What are the 2026 OSHA penalty amounts?

OSHA increased civil penalties effective January 15, 2026 in line with the annual inflation adjustment. Serious violations cap at $16,550. Willful and repeated violations cap at $165,514. Failure-to-abate runs $16,550 per day. These figures are published by OSHA each January and apply to inspections opened on or after the effective date.

Does OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard apply to commercial cleaning crews?

Yes — 29 CFR 1910.1030 applies to any worker with reasonably anticipated occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. For cleaning crews servicing healthcare, dialysis, dental, or correctional facilities, this means written exposure control plans, free hepatitis B vaccination, sharps protocols, and PPE training. The standard does not apply to housekeeping in most office and retail settings.

What's the difference between an EPA-registered disinfectant and an FDA-regulated food-contact sanitizer?

EPA registers disinfectants under FIFRA — the product label and registration number govern pathogen kill claims and dwell times. FDA regulates food-contact sanitizers under 21 CFR 178.1010 — these have maximum concentration limits (e.g., 200 ppm chlorine, 200 ppm quat) that allow no-rinse use on food-contact surfaces. A product can be both EPA-registered and FDA food-contact approved, but the label will state both.

When does NFPA 654 combustible dust housekeeping apply?

NFPA 654 applies wherever combustible dust accumulates to depths exceeding roughly 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) over 5% of a room's floor area. Common in food processing, woodworking, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and metal finishing. The standard requires regular housekeeping inspections, written cleaning protocols, and the use of equipment rated for the dust class. Vacuum cleaners must be NFPA-compliant Type C or D depending on the hazard class.

What's required for cleaning healthcare facilities under Joint Commission standards?

The Joint Commission's Environment of Care and Infection Control chapters set environmental cleaning expectations. EC.02.06.05 covers routine cleaning. IC.02.02.01 covers infection prevention surface disinfection. Surveyors typically look for written protocols, EPA-registered products with appropriate dwell times observed, terminal cleaning checklists for high-risk patient areas, and documented competency training for environmental services staff.

Updated Jun 6, 2026 Reviewed by Opora Editorial Team Editorial standards →

OSHA, EPA, FDA, and DOL Compliance Reference

A 2026 OSHA citation costs $16,550 for a Serious or Other-Than-Serious violation and $165,514 for a Willful or Repeat, per the annual Federal Register adjustment. The penalty is the small part. The real cost is the post-citation abatement, the insurer's recalculation of the experience modifier, the contract loss when the customer asks for the OSHA 300A and sees the line. The pages below read the actual standard for cleaning operators — not for compliance officers — and describe what an inspector looks at, what a citation costs, and what to put in the SOW so the customer can see it is built into the program.

The frame spans OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (housekeeping, sanitation, PPE, hazardous chemistries, walking-working surfaces), EPA programs (FIFRA pesticide registration, RCRA hazardous waste, SPCC oil discharge, Clean Air Act VOC limits, Safer Choice / DfE), FDA Food Code 2025 and 21 CFR 211 pharma cGMP, USDA FSIS 9 CFR 416, CDC HICPAC environmental cleaning, Joint Commission EC.02.06.01, and DOL Wage & Hour rules under the FLSA. Every page below cites the specific subsection that drives the requirement.

OSHA, EPA, FDA, and DOL Compliance Reference

OSHA general industry: housekeeping core

OSHA regulated substances

OSHA equipment and recordkeeping

EPA programs

FDA, USDA, CDC, Joint Commission

Labor and state

Tools for compliance teams

Related glossary terms