Where Are You Allowed to Wash Your Hands in California?
Explore how California regulates handwashing access across public spaces, workplaces, and businesses to support hygiene and public health.
Knowing where handwashing facilities are available and required in California involves navigating regulations that differ based on the type of location. State rules dictate access in settings ranging from public buildings and workplaces to restaurants and parks, reflecting public health priorities.
Rules for Public Facilities
Access to handwashing in California’s public buildings is generally linked to the requirement for restrooms. State law, specifically Health and Safety Code section 118505, mandates that facilities where people gather, whether publicly or privately owned, must provide adequate restrooms for peak hours.1Justia US Law. California Health and Safety Code Sections 118500-118505 – Public Restrooms This applies to venues like convention centers, community halls, and government buildings serving the public.
The specifics of these restrooms, including the number and type of fixtures, are detailed in the California Building Standards Code (Title 24), which incorporates the state’s Plumbing Code. When restrooms are required, sinks with running water for handwashing must also be included. Furthermore, if a public agency provides restrooms, access must be free, according to Health and Safety Code section 118500.
Accessibility is a key component. Both the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California’s Title 24 mandate that required restrooms and sinks meet specific design standards. These include sink height, faucet type, and clear floor space to ensure usability for people with disabilities in new constructions and significant renovations.
Workplace Requirements
California employers must provide employees with access to handwashing facilities under regulations enforced by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). These rules, found in Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, aim to ensure worker hygiene and prevent contamination.
Section 3366 of Title 8 requires washing facilities, meaning sinks with running water, soap, and hand-drying options (like single-use towels or air dryers), to be reasonably accessible in every workplace.2California Department of Industrial Relations. California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3366 – Washing Facilities Specific standards exist for spacing when multiple basins are used.
Construction sites have particular requirements under Title 8, Section 1527, mandating at least one washing station per 20 employees.3California Department of Industrial Relations. California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 1527 – Washing Facilities, Food Handling, and Temporary Sleeping Quarters These stations must be kept clean, provide suitable water, soap, and single-use towels or an air blower. Generally, these must be separate from portable toilets unless the site is very small (fewer than five employees, one toilet). Importantly, regulations clarify that waterless hand sanitizers do not substitute for required soap and water facilities.
Dining Establishments
Patrons in California dining establishments generally have access to handwashing facilities when restrooms are required. The California Retail Food Code (CalCode) specifies that permanent food facilities must provide customer restrooms if food is consumed on the premises (Health and Safety Code section 114276).4FindLaw. California Health and Safety Code – HSC § 114276 Newer establishments or those undergoing major changes must comply regardless of size, while those built after mid-1984 with over 20,000 square feet also need customer restrooms, even without onsite dining.
Handwashing sinks within these required restrooms must meet CalCode standards. Section 113953 mandates warm water (typically 100°F to 108°F) delivered under pressure for at least 15 seconds.5FindLaw. California Health and Safety Code – HSC § 113953 Dispensers for soap and single-use towels or an air dryer must be available at each sink (Section 113953.2).6FindLaw. California Health and Safety Code – HSC § 113953.2
Restrooms and sinks must also comply with ADA and state accessibility standards (Title 24), ensuring appropriate height, faucet controls, and clear space. CalCode further requires that customer restrooms be located so patrons do not pass through food preparation or storage areas (Section 114276(b)(2)).
Mobile or Temporary Businesses
Mobile businesses like food trucks and temporary operations like event booths face specific handwashing rules under the California Retail Food Code (CalCode). Mobile Food Facilities (MFFs) permitted after January 1, 1997, that handle non-prepackaged food must have a dedicated handwashing sink separate from warewashing sinks, meeting minimum size requirements (Section 114311).7Justia US Law. California Health and Safety Code § 114311 – Mobile Food Facilities Handwashing
These sinks must provide warm running water (100°F-108°F) for at least 15 seconds (Section 113953(c)), often requiring a dedicated water tank (e.g., 5 gallons). Soap and single-use towels or an approved dryer are also mandatory (Section 113953.2). Splashguards may be required if handwashing and warewashing sinks are close together.
Temporary Food Facilities (TFFs), such as market stalls, also require handwashing access for food handlers (CalCode Chapter 11). While setups might differ, potentially using portable tanks if plumbing isn’t available, they must still provide clean, warm running water, soap, and single-use towels (Section 114358). Event organizers often ensure shared restroom and handwashing facilities are available for vendors and the public, following local health department interpretations of CalCode.
Recreational Areas
In California’s recreational areas like parks and campgrounds, handwashing availability varies. Developed areas with permanent structures such as visitor centers or established campgrounds typically fall under the same rules as other public facilities, requiring restrooms with sinks according to the Health and Safety Code and Title 24 building standards.
Specific regulations apply in certain settings. Organized camps must provide handwashing facilities next to all flush toilets (Title 17, Section 30712).8Westlaw California Code of Regulations. Title 17, Section 30712 – Toilet and Handwashing Facilities Special occupancy parks, including RV parks and campgrounds serving units without their own plumbing, must provide lavatories (sinks) alongside toilets at specified ratios and distances (Title 25, Sections 1112 and 2112).9Cornell Legal Information Institute. Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 25, § 2112 – Required Toilet and Shower Facilities
However, requirements differ in primitive or remote areas. State regulations explicitly note that toilet and fixed handwashing facilities are not mandated in basic tent camps or dry camps (Title 25, Section 2112). While some undeveloped sites might offer portable toilets with hand sanitizer or shared water spigots, plumbed handwashing stations are not universally required in remote locations like trailheads or primitive campsites. Accessibility standards apply to permanent restroom structures where they are provided.
