Provide Safe Worker Accommodation Under ASC Feed Standard

Mandatory standards for worker accommodation

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council established mandatory worker housing rules under Criterion 1.14 in version 1.2 of the ASC Feed Standard. This affects quality managers, compliance leads and human resources personnel at certified feed manufacturing facilities that provide on-site or off-site worker accommodation. Certified feed mills must ensure that any housing provided for employees is safe, decent and hygienic, and offered at a reasonable and clearly documented rate. Conformity Assessment Body auditors inspect employee housing facilities during initial and annual surveillance audits.

On-site housing is frequently provided by feed manufacturing facilities located in remote industrial zones or regions with limited local housing infrastructure. The scope of Criterion 1.14 applies to all accommodation provided or managed directly by the feed mill, as well as housing arranged through third-party providers. Providing substandard, unsafe or overcrowded housing compromises worker well-being and violates fundamental social compliance criteria under Principle 1. Failing to maintain decent living conditions or deducting excessive rent from employee wages indicates a non-conformity.

Auditors inspect physical dormitory facilities, review building safety certificates and examine payroll deduction records to verify compliance. Where feed mills provide housing, accommodation management procedures must be fully integrated into the broader quality management system under Criterion 1.2. In addition, environmental controls in worker accommodation must comply with waste management rules under Criterion 1.19 and effluent rules under Criterion 1.20. Demonstrating responsible housing management protects employee health and ensures compliance across all operational sites.

Physical safety, privacy and gender separation

Feed mills providing worker accommodation must implement operational measures to guarantee decent living conditions under Indicators 1.14.1 through 1.14.6:

• Gender separation and privacy: Facilities must provide separate accommodations by gender to ensure adequate privacy, including locking doors on rooms and sanitary facilities when both genders live in the same complex.
• Dormitory living space: Shared dormitories must provide an individual bed and dedicated lockable storage space for every employee, avoiding bed-sharing or unhygienic overcrowding.
• Family accommodation: Facilities housing families with children must provide separate private rooms distinct from single worker dormitories.
• Sanitary facility standards: Dormitories must include clean, accessible sanitary facilities with adequate privacy, gender separation where required, clean water supplies and safe disposal mechanisms for sanitary products.
• Environmental controls: Accommodation buildings must feature adequate ventilation, protection from extreme weather conditions, artificial lighting, clean drinking water and electricity.

Fire safety and emergency preparedness

Worker housing must satisfy strict structural and fire safety controls under Indicator 1.14.5 and Indicator 1.7.15:

• Emergency exits and escape routes: Accommodation buildings must feature clearly marked safety exits, unobstructed escape routes and designated emergency assembly points.
• Firefighting equipment maintenance: Facilities must install functional fire alarms and firefighting equipment, such as fire extinguishers and hose reels, which must undergo documented maintenance at least annually.
• Structural integrity: Residential buildings must be constructed from sound materials that hold intended structural loads safely throughout their operational life.
• Emergency response plans: Residents must receive clear instructions on emergency evacuation procedures and fire safety rules in languages understood by the workforce.

Fair housing rates and contract transparency

Under Indicator 1.14.2 and Indicator 1.9.1, feed mills must ensure that housing charges and rental terms are fair, transparent and non-exploitative:

• Reasonable rental rates: Accommodation must be offered at a reasonable rate that reflects local market conditions and does not exceed local housing cost benchmarks.
• Contractual transparency: All rental terms, housing fees and wage deductions must be clearly detailed in written employment contracts prior to onboarding.
• Non-profit generation: Employers must not use worker housing as a profit-generating mechanism by charging inflated rents or deducting excessive amounts from employee salaries.
• Voluntary housing choice: Residing in employer-provided accommodation must remain voluntary, allowing workers freedom of movement and the right to choose alternative private housing without penalty.

What to do now

• Audit worker accommodation facilities: Conduct a physical walkthrough of all dormitories to inspect sanitary facilities, ventilation, lighting and clean drinking water access.
• Verify fire safety equipment: Check that dormitory fire extinguishers and fire alarms carry valid maintenance tags verifying annual inspection, and confirm emergency exits are unobstructed.
• Review dormitory space allocation: Confirm that every worker is provided an individual bed and lockable storage space, and verify that separate living quarters are maintained by gender.
• Reconcile housing deduction records: Examine employment contracts and payroll slips to confirm that accommodation charges are transparently documented and charged at reasonable rates.

Reference documents

• ASC Feed Standard, V1.2, Criterion 1.14, Indicators 1.14.1, 1.14.2, 1.14.3, 1.14.4, 1.14.5, 1.14.6, Criterion 1.7, Criterion 1.9
• ASC Feed Standard Interpretation Manual, V1.2, Criterion 1.14, Criterion 1.7, Criterion 1.9