Standards for Colorado Jails, Topic O, Standard 1(6)(a): Pest and Vermin Control Policy (Required July 1, 2026)

Citation

Standards for Colorado Jails, effective July 1, 2026, adopted by the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Colorado Jail Standards. Topic O (Facility), Standard 1 (Facility Space and Conditions). Read from the Colorado General Assembly’s published PDF on September 25, 2026, and checked against a full text extraction.

The document’s own statement of force, as printed:

“Pursuant to Section 2-3-1901.5, C.R.S., each county jail is required to comply with these standards beginning July 1, 2026.”

What It Says (Verbatim)

Topic O, Standard 1, subsection (6)(a) and (b):

“(a) Sanitation and Environmental Conditions. Jails shall have a policy to mitigate and respond to pest and vermin control issues.”

“(b) The jail shall comply with all inspections required by local or state health authorities.”

Subsection (5)(a), garbage and refuse:

“(a) Disposal of Garbage and Refuse. All garbage and refuse, including refuse to be recycled or returned, must be removed daily from confinement areas and disposed of in durable containers which are easily cleaned, which do not leak or absorb liquid and which do not attract or allow the breeding of rodents or other vermin.”

Subsection (5)(d), solid waste:

“(d) The disposal of solid waste must not: (I) lead to air or water pollution; (II) attract or allow the breeding of vermin; (III) create a fire hazard; (IV) produce objectionable odors; or (V) cause a nuisance.”

Recommendations/Best Practices, item (3):

“(3) The jail should establish processes for sanitation and vermin inspections, and may ensure that inspections are conducted at least quarterly by a local pest control business or a certified pest controller.”

What It Means in Plain Language

1. A written policy is required. Every Colorado county jail needs a policy that covers both mitigating and responding to pest and vermin issues. A policy that only names a vendor does not describe a response.
2. Waste handling is a pest provision. Daily removal from confinement areas and containers that do not attract or allow breeding of rodents or other vermin are written into the same standard.
3. Quarterly professional inspection is a recommendation, not the rule. The committee’s best practice says “should” and “may.” It is the frequency and provider an inspector is most likely to ask about.
4. Health authority inspections still apply. Subsection (6)(b) keeps local and state health inspections in force alongside the standard.

Who It Applies To

As the document states, each county jail in Colorado, beginning July 1, 2026. How the standards are monitored and enforced is set by statute and by the committee’s other publications, which are not quoted here.

Documentation Evidence

• The jail’s written pest and vermin policy, showing both mitigation and response steps
• Pest complaint and grievance records tied to work orders and closure (see the Grievance-to-Work-Order Loop tool)
• Pest inspection and service records, with dates, locations, findings and actions; quarterly by a pest control business or certified pest controller if the jail follows the best practice
• Waste-handling schedule and container condition, for subsections (5)(a) and (5)(d)
• Local or state health authority inspection reports, for subsection (6)(b)

Confidence Notes

HIGH confidence on the quoted text, which was read from the Colorado General Assembly’s PDF on September 25, 2026. The standards’ enforcement mechanism was not verified for this page and is not described.