The legal regulation of industrial production at all historical stages is characterized by high complexity due to the diversified nature of regulated relations and the importance of the protective functions of the state. In the context of the activities of facilities associated with increased sanitary, epidemiological and technological hazards, regulatory regulations that minimize the risks of harm play a key role. Formation in the 19th century . environmental standards have ensured the institutional protection of the environment during the operation of production facilities and the performance of potentially dangerous technological operations. It requires the use of historical and legal analysis in the study of the formation of environmental standards as a tool for regulating industrial relations in the Russian Empire of the XIX – early XX centuries. Insufficient systematization of these prescriptions in historiography makes it difficult to identify the mechanisms of their action and assess their impact on the subsequent development of sectoral legislation. The purpose of the study is to identify the specifics of regulating the functioning of cheese factories as objects of increased sanitary and epidemiological danger, to establish the content and orientation of environmental standards of the specified period, to determine their role in shaping the legal conditions of a favorable environment and reducing risks from hazardous industries and technological processes. Research methods: historical and legal method, analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, formal legal analysis of the sources of law. The regulation of the organization and functioning of cheese establishments in the Russian Empire of the 19th century was aimed at minimizing risks. The introduced regulations streamlined the placement, construction and technological operations, which made it possible to reduce the likelihood of environmental pollution. The establishment of requirements for obtaining permits to open a cheese factory formed a measure of proper behavior for potential owners and provided the possibility of administrative control by the state. Detailing the conditions of placement and the rules for the construction of facilities reduced environmental risks. The development of rules for specific industries and hazardous technological processes has laid the foundation for balanced legal regulation that takes into account the interests of the state, owners and employees. The article shows the role of environmental and sanitary standards in the period under study and their importance for improving the current legislation of Russia.