The Ultimate Guide For Business Owners to Navigate Ontario Regulation 480/24
Starting January 1, 2026, Ontario employers and constructors will be required to follow new regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), specifically Ontario Regulation 480/24 cleaning records requirements.
This regulation is being put in place with the effort to improve transparency and accountability in maintaining clean and sanitary conditions in all types of workplaces, including offices, retail stores, warehouses, and construction sites.
Under this new rule, cleaning records must clearly show the date and time of the two most recent cleanings. These records must be easily accessible to workers, either posted in a visible location near the washroom or made available electronically with clear instructions on how to access them.
With these changes, workplaces must begin preparing to update their cleaning schedules and documentation procedures to ensure compliance by the deadline.
Maintaining clean and sanitary washroom facilities goes beyond legal compliance. It is essential for protecting employee health, fostering a positive work environment, and supporting smooth day-to-day operations.
Clean washrooms are essential for preventing the spread of illnesses and infections at work.
By keeping things clean and practicing good hygiene, we can reduce the risk of disease transmission, which means fewer sick days and a healthier team overall. Plus, a clean environment helps prevent accidents from things like slippery floors. Regular cleaning also promotes better hygiene in shared washroom spaces, boosts health and safety, especially in high-traffic areas, and ensures greater transparency and accountability when it comes to cleaning practices.
Under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and supporting regulations O. Reg. 480/24, employers are legally required to maintain clean washroom facilities and keep accurate cleaning records.
Non-compliance can result in:
Specifically, these covered entities must ensure that any washroom facility they provide for workers is maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and that they keep, maintain, and make available records of the washroom facility’s cleaning. This amendment will come into force on July 1, 2025.
On November 29, 2024, Ontario filed the following clarifying regulations, which will come into force on January 1, 2026
Ontario’s The Working for Workers Five Act, Bill 190, introduced new requirements for washroom facilities to be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition for all workers, effective July 1, 2025.
Additionally, Ontario filed the following supporting regulations. Employers and constructors must maintain cleaning records and make them accessible (posting near the washroom, providing electronic access) with clear instructions, effective on January 1, 2026.
Regulation #1 outlines how employers and constructors can meet their responsibility to make washroom cleaning records accessible to workers. This can be done in one of two ways:
In addition, the regulation specifies that each record must include the date and time of the two most recent cleanings of the washroom facility.
Regulation #2 updates O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects) under the OHSA by replacing section 29(12) with a revised version. The new section requires constructors to maintain detailed records of all servicing, cleaning, and sanitizing of toilets, urinals, and clean-up facilities on construction sites.
These records must include the date of each service for the past six months, or for the duration of the project.
As of January 1, 2026, constructors must comply with the requirements outlined in both Regulation #1 and Regulation #2 to meet their legal obligations.
Failing to follow Regulation 480/24 may seem minor, but it can result in surprise inspections, fines, and damage reputations.
If your facility spreads illness or triggers a worker complaint to the Ministry, lack of cleaning records will be one of the first things they check.
Ontario Regulation 480/24 does not specify penalties for non-compliance, enforcement falls under the broader requirements of the OHSA, Under Section 66. The penalties for contraventions can include:
These penalties apply to violations of the OHSA and its regulations, including Regulation 480/24 once it is in effect.
Employers trying to meet Ontario’s Regulation 480/24 often start with manual programs that include:
While this approach may meet minimum legal requirements, it is time-consuming, error-prone, and difficult to scale, especially across multiple sites. It also comes with limitations:
❌ No audit trail – paper logs can be lost, altered, or missed
❌ No alerts – missed cleanings go unnoticed
❌ No transparency – workers may not know when the last cleaning occurred
❌ No analytics – hard to optimize staffing or schedules
With Meerby, employers can automate their compliance processes and gain full visibility into cleaning records across all locations. The smart approach includes:
Real-time digital logs via in-washroom QR codes or touch-button panels
Auto-timestamped entries with clear names, dates, and times
Digital dashboards for facilities managers to monitor compliance effortlessly
Instant access for workers and inspectors through posted codes or the Meerby app
Centralized, secure record-keeping for the required 2-year period
Automated reminders and cleaner prompts reduce human error
Full audit visibility showing who cleaned what, where, and when
Cost-effective – just $1/day per site, far cheaper than non-compliance fines
| Regulatory Requirement | Meerby Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Record of 2 most recent cleanings | Auto-timestamped log entries | Meets OHSA format and accuracy standards |
| Records must be accessible to workers | QR codes at washroom entrances or digital screens | Ensures legal visibility with no manual distribution |
| Records must be kept and maintained | Cloud-based dashboard with 2-year storage | Satisfies retention requirement effortlessly |
| Cleaning frequency must be maintained | Staff prompts & scheduling insights | Reduces missed cleanings and ensures consistency |
| Records must be updated promptly | Real-time digital entry system | Prevents backdating, errors, or gaps in documentation |
Ontario Regulation 480/24 is a new law under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) that requires employers to keep and display cleaning records for workplace washrooms.
The regulation becomes enforceable on January 1, 2026, following an amendment to the OHSA.
All employers and constructors in Ontario, including offices, retail, warehouses, and construction sites, must comply.
Any workplace that provides washroom facilities to workers, including permanent or temporary job sites, must follow the rules.
Yes, Regulation 480/24 is part of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act and enforces hygiene-related workplace standards.
Employers must keep a record showing the date and time of the two most recent cleanings for each washroom and make it easily accessible to workers.
Records must either be posted near the washroom or made available digitally with clear instructions for worker access.
Yes. Digital records are allowed as long as workers can easily find and access them when needed.
Each log must show the date, time, and ideally the person responsible for the two most recent cleanings.
Washroom facilities should be cleaned at least once every 24 hours. Cleanings should reflect usage levels, with high-traffic areas cleaned more often.
You risk fines, inspections, or even stop-work orders from the Ministry of Labour, especially after complaints or health concerns.
Yes. If an inspection is triggered (e.g., by a complaint), cleaning records are one of the first things reviewed.
Missing or backdated logs may trigger a broader safety audit and increase liability.
Start by creating a cleaning schedule, assigning staff, using consistent logs, and educating your team about the requirements.
Records must be retained for at least two years or for the duration of a construction project.
Workers scan a QR code or check a digital screen outside the washroom to instantly see recent cleaning times.
Meerby offers a fully digital system with QR-code logging, automatic time stamps, and real-time monitoring.
Meerby prevents missing entries, enables audit trails, improves transparency, and reduces manual errors.
O. Reg. 480/24: WASHROOM FACILITIES – RECORDS OF CLEANING. Ontario.ca. (2024, November 29). https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/240480
Piccini, Hon. D. Working for Workers five act, 2024. Legislative Assembly of Ontario. https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-190
Achieve compliance on construction sites: Hygiene. ontario.ca. (2023, August 24). https://www.ontario.ca/page/achieve-compliance-construction-sites-hygiene
