Ohio Adm.Code 5120:1-8-05 — Full Service Jail Sanitation and Monthly Vermin Inspections

Citation

Ohio Administrative Code 5120:1-8-05, “Sanitation and environmental conditions,” in Chapter 5120:1-8 (Full Service Jails). Effective January 1, 2026. Authorized by Ohio Revised Code 5120.01 and 5120.10; amplifies 5120.10. Five Year Review Date: January 14, 2030. Prior effective dates listed by the publisher: 1/2/1981, 6/2/1986, 7/1/1994, 9/21/1998, 1/1/2003, 4/20/2014, 1/6/2020. Read on the Ohio Laws website on September 24, 2026.

What It Says (Verbatim)

Opening sentence:

“Full service jails shall adhere to the following standards for sanitation and environmental conditions.”

Paragraph (B):

“(Essential) All areas of a full service jail will be safe and sanitary, including the food service and laundry areas. Staff and inmates will have specific housekeeping responsibilities, including, but not limited to, daily cleaning of toilets, urinals, sinks, drinking facilities and showers in areas occupied by inmates and disposal of garbage. Weekly sanitation inspections will be completed by a designated staff person to ensure compliance with housekeeping responsibilities.”

Paragraph (C):

“(Essential) Monthly sanitation, vermin and safety inspections of all areas will be conducted by a designated trained staff person.”

Paragraph (E):

“(Essential) The jail will be inspected annually by local or state health authorities and a written report will be provided. There will be a written plan to correct jail-related deficiencies.”

What It Means in Plain Language

Ohio sets three layers for a full service jail:

1. Weekly: sanitation inspections by a designated staff person, checking housekeeping, including garbage disposal (B).
2. Monthly: sanitation, vermin, and safety inspections of all areas, by a designated trained staff person (C).
3. Annually: an inspection by local or state health authorities, a written report, and a written plan to correct deficiencies (E).

The monthly vermin inspection is the operative pest provision. The rule does not require a licensed pest control provider; it requires a trained, designated inspector and a documented monthly look at every area. The rule marks each paragraph “Essential” or “Important”; this page does not interpret those designations.

Why it is on a Utah-based reference. It is a current (2026) state jail standard with a fixed vermin inspection frequency, useful as a benchmark against Utah’s weekly facility inspection under UDC Standard E-03.

Who It Applies To

Full service jails in Ohio, as the rule’s opening sentence states.

Documentation Evidence

• Monthly sanitation, vermin, and safety inspection records covering all areas, with the designated inspector named (C)
• Evidence of the designated inspector’s training (C)
• Weekly sanitation inspection records (B)
• The annual health authority inspection report and the written corrective plan (E)

Confidence Notes

HIGH confidence. Every quotation was read from the rule as published on the Ohio Laws website (codes.ohio.gov) on September 24, 2026, and checked against a full text extraction. The page states “Last updated January 5, 2026.”