Montana Jail Standards (2016), Standard 10.01: Vermin and Pests Are Controlled

Citation

Montana Jail Standards – 2016, Chapter 10 (Sanitation and Hygiene), under the heading “Facility Sanitation and Maintenance,” Standard 10.01. Read from the copy posted by Carbon County, Montana, on September 25, 2026. The same standards were submitted to the Montana Legislature’s Law and Justice Interim Committee as “Montana Jail Standards Update 2016” (exhibits, November 2017 and January 2018).

What It Says (Verbatim)

Standard 10.01:

“Vermin and pests are controlled.”

Section 25.05 (Public Health Requirements and Authorities), on who enforces public health standards:

“Both local and state public health authorities have powers and duties to enforce minimum public health standards including, but not limited to communicable disease control and prevention measures, housing conditions, housekeeping, laundry and linen services, indoor air, drinking water supply and sewage treatment systems, solid waste disposal, and pest and vermin control measures.”

What It Means in Plain Language

The standard states an outcome and nothing else. It does not say how often, by whom, or what record proves it. An inspector or a court reading 10.01 will look for evidence that pests were in fact controlled: findings, actions, and follow-up.

Local and state public health authorities also hold pest and vermin control among their enforcement powers, as Section 25.05 says.

Who It Applies To

Montana adult local detention facilities, as the document is written. The body that adopted this edition and whether it is binding were not established from the documents read for this page, so they are not stated here.

Documentation Evidence

• A written pest and vermin control plan (the standard does not require one, but it is the usual way to show control)
• Service or inspection records with dates, locations, findings and actions
• Pest complaints tied to work orders and closure
• Local health department inspection reports

Confidence Notes

MEDIUM confidence. The quoted text is verbatim from the 2016 document as posted by Carbon County and matches the legislative exhibit. The adopting body, current edition, and legal force were not verified.