New OHSA Rules Make Washroom Cleaning Records Mandatory
How you can comply with updated regulations
While many of us have been busy making New Year’s resolutions, the Ontario Occupational Healthy and Safety Act made one of its own – to keep employers accountable for employee washroom cleanliness.
Amendments to OHSA legislation initially began in July of last year but the latest updates, which took effect on January 1st, 2026, introduce expanded reporting requirements that employers must comply with or risk facing penalties.
Who does this apply to?
These amendments generally affect all Ontario employers and constructors who provide washroom facilities to employees, with the following exceptions:
- Businesses with fewer than 25 employees (excluding temporary workers) are exempt
- Constructors with 20 workers have specific rules for menstrual products and AEDs
What are the new requirements?
For Employers
Employers must keep, maintain, and make all records of washroom cleaning readily accessible for employees. Physical records must be posted in a noticeable area in or near all employee washrooms or posted electronically with clear instructions on how employees can access records.
These records must include the date and time of the two most recent cleanings. Essentially, when an employee wants to see the last time their washroom was cleaned, employers need to make it quick and easy to do so.
For Constructors
Cleaning records must include the date and time of service for the last 6 months or the duration of the construction project, whichever is shorter.
How are they different than last year's requirements?
The first changes to OHSA’s washroom cleaning requirements, that took effect July 1st, 2025, focused on maintaining employee washroom cleanliness and keeping logs of all cleanings for auditing or inspection purposes.
The primary difference for the latest requirements is that records aren’t exclusively available on a ‘by request’ basis. Employers and constructors must now make them readily available to employees, with non-compliance leading to potential fines.
How do I stay compliant?
Paper Cleaning Logs
While they do meet the criteria for compliance and require little investment, paper logs present several challenges. They become harder to organize and archive as more logs are filled, are easy to forge, more likely to be lost or destroyed, and can be difficult to read.
Digital Cleaning Logs
The most efficient and accurate method of tracking is through digital cleaning management software like Bunzl Cleaning and Hygiene’s CleanWatch, which simplifies the process of maintaining and accessing cleaning records.
How Employers Maintain Records
Using their smartphone, cleaners can digitally mark when a washroom has been cleaned in three easy steps.
Step 1: Cleaner selects the washroom that needs servicing.
Step 2: Cleaner scans the appropriate QR code and submits that the washroom has been cleaned.
Step 3: A record of the date and time of cleaning is automatically created.
How Employees Access Records
QR codes are posted in or just outside of each washroom and when scanned, will show the date and time of the two most recent cleanings.
Close the Loop on Compliance
Ensuring compliance is important from a legal standpoint, but really, it’s just right thing to do for employee health and satisfaction. A clean employee washroom is a sign of respect.
To learn more about Bunzl Cleaning and Hygiene’s simple digital solution for compliance, reach out to your cleaning expert or fill out the form below!