An office water service provides many direct benefits for businesses, their employees, and even their customers. Improved hydration, hygiene, and company morale are all cited as obvious benefits by businesses that use water supply services. That’s why so many businesses are choosing an office water service over basic tap water at the office. Whether it’s an installed office water purifier or a bottled water delivery service, employees and customers appreciate the higher quality of water these services provide. However, there’s a hidden benefit from engaging an office water service. It’s not that obvious, but in many ways just as valuable. An office water service can ensure you meet your legal obligations as a business.

Office Water – The Regulations

In the U.S. (and most developed countries), businesses have a legal responsibility to provide safe, potable water for employees at the workplace.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) emphasizes that safe drinking water is a fundamental component of a safe and healthy workplace. Most nations concur and have established legal frameworks to set the requirements and standards required for businesses.

In the U.S., the regulations around water in the workplace are spread between various administrative agencies.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The FDA regulates bottled water, including water delivered as part of a bottled office water service. Regulations include:

  • Defining different types of bottled water (e.g., spring water vs. purified water)
  • Setting maximum allowable levels for contaminants (chemical, physical, microbial, and radiological)
  • Setting sanitary conditions for processing, bottling, holding, and transporting bottled water

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The EPA sets the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) for public water systems, i.e., tap water. Bottleless office water services typically connect to the municipal supply, and must thus comply with local tap water regulations.

State and Local Regulations

Some states enforce water regulations that are stricter than the EPA’s. Missouri, for example, enforces the Missouri Safe Drinking Water Act and the Missouri Clean Water Law.

These state laws ensure that drinking water meets or exceeds federal standards. They also impose specific regulations on major water users like large enterprises.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Last but far from least, regulations for the provision of water at the workplace are administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These are the most direct water regulations with which your business needs to comply.

Non-compliance with these regulations can lead to fines or harsher outcomes. And a quality office water service is one sure way to ensure that you’re always in full compliance with them.

OSHA’s Rules Regarding Hydration

OSHA’s General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)) requires businesses to provide employees with a workplace that is free from recognized hazards, including heat-related illnesses caused by dehydration. Businesses that fail to provide adequate drinking water to workers face penalties under this clause.

Penalties can range from around $15,000 for serious violations to more than $150,000 for willful or repeated offenses. But beyond financial penalties, businesses risk reputational damage and increased oversight due to non-compliance.

That increased scrutiny from authorities can disrupt operations and put a major strain on employer-employee relations. So, it’s definitely worth taking compliance with OSHA’s regulations seriously.

Specific OSHA Water Regulations

Despite beliefs to the contrary, OSHA does not rely solely on its “General Duty Clause” to enforce hydration. It also relies on specific, enforceable standards under 29 CFR 1910 (for General Industry) and 29 CFR 1926 (for Construction). These rules are in place to ensure drinkable water is not just available, but also safe to consume.

The key requirements with regard to water provision are:

  • Accessibility – Water must be “readily accessible” to all employees at all times. It must also be located as close as possible to the work area.
  • Quantity – Especially in warmer environments, sufficient quantities of water must be provided for all employees.
  • Quality – The water must be safe and suitable for drinking.
  • Dispensing – Water must be dispensed in a sanitary manner. Common drinking cups are strictly prohibited. Rather, businesses must provide disposable cups or install drinking fountains.
  • State-Specific Rules – Some states, particularly California and Washington, have stricter rules. Cal/OSHA, for example, mandates that employers encourage frequent drinking.

Office Water Services Ensure Compliance

Most businesses primarily consider the costs and convenience aspects of an office water service when deciding which one to choose.

Will a bottleless purified water system suit the business better than a bottled office water service? Which option would be most cost-effective? Does the business actually need the extra cost of an office water service, or can they just provide tap water?

These are the kinds of questions most businesses seek to answer first and foremost. However, an office water service typically also removes the potential costs and disruption of non-compliance with OSHA and other regulations. It’s an important consideration that may sway your decision on which office water service is the best fit for your business.

Here’s how an office water service removes the compliance headache.

Guaranteed Safe, Potable Water

Bottled water services must typically comply with FDA regulations, meaning the water is also pretty much guaranteed to comply with OSHA regulations. Bottleless systems connect directly to the municipal water line and use advanced multi-stage NSF/ANSI 42-, 53-, and 58-certified filtration systems.

The filtration removes contaminants like lead, chlorine, sediment, and microorganisms, ensuring compliance with OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.141.

Sanitary Dispensing

A bottleless office water service system holds a big advantage over a bottled water service in this regard. Bottled water can sometimes be delivered in large bottles, which are often then decanted into more portable jugs. Water is then poured into cups or glasses from these jugs.

But the jugs are exposed to air and dirt from handling during this process. By contrast, bottleless systems are closed, plumbed-in units. That eliminates a major source of contamination from dust, mold, and bacteria, meeting OSHA’s requirement for water to be dispensed in a sanitary manner.

Uninterrupted, Accessible Supply

A bottleless office water service again holds the edge here in terms of regulatory compliance. Bottled water often runs out, leaving your employees with unfiltered, less hygienic tap water.

A bottleless office water service connects directly to the municipal tap, providing a continuous, on-demand supply of water. Unless there are issues with the municipal supply (which is the state or municipality’s responsibility – not yours), a bottleless system ensures compliance with OSHA’s requirement for uninterrupted and accessible employee access to water.

Reduced Physical Hazards

This benefit again applies to bottleless water services. Those heavy 5-gallon jugs from a bottled service need to be lifted and stored. Over time, the risk of employee injuries from slips, trips, and strains increases.

In contrast, a bottleless system connects directly to the municipal tap and dispenses water directly from the cooler. There’s no need for any lifting. That reduces the risk of injury and ensures compliance with OSHA’s requirement for businesses to provide a safe workplace.

Meeting State-Specific Requirements

Some states don’t just require broad-based safe, hygienic access to water for employees. In California and Washington, state regulations additionally require “suitably cool” water in sufficient quantities close to work areas.

This can be difficult to accomplish in some situations, especially outdoors. However, a cooled bottleless office water dispenser removes this issue from the equation.

The Right Office Water Service Provider

Not all office water service providers and systems are made equal. Systems range in price, quality, and serviceability. So, it’s important that you choose an office water service provider that has the right products at the right price to meet your business’s needs – and ensures compliance with all relevant regulations.

In St. Louis, Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, and western Illinois, that provider is Da-Com Digital Office Solutions. We specialize in bottleless office water systems and have a range of solutions suited to businesses of all sizes. Contact us today for a free assessment and quote.