OSHA Inspections in New Hampshire Commercial Cleaning (2026)

Who enforces OSHA in New Hampshire commercial cleaning

New Hampshire is a federal OSHA state — there is no state plan for private-sector workers. Enforcement authority rests with OSHA Region I (Boston). The sole New Hampshire enforcement office is the Concord Area Office, located at the J.C. Cleveland Federal Building, 53 Pleasant Street, Room 3901, Concord, NH 03301; (603) 225-1629 / (603) 225-1580. This office covers all of New Hampshire's 10 counties. Federal OSHA enforces 29 CFR Parts 1910, 1926, and 1904 against all private-sector employers. New Hampshire state and local government employees are covered under a special state-program arrangement through federal OSHA. The OSHA national emergency hotline is (800) 321-6742.

Top-cited standards (janitorial NAICS 561720)

• 29 CFR 1910.147 — Lockout/Tagout: Required when cleaning around or servicing powered equipment at New Hampshire's many industrial, healthcare, and educational facilities. The state's food and beverage manufacturing (Stonyfield Farm, Anheuser-Busch in Merrimack) and hospital systems (Dartmouth Health, Elliot Health System) create substantial LOTO obligations for contract cleaners.
• 29 CFR 1910.1030 — Bloodborne Pathogens: New Hampshire's major healthcare employers include Dartmouth Health, Catholic Medical Center, and Concord Hospital. Janitorial contractors in these settings must maintain a written Exposure Control Plan, document annual training, and offer HBV vaccines within 10 days of assignment.
• 29 CFR 1910.28 — Fall Protection: Required for cleaning at unprotected heights in New Hampshire's mill-converted commercial buildings (Manchester, Nashua) and ski-resort lodges (North Country). Window washing and high-bay facility cleaning generate the majority of fall-protection citations.
• 29 CFR 1910.1200 — Hazard Communication: Written HazCom program, SDS access, and documented training. New Hampshire's bilingual workforce means language-accessible training is an enforcement focus — documented training records in workers' primary language are recommended.
• 29 CFR 1910.303 — Electrical (General): Cited for damaged power cords on floor machines and vacuums, lack of GFCI protection in wet-floor areas, and unauthorized access to electrical panels during facility cleaning.

What's specific to New Hampshire

• New Hampshire's free OSHA consultation is provided through the NH Department of Labor — Safety Division (95 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301; (603) 271-2024), which is separate from federal OSHA enforcement. The state Labor Department also administers its own workplace safety laws (RSA Chapter 277) for state and local government workers.
• New Hampshire has a significant ski and mountain resort cleaning sector (Bretton Woods, Loon Mountain, Waterville Valley) where janitorial contractors work in cold, wet conditions — slip, trip, and fall hazards on icy lodge floors are a distinctive citation risk under 29 CFR 1910.22 (Walking-Working Surfaces).
• The OSHA Region I Boston Regional Office runs emphasis programs applicable to New Hampshire. Janitorial contractors should monitor the Region I website for any new Local Emphasis Programs (LEPs) targeting their industry or client sectors.
• NAICS 561720 janitorial companies with 11 or more employees in New Hampshire must maintain full 29 CFR 1904 OSHA 300/300A/301 logs; the partial-exemption for low-hazard establishments does not apply to janitorial services.

2026 penalty structure

Federal OSHA FY2026 penalty schedule (effective January 15, 2025): Serious violations — up to $16,550 per violation; Willful or Repeat — up to $165,514 per violation; Failure to Abate — $16,550 per day beyond the abatement date. Penalty reductions for employer size (up to 60% for ≤25 employees), good faith (up to 25%), and clean history (10%) apply to serious violations; the willful minimum is $11,823 regardless of size.

Practical first steps

• Contact the NH Department of Labor Safety Division at (603) 271-2024 for a free confidential on-site consultation to identify hazards before any federal OSHA programmed or complaint inspection.
• For ski-resort or cold-weather cleaning contracts, conduct a walking-working surfaces hazard assessment under 29 CFR 1910.22 and document anti-slip measures (drainage mats, floor coatings, warning signs) in icy or snow-tracked entryways and lodge floors.
• Develop written LOTO procedures for all powered equipment at healthcare, manufacturing, and educational facility clients in New Hampshire, and maintain dated training records per 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7).
• Confirm that the Bloodborne Pathogen ECP is reviewed annually (29 CFR 1910.1030(c)(1)(iv)) and that HBV vaccine offer documentation is on file for all workers with potential OPIM exposure at New Hampshire healthcare client sites.

Primary sources

• OSHA — New Hampshire Area Office (Concord)
• New Hampshire Department of Labor — Safety Division
• OSHA Frequently Cited Standards — NAICS 561720
• OSHA Penalty Schedule (FY2026)
• BLS Occupational Injury & Illness Data — NAICS 561720