B7. Food, Sanitation and Housing

Code 8.0

Workers shall be provided with ready access to clean toilet facilities, potable water and sanitary food preparation, storage, and eating facilities. Worker dormitories provided by the facility/factory and/or via a labor agent shall be maintained to be clean and safe, and provided with appropriate emergency egress, hot water for bathing and showering, adequate lighting, and adequate conditioned ventilation, individually secured accommodations for storing personal and valuable items, and reasonable personal space along with reasonable entry and exit privileges.

Elements to Demonstrate Compliance to RBA Code

Elements to Demonstrate Compliance to RBA Code are here below and also in the Health & Safety Checklist "B7 Sanitation, Food and Housing: Checklist on worker Accommodations" later in this document.

1. Policy

Ensure company's health and safety policy includes occupational injury and illness elements including:

• a. All required health & safety licenses, permits, registrations and certificates related to food, sanitation and housing will be in place and an adequate and effective process is established to ensure permits and licenses will always be up to date.
• b. Dormitories, bathrooms, and employee spaces will be clean, safe, and well-maintained and meet international housing standards.
• c. General/public bathrooms, employee spaces, prayer or religious areas, cafeterias, and food areas will be clean and well-maintained.

2. Procedures & Practices

Procedures & Practices are in place such that:

• a. A documented process is in place to ensure permits are renewed before current permits expire.
• b. Worker housing (if applicable) minimum requirements:
  • i. Facilities are well-maintained, including adequate lighting, heating, and ventilation. The facilities are clean, and there are adequate domestic waste disposal facilities and pest control measures in place.
  • ii. Sufficient living and working space exists for the number of workers assigned to them.
  • iii. Dormitory and sanitary facilities including common areas, activity rooms, hallways, and rest rooms are clean and properly maintained.
  • iv. The building is adequately conditioned.
  • v. Windows allow light in and proper ventilation.
  • vi. Adequate lighting.
  • vii. Safe and sufficient electricity sockets are provided.
  • viii. Workers are provided with secured space for the storage of their personal belongings.
  • ix. Cold water and clean drinking water are available and easily accessible.
  • x. Hot water is always available and easily accessible or on a convenient schedule.
  • xi. An adequate and effective cleaning and sanitation program is in place.
  • xii. There are adequate domestic waste disposal facilities.
  • xiii. Exiting / Egress requirements include:
    1. There are clear, well-lit stairwells to allow for safe exit from dormitories.
    2. Dormitories have multiple exit routes, and they are adequate for the number of workers served.
    3. Exit route doors unlocked from the inside / in the direction of egress.

NOTE: Doors may be locked from the outside only if panic hardware, such as listed crash bars, are used on the inside.

• xiv. Structure and layout and maintenance include:
  1. All facilities are separated by gender and adequate in number.
  2. Lodging and cooking facilities are separate from each other.
  3. There are adequate domestic waste disposal facilities.
  4. There is adequate and regular pest control.

NOTE: The Worker housing requirements shall apply regardless of the nature of the contract/location/building (e.g., if rooms are rented by the facility in nearby residential areas for housing workers, these standards shall still apply)

• c. Bathrooms, employee spaces, cafeterias, and food areas
  • i. The toilet, hand washing, and canteen areas are clean and sanitary.
  • ii. Canteens are provided with adequate hand washing facilities.
  • iii. Safe food handling processes and hygiene standards (in refrigeration, storage, and preparation areas) are in place and followed in cafeterias.
  • iv. Food service workers wear masks, hair nets and gloves as necessary to prevent food contamination.
  • v. An adequate and effective cleaning and sanitation program is in place.
• d. Food and Food Storage
  • i. An ample amount of healthy food with a varying menu is provided to workers.
  • ii. Food storage and preparation areas are clean.
  • iii. Food is stored properly (not on the floor; refrigerated if necessary)
  • iv. Raw and cooked food are stored separately, food is kept covered.
  • v. Food is used or disposed of before the marked expiration date.
• e. Drinking Water
  • i. Water must be tested for those contaminants assessed to be at risk for the local region and operations.
  • ii. Drinking water testing is not required if local water utility company can attest water meets World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality or equivalent standard.

NOTE: Facility must have history of evidence of review of water utility test reports and have reviewed for compliance. Merely saying the utility is responsible and/or pointing to their website is not sufficient.

• f. Emergency response
  • i. Adequate fire and heat detection, alarm and notification and fire suppression systems are in place.
  • ii. Adequate number of exit routes from each floor / area.
  • iii. Aisles and exits are maintained clear of obstructions.
  • iv. Exit route doors are accessible, well-marked and unlocked from the inside.
  • v. Maximum occupancy number is posted on site.
  • vi. An adequate number of first kits are available.

3. Controls & Monitoring

Controls & Monitoring should include:

• a. On-site inspections, testing, emergency process drills and report generation are conducted by authorized personnel.
• b. An adequate and effective preventive maintenance program (including emergency response supporting facilities) is in place.
• c. For rented apartments, there are regular on-site inspections, assessments and updates made to management. These re-occur if there are complaints, there is a Significant Change, or an incident has occurred.

4. Records

Records are maintained including:

• a. Living environments monitoring records on safety, cleanliness, lighting, space, conditioning available, etc.
• b. Sanitation program tracking records.
• a. Pest control log.
• b. Preventive maintenance program logs.
• c. Regular monitoring and reporting of safe food handling procedures/hygiene.
• d. Food, sanitation, and housing testing reports.
• e. All required food, sanitation and housing permits and licenses are in place, including:
  • i. Rented apartments must be permitted by the local government as living accommodations.
  • ii. Canteen/kitchen workers have valid health certificates.
  • iii. Food, sanitation, and housing testing reports including drinking water, food worker health tests, food sample testing.
  • iv. If local regulations require facility health inspections or other tests or certificates, these are available and valid.

5. Best Practices

• a. Any sleeping / living accommodations/building do not contain storage for operations (e.g., parts/material, chemicals, finished goods, equipment, invoices).

6. Serious conditions that will result in a severe finding

• Any of the provided worker housing is unsafe and poses an immediate risk of serious injury, loss of life, limb, or facility.
• Any bathrooms, employee spaces, cafeterias, or food areas are unsafe and pose an immediate risk of serious injury, loss of life, limb, or facility.

1.0.0 (2024-01-01)

Initial release.