H-2A Housing Inspection Checklist

H-2A housing must pass state inspection before DOL certifies your application. Housing that fails is the single most common reason first-time employers miss their transplant date.

Sleeping

• At least 50 sq ft/person floor space (some states require 60).
• Bed off floor, mattress + pillow + linens provided.
• Storage — a locker or dedicated shelf per worker.
• Window in every sleeping room, screened, that opens.

Kitchen

• Refrigerator (1 cu ft/person minimum) and freezer space.
• Stove and oven for the crew size (1 burner per 3 workers).
• Prep counter, sink with hot + cold potable water.
• Trash containers with lids, pest-proof.

Bathrooms

• 1 toilet per 15 workers, 1 shower head per 10.
• Hot + cold water at every fixture.
• Non-slip surfaces, adequate ventilation.

Life safety

• Smoke detector in every sleeping room and hallway.
• Fire extinguisher (ABC, 5-lb) within 75 ft of every sleeping area.
• Two clearly marked exits from every sleeping area.
• Egress windows meet size and sill-height rules.

Site

• Potable water tested and documented.
• Wastewater to septic or municipal — greywater discharge is a common flag.
• Laundry provision (on-site or off-site with employer transport).

Top-10 findings (Southeast state inspectors)

Missing/expired smoke detectors, insufficient egress, insufficient refrigeration, non-potable water at sink, missing fire extinguishers, inadequate lighting, screens missing on windows, no trash lids, mattress without linens, and no posted evacuation plan. Every one is cheap to fix before inspection; each is a re-inspection delay after.