Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers
Field Sanitation Standards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published regulations on field sanitation that require portable toilets, drinking water, and hand washing facilities to protect the safety and health of migrant and seasonal farm workers.
The regulations apply to any agricultural employer having eleven (11) or more employees engaged on any given day in hand-labor field operations.
Since health hazards are involved, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) developed procedures to assist OSHA with the implementation of the regulations by providing for an improved coordination enforcement program. Included would be the prompt referral of possible violations of the Field Sanitation Standards to OSHA.
This standard will be enforced under the Job Service Complaint System which will include responsibility for detection of violation and field checks of work sites where JS placement have been made under the intra or interstate job order clearance system.
Job Service staff shall record in writing any complaint by a MSFW concerning a violation of field sanitation regulations. The complaint will be logged and immediately referred to the State Monitor Advocate. The JS staff member taking such complaint shall inform the farmworker of the action taken and provide monthly follow-up on the complaint until it has been resolved.
Whenever a Job Service staff member observes or has reason to believe there is a violation of field sanitation regulation, the apparent violation shall be referred to the office manager. The office manager or migrant labor representative will attempt informal resolution with the employer and record the complaint under current reporting procedures.
Where placements have been made under the job order clearance system Job Service staff will conduct field checks at a significant number of work sites. Job Service staff conducting these checks shall highlight any possible field sanitation violations and refer them to the State Monitor Advocate.