61C-1.004. General Sanitation and Safety Requirements

The following general requirements and standards shall be met by all public lodging and public food service establishments.

(1) Water, plumbing and waste.

(a) Except as specifically provided in these rules, standards for water, plumbing and waste shall be governed by Chapter 5, Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C. For the purposes of this section, the term “food establishment” as referenced in the Food Code shall apply to all public lodging and public food service establishments as defined in Chapter 509, F.S.

(b) Steam used in contact with food or food-contact surfaces shall be governed by Chapter 3, Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C., and free from any materials or additives except as allowed by Chapter 7, Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C.

(2) Bathrooms.

(a) Each public lodging establishment and public food service establishment shall provide at least one conveniently located bathroom facility for its employees and guests in accordance with provisions of these rules and as approved by the local building authority having jurisdiction. Public access to bathroom facilities shall not be permitted through food preparation, storage, or warewashing areas. Bathroom fixtures shall be of readily cleanable sanitary design. Bathroom facilities shall be kept clean, in good repair and free from objectionable odors. Bathrooms shall provide at least 20 foot candles of light. The walls, ceilings and floors of all bathroom facilities shall be kept in good condition.

(b) Bathrooms shall be completely enclosed and shall have tight-fitting, self-closing doors, except bathrooms located in public lodging establishments or located outside a public food service establishment, may have entrances and exits constructed in such a manner as to ensure privacy of occupants. Bathroom doors shall not be left open except during cleaning or maintenance.

(c) Handwashing signs shall be posted in each bathroom used by employees.

(d) For the purposes of this section, the term toilet shall mean a flush toilet properly plumbed, connected and discharging to an approved sewage disposal system. In a bathroom where more than one toilet is provided, each toilet shall be separated by a partition from adjoining fixtures and a door shall be provided which will partially conceal the occupant from outside view.

(e) Nontransient public lodging establishments, vacation rentals, and timeshare projects, mobile food dispensing vehicles, temporary commercial kitchens, theme park food carts, vending machines, and public food service establishments or food vendors participating in temporary food service events are exempt from the provisions of this subsection.

(3) Vermin control – Effective control measures shall be taken to protect against the entrance into the establishment, and the breeding or presence on the premises of rodents, flies, roaches and other vermin. All buildings shall be effectively rodent-proofed, free of rodents and maintained in a rodent-proof and rodent-free condition. All windows used for ventilation must be screened, except when effective means of vermin control are used. Screening material shall not be less than 16 mesh to the inch or equivalent, tight-fitting and free of breaks. Pesticides, when used, shall be used in compliance with Chapter 7, Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C.

(4) The storage and use of poisonous and toxic materials shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 7, Food Code, as adopted by reference in Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C. For the purposes of this section, the term “food establishment” as referenced in the Food Code shall apply to all public lodging and public food service establishments as defined in Chapter 509, F.S.

(5) All building structural components, attachments and fixtures shall be kept in good repair, clean and free of obstructions.

(6) Attics, basements, boiler rooms, meter rooms, laundry rooms, and storage rooms shall be kept clean and free of debris and flammables.

(7) Carbon dioxide and helium tanks shall be adequately secured so as to preclude any danger to safety.

(8) Specialized Smoke Detectors – Specialized smoke detectors for the deaf and hearing-impaired shall be made available upon request by guests in transient public lodging establishments without charge. Failure of the operator to inform any employee charged with registering guests of the location of such detector constitutes failure to make such detectors available.

(9) Halls, entrances and stairways shall be clean, ventilated and well-lighted day and night. Hall and stair runners shall be kept in good condition. Railways shall be installed on all stairways and around all porches and steps.

(10) Heating and ventilation – The heating and ventilation system shall be kept in good repair or be installed to maintain a minimum of 68 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the building. The insurance inspector’s boiler report is required annually for power boilers and high pressure/high temperature boilers and biannually for low pressure steam or vapor heating boilers and shall be posted in the boiler room. The provisions of this section do not apply to the common areas of timeshare projects or of vacation rentals classified as condominiums.

Rulemaking Authority 509.032 FS. Law Implemented 509.032, 509.102, 509.215, 509.221 FS. History–Amended 2-20-64, 7-14-67, 2-8-69, 2-4-71, 2-17-73, Repromulgated 12-18-74, Amended 9-19-84, Formerly 7C-1.04, Amended 12-31-90, 2-11-92, 2-27-92, 6-15-92, Formerly 7C-1.004, Amended 3-31-94, 10-9-95, 9-25-96, 5-11-98, 7-2-98, 2-24-08, 8-12-08, 4-18-12, 11-20-14, 10-5-23.