employed in the workplace at any one time does not exceed 9, it is acceptable for men and women to share one toilet, if it is in a room that can be locked from the inside.
Make sure toilet facilities are,

within easy access of a person’s workplace;
enclosed so that the users are sheltered from view and protected from the natural elements;
adequately ventilated and properly lit;
heated, if this is practical;
kept in a clean and sanitary condition;
supplied with enough toilet paper;
supplied with a garbage bin, and
kept and maintained so that they are in working condition.

Make sure self-contained toilet units are emptied and serviced at often enough to make sure they do not overflow.
Allow employees reasonable opportunities to use toilet facilities.
Make sure employees have access to the minimum of toilets, as shown in the tables below. This number is calculated according to the number of people normally employed at any one time in the same workplace.

Minimum Required Number of Workplace Toilet and Urinal Facilities for Male Employees
Number of men employed at any one time at the same workplace	Minimum number of toilets and urinals
1 - 9	1 toilet
10 – 24	2 toilets
25 – 49	3 toilets (or replace up to 1 toilet with urinals)
50 – 74	4 toilets (or replace up to 2 toilets with urinals)
75 – 100	5 toilets (or replace up to 3 toilets with urinals)
More than 100	5 toilets (or replace up to 3 toilets with urinals)

Minimum Required Number of Workplace Toilet Facilities for Female Employees
Number of women employed at any one time at the same workplace	Minimum Number of toilets
1 - 9	1 toilet
10 – 24	2 toilets
25 – 49	3 toilets
50 – 74	4 toilets
75 – 100	5 toilets
More than 100	5 toilets
For every for every additional 30 women over 100	1 additional toilet

In workplaces with running water, provide a sink, wash basin or equivalent hand-cleaning facility in a room with one toilet and sufficient additional wash basins or equivalent hand-cleaning facilities in the room for additional toilets or urinals.
In workplaces that have toilet facilities without running water, provide hand-cleaning facilities or supplies. Hand-cleaning facilities and supplies should be as close as possible to any toilet.
Provide the employees exposed to hazardous substances that could contaminate food with the opportunity, facilities, and supplies to clean their hands.
Along with the washbasin, provide,

hot and cold running water;
soap or other appropriate cleansers; and
enough supplies or equipment for employees to dry their hands after washing them.

If a hazardous substance in the workplace could contaminate food, provide an enclosed eating area separate from the work area. The eating area must

be kept in a clean condition;
have enough light;
be well heated and ventilated;
have enough tables and seats for the number of persons who may be eating at one time and
have garbage bins.

Not allow anyone to store food or drinks in areas they could be contaminated by a hazardous substance.
Provide a changing room when employees must change into work clothes for the protection of their health or safety. There must also be a clean place to store both their street and work clothes that will protect them from getting wet or dirty.
If the employee’s work clothes could become contaminated at work and put the employee’s health or safety at risk, provide clean work clothes, and make sure they are replaced or cleaned as often as necessary.
Provide showers where practical if an employee's skin could be contaminated by a hazardous substance at work. There must be

separate showers for men and women;
enough showers for the maximum number of either men or women who are normally employed at the same workplace and at risk;
1 shower for up to 10 men or 10 women at risk and an additional shower for every 10 men or 10 women;
enough water, that can be manually adjusted between the range of 35°C and 45°C, and
enough soap and towels.

Make sure that waste material and debris are collected regularly and removed from the workplace to a proper disposal area.
When storing waste material or debris, make sure it does not become a tripping hazard or hazardous in other ways.
Provide adequate fire protection in the workplace.
Inspect, maintain, and service the fire protection equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.
Make sure that all fire extinguishers are inspected annually.
If the workplace is an occupied or enclosed structure, follow the requirements of the National Fire Code, under the Fire Safety Act and the Fire Safety Regulations.
If the workplace is a project, follow the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada, under the Building Code Act and the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under that Act.
Not lock, bolt or bar a door needed for a safe emergency exit while people are in the workplace unless each person present in the workplace has suitable keys to all doors. This requirement does not apply to rooms where people are legally restrained or confined; those must have other ways of protecting against fire.

Employees must:

Not store food or drinks in areas they could be contaminated by a hazardous substance.
Report any condition that is or may be dangerous to the employee’s health or safety, or that of any other person at the workplace, immediately to a supervisor and, where it is not remedied to the employee’s satisfaction,

report it to the JOHS committee or safety representative and then,
if it is still not remedied to the employee’s safisfaction, report it to the OHS Division of DOLAE.

Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality published by the federal Department of Health.
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/migration/hc-sc/ewh-semt/alt_formats/pdf/pubs/water-eau/sum_guide-res_recom/sum_guide-res_recom-eng.pdf

Not suitable for drinking

https://www.canlii.org/en/ns/laws/stat/sns-2002-c-6/144355/sns-2002-c-6.html#document

https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/regs/fsfiresf.htm

https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/buildcod.htm

https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/regs/bcregs.htm

Department of Labour and Advanced Education

Occupational Safety General Regulations
N.S. Reg. 44/99

Part 4 Ventilation, Lighting, Sanitation and Accommodation

Section 16 Lighting

16. (1) An employer shall ensure the provision of lighting that is sufficient for the type of work being done considering

(a) the quantity of illumination; and

(b) the quality of illumination, including reflectance, direct glare and reflected glare.

(2) Where it is reasonably practicable, an employer shall use the latest version of the applicable standard listed below to determine the lighting required by subsection (1):

(a) ANSI standard ANSI/IES-RP-7, "American National Standard Practice for Industrial Lighting";

(b) ANSI standard ANSI/IESNA RP-1, "American National Standard Practice for Office Lighting".

[N.S. Reg. 52/2000, s. 9; 53/2013, s. 13]

Section 17

17. Where failure of the normal lighting system may constitute a danger to the health or safety of a person, the employer shall ensure that emergency lighting is available.

Section 18 Drinking water

18. (1) An employer shall, where reasonably practicable, make accessible sufficient potable water for drinking and hand-cleaning that

(a) is close enough to the work area that neither drinking nor washing is inhibited;

(b) is no further away than 200 m from the work place; and

(c) meets the standards set out in the latest version of the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality published by the federal Department of Health.

(2) Where drinking water is not taken directly from a water pipe, an employer shall ensure that it is kept in a container that is covered in an adequate manner and, if used by more than one person, that the container is equipped with a faucet.

(3) An employer shall, where reasonably practicable, make accessible individual sanitary drinking vessels or cups to be used with drinking water, except where the drinking water is delivered in an upward jet from which a person may drink.

(4) Where outlets exist for both drinking water and water not suitable for drinking, an employer shall appropriately and clearly label the outlets.

[N.S. Reg. 52/2000, s. 10; 53/2013, s. 14]

Section 19 Toilets

19. (1) An employer shall make accessible a minimum number of toilets for each gender, determined according to the maximum number of persons of each gender who are normally employed at any one time at the same workplace, as follows:

(a) where the number of persons does not exceed 9, 1 toilet;

(b) where the number of persons exceeds 9 but does not exceed 24, 2 toilets;

(d) where the number of persons exceeds 49 but does not exceed 74, 4 toilets;

(e) where the number of persons exceeds 74 but does not exceed 100, 5 toilets; and

(f) where the number of persons exceeds 100, 5 toilets and 1 toilet for every 30 such persons in excess of 100.

(2) Despite subsection (1), where a workplace, such as a motor vehicle or an isolated small temporary workplace such as a logging operation or a survey site, does not have running water or sewage facilities, an employer shall ensure that the toilets required in subsection (1) are accessible where it is reasonably practicable.

(3) Despite subsection (1), where the total number of persons normally employed in the workplace at any one time does not exceed 9, an employer may provide 1 toilet for both male and female persons if the toilet is situated in a room with an entrance door that is fitted on the inside with a locking device.

(4) Despite subsection (1), where more than 2 toilets are required for male employees, an employer may substitute urinals for up to of the required number of toilets.

(5) An employer shall ensure that toilets are of the water flush, chemical, self-contained portable or other similar types of toilets.

(6) An employer shall ensure that a toilet facility required by these regulations is

(a) within easy access of a person's workplace;

(b) enclosed so that a person is sheltered from view and protected from the natural elements;

(d) heated, where reasonably practicable;

(e) kept in a clean and sanitary condition;

(f) provided with a sufficient supply of toilet paper;

(g) provided with a waste receptacle;

(h) maintained in working condition; and

(i) in the case of a self-contained unit, emptied and serviced at intervals to ensure that the unit does not overflow.

(7) An employer shall ensure that an employee has reasonable opportunities to use the toilet facilities.

[N.S. Reg. 53/2013, s. 93]

Section 20 Hand-cleaning facilities

20. (1) Where the workplace has running water, an employer shall provide a wash basin or equivalent hand-cleaning facility in a room with 1 toilet and sufficient additional wash basins or equivalent hand-cleaning facilities in the room for additional toilets or urinals.

(2) Where the workplace does not have running water and toilet facilities are provided, an employer shall provide hand-cleaning facilities or supplies.

(3) An employer shall provide a hand-cleaning facility and supplies as close to any toilet as is reasonably practicable.

(4) Where a person works in an area that is exposed to a hazardous substance that may contaminate food, an employer shall provide the person with the opportunity, facilities and supplies for hand cleaning.

(5) Where a wash basin is provided, an employer shall provide

(a) hot and cold running water;

(b) soap or other appropriate cleansers; and

[N.S. Reg. 53/2013, s. 15]

Section 21 Eating areas

21. (1) Where the possibility of contamination of food from a hazardous substance exists in a work area, an employer shall provide an enclosed eating area separate from the work area.

(2) The eating area referred to in subsection (1) shall be

(a) kept in a sanitary condition; and

(b) adequately provided with

(i) light, heat and ventilation,

(ii) tables and seating sufficient for the number of persons who use the eating area at any one time, and

(iii) garbage receptacles.

(3) No person shall store food or drink in an area where the food or drink may be contaminated by a hazardous substance.

[N.S. Reg. 52/2000, s. 11]; 53/2013, s. 93

Section 22 Work clothes and change rooms

22. (1) Where the nature of a person's work makes it necessary for the person to change out of street clothes and into work clothes to protect the person's health or safety, an employer shall provide a changing room and storage for the person's street clothes and work clothes that will prevent the clothes from becoming wet or dirty.

(2) Where a person's work clothes are liable to be contaminated so that the health or safety of a person may be adversely affected by exposure to the clothes when contaminated, an employer shall provide

(a) work clothes for the person's use;

(b) storage for the person's street clothes and work clothes that will prevent the street clothes from becoming wet, dirty or contaminated;

(d) for work clothes to be cleaned as necessary.

(3) Where an employee's skin may be contaminated by a hazardous substance, an employer shall provide a shower facility if it is reasonably practicable.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3), the employer shall provide a shower facility that includes

(a) a number of showers for each gender determined according to the maximum number of persons of each gender who are normally employed at the same workplace and who are exposed as described in subsection (3) at any one time as follows:

(i) where the number of employees does not exceed 10, 1 shower, and

(ii) an additional shower for each unit of 10 additional employees of each gender;

(b) a sufficient water supply that can be manually adjusted to come within a range of 35°C and 45°C; and

[N.S. Reg. 52/2000, s. 12; 53/2013, s. 93]

Section 24 Waste material and debris

24. An employer must ensure that, on a regular basis, waste material and debris are

(a) collected or positioned so as to prevent a hazard; and

(b) removed from a workplace to a suitable disposal area.

[N.S. Reg. 53/2013, s. 17]

Section 25 Fire protection and escape

25. (1) An employer shall ensure that adequate fire protection is provided in the workplace.

(2) An employer shall inspect, maintain and service the fire protection equipment required in subsection (1) in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.

(2A) In addition to any requirements that the specifications under subsection (2) may impose respecting fire extinguishers, an employer must ensure that all fire extinguishers are inspected annually.

(3) In determining the type and quantity of fire protection required in subsection (1), an employer must consider all of the following:

(a) where the workplace is an occupied or enclosed structure, the requirements of the National Fire Code, as adopted and modified under the Fire Safety Act and the Fire Safety Regulations made under that Act;

(b) where the workplace is a project, the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada, as adopted and modified under the Building Code Act and the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under that Act.

(4) Subject to any requirements in the legislation, regulations or codes referred to in subsection (3), unless each person present in the workplace has suitable keys to all doors that are required to be open to exit the premises, no person shall lock, bolt or bar a door while a person is present in the workplace, if doing so would prevent a person from exiting a work area.

(5) The requirements of subsection (4) do not apply to a room in which a legally restrained person is located and other means of protection from fire are provided.

[N.S. Reg. 53/2013, s. 18]

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT
S.N.S. 1996, c. 7

Section 17

17. (1) Every employee, while at work, shall

(a) take every reasonable precaution in the circumstances to protect the employee's own health and safety and that of other persons at or near the workplace;

(b) co-operate with the employer and with the employee's fellow employees to protect the employee's own health and safety and that of other persons at or near the workplace;

(c) take every reasonable precaution in the circumstances to ensure that protective devices, equipment or clothing required by the employer, this Act or the regulations are used or worn;

(d) consult and co-operate with the joint occupational health and safety committee, where such a committee has been established at the workplace, or the health and safety representative, where one has been selected at the workplace;

(e) co-operate with any person performing a duty or exercising a power conferred by this Act or the regulations; and

(f) comply with this Act and the regulations.

(2) Where an employee believes that any condition, device, equipment, machine, material or thing or any aspect of the workplace is or may be dangerous to the employee's health or safety or that of any other person at the workplace, the employee shall

(a) immediately report it to a supervisor;

(b) where the matter is not remedied to the employee's satisfaction, report it to the committee or the representative, if any; and

(c) where the matter is not remedied to the employee's satisfaction after the employee reports in accordance with clauses (a) and (b), report it to the Division.

CSNS Resources

CCOHS