OSHA Inspections — Janitorial (NAICS 561720)

OSHA Inspections in Virginia Commercial Cleaning (2026)

VOSH is widely regarded as one of the most active and thorough state-plan enforcement programs in the country, with seven regional and field offices covering a state whose commercial cleaning market spans Northern Virginia's federal contractor corridor, Richmond's healthcare and government facilities, and Hampton Roads' military and port industrial sector — plus a unique Virginia Ergonomics Standard (16 VAC 25-60) that applies directly to repetitive janitorial tasks.

State Plan (VOSH — Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Program, Division of Virginia Department of Labor and Industry)Statute: Va. Code §40.1-1 et seq. (Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Act); Va. Code §40.1-49.4 (enforcement); Va. Code §40.1-51.1.D (fatality and serious incident reporting); Va. Code §40.1-49.2 (Safety and Health Codes Board rulemaking); adopts 29 CFR 1910/1926 with state additions including 16 VAC 25-60 (Ergonomics Standards) and 16 VAC 25-220 (COVID-era Heat Illness Prevention)Effective: Current; VOSH state plan received Initial Approval September 28, 1976; 18(e) Final Approval March 29, 1988; 2025–2026 VOSH penalty schedule per Safety and Health Codes Board (most recent adjustment: ranges $15,875–$16,287 serious / $158,725–$162,849 willful, reflecting CPI-based band)Last reviewed: Q2 2026
State
Virginia
Governing Statute
Va. Code §40.1-1 et seq. (Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Act); Va. Code §40.1-49.4 (enforcement); Va. Code §40.1-51.1.D (fatality and serious incident reporting); Va. Code §40.1-49.2 (Safety and Health Codes Board rulemaking); adopts 29 CFR 1910/1926 with state additions including 16 VAC 25-60 (Ergonomics Standards) and 16 VAC 25-220 (COVID-era Heat Illness Prevention)
29 CFR 1910.147 (adopted by VOSH — LOTO); 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Bloodborne Pathogens); 29 CFR 1910.28 (Fall Protection); 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom); 16 VAC 25-60 (Virginia Ergonomics Standard — unique); 29 CFR 1910.303 (Electrical)
Enforcement Agency
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) — VOSH Program: Headquarters: 6606 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230; (804) 786-2327 / VOSH@doli.virginia.gov. Commissioner Gary Pan: (804) 786-2377. VOSH Safety Compliance Director Jeff Cabral: (804) 371-2316. Seven offices statewide: Tidewater Regional (6363 Center Drive Suite 101, Norfolk, VA 23502; (757) 455-0891); Central Regional (1570 East Parham Road, Richmond, VA 23228; (804) 371-3104); Southwest Regional (3013 Peters Creek Road, Roanoke, VA 24019; (540) 562-3580); Northwest Regional (201 Lee Highway, Verona, VA 24482; (540) 248-9280); Manassas Field Office (9400 Innovation Drive Suite 120, Manassas, VA 20110; (703) 392-0900); Lynchburg Field Office (3704 Old Forest Road Suite B, Lynchburg, VA 24501; (434) 385-0806); Abingdon Field Office (468 East Main Street Suite 114, Abingdon, VA 24210; (276) 676-5465).
Civil Penalty
Serious and Other-than-serious: from $15,875 to $16,287 per violation; Willful and Repeat: from $158,725 to $162,849 per violation; Failure-to-Abate: from $15,875 per day to $16,287 per day (per VOSH penalty schedule, current band as of most recent Safety and Health Codes Board adjustment — slightly below federal OSHA's $16,550/$165,514 pending Virginia's next CPI adjustment)

Who enforces OSHA in Virginia commercial cleaning

Virginia operates a full state plan (Initial Approval: September 28, 1976; 18(e) Final Approval: March 29, 1988) covering all private-sector workplaces and all state and local government workers. The enforcing agency is the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI). Commissioner Gary Pan heads DOLI at headquarters: 6606 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230; (804) 786-2377. VOSH Safety Compliance Director: Jeff Cabral, (804) 371-2316. VOSH operates seven enforcement offices across the Commonwealth: Tidewater Regional (Norfolk; (757) 455-0891); Central Regional (Richmond; (804) 371-3104); Southwest Regional (Roanoke; (540) 562-3580); Northwest Regional (Verona; (540) 248-9280); Manassas Field Office (Northern Virginia; (703) 392-0900); Lynchburg Field Office ((434) 385-0806); and Abingdon Field Office (southwest Virginia; (276) 676-5465). VOSH is consistently recognized as one of the nation's most active state-plan enforcement programs. Federal OSHA retains jurisdiction only over federal agencies, USPS, private-sector maritime, and military installations in Virginia.

Top-cited standards (janitorial NAICS 561720)

  • 29 CFR 1910.147 (VOSH adoption) — Lockout/Tagout: The #1 penalty-generating citation for NAICS 561720. Virginia's large defense contractor and government facility sector (Northern Virginia/Arlington), combined with the Hampton Roads industrial corridor (shipyards, port facilities) and Richmond's manufacturing base, creates extensive LOTO obligations for contract cleaning crews who regularly clean around industrial and powered equipment.
  • 29 CFR 1910.1030 (VOSH adoption) — Bloodborne Pathogens: Required ECP, annual training, and HBV vaccine offer for cleaning staff at Inova Health, VCU Health, Bon Secours Mercy Health, and Sentara Healthcare networks. Virginia's large population of correctional facilities and courthouse complexes served by janitorial contractors also creates BBP exposure.
  • 29 CFR 1910.28 (VOSH adoption) — Fall Protection: Required for cleaning at heights in Northern Virginia's dense high-rise office corridor (Tysons Corner, Rosslyn, Crystal City), Richmond CBD, Virginia Beach resort high-rises, and industrial facilities in Hampton Roads.
  • 29 CFR 1910.1200 (VOSH adoption) — Hazard Communication: Full GHS compliance for all cleaning chemicals. VOSH inspectors are noted for thorough review of SDS binders, secondary container labeling, and language-accessible training documentation in Virginia's large and diverse cleaning workforce.
  • 16 VAC 25-60 (Virginia Ergonomics Standard — VOSH-unique): Virginia has an Ergonomics Standard not found in federal OSHA. Janitorial contractors whose workers perform highly repetitive tasks (restroom cleaning, floor-mopping, room-turning) with awkward postures or forceful exertions may be cited for ergonomics violations if VOSH determines the employer knew of a musculoskeletal disorder hazard and failed to take feasible corrective action. Virginia's cleaning workforce demographics and the density of hotel and healthcare cleaning in Northern Virginia make ergonomics citation risk real.

What's specific to Virginia

  • Virginia Ergonomics Standard (16 VAC 25-60) is a unique VOSH requirement with no federal equivalent. It covers employers where workplace conditions are likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders. For janitorial contractors with repetitive-motion cleaning tasks in hotel room attendant, restroom cleaning, or floor-care roles, VOSH inspectors can cite under this standard. A written ergonomics program addressing lifting, repetitive motions, and awkward postures is a practical risk-reduction measure.
  • VOSH requires all employers to report work-related fatalities within 8 hours and inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye within 24 hours under Va. Code §40.1-51.1.D. After-hours reporting: VOSH regional offices or State Police Duty Sergeant in Richmond at (804) 674-2026.
  • Virginia's Northern Virginia tech and federal contractor corridor (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William counties) is one of the largest commercial cleaning markets in the mid-Atlantic. The Manassas Field Office, (703) 392-0900, serves this territory — contractors in Northern Virginia should establish contact with this office as their primary compliance reference.
  • VOSH offers free, confidential on-site consultation through the VOSH Cooperative Programs division (Jennifer Rose, Director: (804) 786-7776) — separate from enforcement. The Virginia SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program) provides recognition for exemplary safety programs.

2026 penalty structure

VOSH penalties are set by the Safety and Health Codes Board under Va. Code §40.1-49.2 and adjusted via CPI-U. Current VOSH penalty ranges: Serious and Other-than-serious — from $15,875 to $16,287 per violation; Willful and Repeat — from $158,725 to $162,849 per violation; Failure-to-Abate — from $15,875 per day to $16,287 per day. These amounts are the most recent Safety and Health Codes Board adjustment and are slightly below federal OSHA's $16,550/$165,514 pending Virginia's next CPI adjustment cycle. Confirm current 2026 amounts at doli.virginia.gov/vosh.

Practical first steps

  • Review the Virginia Ergonomics Standard (16 VAC 25-60) and assess whether any of your janitorial job classifications involve high-repetition, forceful, or awkward-posture tasks — implement a documented ergonomics program with job rotation and tool-substitution options before VOSH cites under this unique Virginia standard.
  • For Northern Virginia federal contractor office cleaning, confirm that your LOTO program covers all powered equipment on-site and that workers are trained on client-specific procedures before their first assignment — VOSH's Manassas Field Office is active in this market.
  • Store emergency contacts for the nearest VOSH regional office and the State Police Duty Sergeant (804) 674-2026 for after-hours fatality and catastrophe reporting obligations under Va. Code §40.1-51.1.D.
  • Contact the VOSH Cooperative Programs office at (804) 786-7776 to access the free on-site consultation program before bidding on large healthcare, government, or data-center cleaning contracts in Virginia.

Primary sources

Sources

This page is informational only. It does not constitute legal advice, tax advice, or a professional compliance determination. Laws vary by state and locality, change over time, and apply differently depending on your specific facts and circumstances. Before taking any action with legal or business consequences, consult a licensed attorney or CPA qualified in your jurisdiction.