For professional and collegiate sports training facilities, maintaining impeccable cleanliness is not merely a matter of aesthetics but also a critical component of athlete health and safety. Sports training facilities, including football, baseball, basketball, track and field, and wrestling, just to name a few, must operate within the cleaning guidelines set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Failure to comply can result in significant financial penalties, which escalate with repeated violations and may even lead to temporary facility closures until health code inspectors deem the issues resolved. The effects of these actions can be catastrophic, derailing team performance and leading to a cascading series of negative consequences, including job losses and reputational harm to the university or organization in recruiting new athletic talent. In order to avoid these situations, sports training facility managers must familiarize themselves with OSHA and CDC guidelines to ensure they can pass any unannounced inspection.
In this blog article, we’ll discuss how OSHA and CDC guideline requirements relate to sports training facilities. We’ll look at the areas that come under the most scrutiny and identify the infractions that managers may not be aware they are in violation of. Lastly, we’ll discuss how operators can prepare their sports training facilities to pass any inspection with flying colors.
OSHA Guidelines for Sports Training Facilities
OSHA guidelines are designed to protect the health and safety of sports training facility employees, including athletes, coaches, and training staff. While athletes themselves may not be considered employees, particularly in collegiate settings, training staff and coaches are. OSHA regulations would apply to the environments in which they work. These regulations ensure facilities maintain proper sanitation, provide necessary protective equipment, and mitigate hazards such as biohazards, airborne contaminants, and slip-and-fall risks.
Sports training facilities with more than 10 employees are required to keep a record of work-related injuries and illnesses. Employers must keep these records at the worksite for at least five years. From February through April, facility managers are required to display a summary of the injuries and illnesses documented from the previous year. Management must also have copies of these records available to current and former employees or their authorized representatives if requested. To maintain compliance, employers must report to OSHA any worker fatality within 8 hours and any significant injury, including amputation, loss of an eye, or hospitalization within 24 hours.
Bloodborne Pathogen’s Standard for Sports Training Facilities
OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standardis designed to protect employees who may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials in the workplace. In a sports training facility, this regulation is especially relevant due to the high likelihood of injuries that involve blood, such as cuts, nosebleeds, or abrasions. Facilities must provide biohazard containers for the disposal of contaminated materials like bandages, gauze, gloves, and used medical instruments. Any surfaces contaminated with blood must be disinfected using EPA-approved cleaning solutions, and spills must be handled using OSHA-compliant procedures to minimize exposure risks. Additionally, employers are required to offer the Hepatitis B vaccination series at no cost to employees who are at risk of exposure, including athletic trainers and other staff members handling blood or bodily fluids.
Exposure Control Plan for Sports Training Facilities
Sports training facility employers must establish a written Exposure Control Plan (ECP) An ECP involves several key elements. First, the facility must conduct an exposure determination to identify which job roles are at risk of encountering bloodborne pathogens. Athletic trainers, who frequently treat open wounds, nosebleeds, and other injuries involving blood, are among the most vulnerable staff members.
The plan must outline procedures for minimizing risk, including protocols for handling and disposing of contaminated materials. The ECP should elaborate on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and face shields and proper sanitation methods to disinfect treatment areas and equipment. Additionally, the ECP must include training programs to educate employees on exposure risks and emergency response procedures, ensuring that all staff members understand how to protect themselves and others. Emergency exits and fire safety measures also fall under OSHA’s purview, meaning that blocked or improperly marked exits, malfunctioning fire extinguishers, or a lack of emergency preparedness training for staff can lead to significant fines.
Hazard Communication Standard for Sports Training Facilities
To comply with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), a sports training facility must implement a program to ensure that all hazardous chemicals used within the facility are adequately labeled, documented, and communicated to employees. An HCS is crucial in areas where cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and other potentially hazardous substances are used, such as locker rooms, athletic training areas, weight rooms, and laundry facilities.
A key requirement under the HCS is the proper labeling of all chemical containers. Every hazardous chemical must have labels that clearly indicates the product name, hazard warnings, and the manufacturer’s contact information. Containers such as spray bottles filled from larger chemical containers, must be labeled with chemical name and hazard warnings to ensure that employees understand the potential risks associated with the substance.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are another critical aspect of the Hazard Communication Standard for OSHA compliance. SDS provides detailed information about each chemical, including its hazards, safe handling procedures, emergency response guidelines, and first-aid measures. Managers must ensure that an up-to-date SDS is available for every hazardous chemical on-site and that these sheets are easily accessible to all employees during their work shifts. SDSs should be stored in a marked binder in a designated location or maintained in an electronic system that all staff can access.
Facilities must also provide hazard communication training to all employees who may come into contact with hazardous chemicals. This includes janitorial staff, athletic trainers, coaches, and any other personnel responsible for cleaning or handling disinfectants. The training should cover how to read labels and SDSs, proper chemical storage and handling, the risks associated with exposure, and what to do in case of an emergency such as a chemical spill or accidental exposure.
Critical Areas to Address in Sports Training Facilities
Vulnerable points within a sports training facility include locker rooms, weight rooms, athletic training rooms, and competition areas where injuries are most likely to occur. Training tables, where athletes receive treatment, can become contaminated if not properly cleaned. Improperly stored or disposed of sharps, such as needles used for injections or blood draws, can pose safety hazards if not properly disposed of using adequate PPE. Wrestling mats and gym floors, which are high-contact surfaces, can harbor bloodborne pathogens if not cleaned properly. Locker rooms and showers, if not properly cleaned, can contribute to the spread of infections such as MRSA, staph, and ringworm.
Another common area where violations occur is in the equipment storage rooms. If heavy weights, resistance bands, or other training tools are stacked improperly or not secured, they can create fall hazards for staff. Similarly, turf areas and indoor tracks require routine inspections to prevent trip hazards caused by uneven surfaces, loose flooring, or worn-out artificial turf. Laundry areas also present risks since athletic uniforms, towels, and other materials contaminated with blood must be washed separately using OSHA-recommended procedures to prevent cross-contamination.
Penalties for OSHA Non-Compliance
In a sports training facility, common violations of the Hazard Communication Standard often involve improper handling, storage, or labeling of hazardous chemicals. If janitorial staff or athletic trainers transfer chemicals such as bleach-based cleaners into unmarked spray bottles, this could lead to an OSHA citation. In such cases, a facility could be fined for non-compliance because employees would not have access to the proper hazard information. Serious violations can lead to fines of up to $15,625 per offense, while willful or repeated violations can result in penalties of up to $156,259 per violation.
Failure to comply with OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard can result in severe penalties, with fines for serious violations reaching $15,625 per offense. Willful or repeated violations can incur penalties of up to $156,259 per violation. An example might be athletic trainers frequently treating players for open wounds, bloody noses, and other injuries on the field and in the training room. However, because the facility failed to provide designated biohazard disposal containers, staff discarded contaminated gauze, bandages, and gloves in standard trash bins rather than in properly labeled biohazard containers.
Failing to implement and maintain an up-to-date Exposure Control Plan can lead to penalties of up to $15,625. Facilities not updating their Safety Data Sheets can be subject to additional fines of $15,625. Facilities can be subject to multiple violations, and the penalties can run concurrently.
The Advantages of Medical-Grade Cleaning for Sports Training Facilities
Working with a certified medical-grade commercial cleaning company offers significant advantages for sports training facilities looking to maintain OSHA compliance and avoid costly penalties. With the high-risk nature of training environments—where athletes frequently suffer injuries, come into contact with bodily fluids, and share common spaces—having a trusted cleaning partner ensures that facilities meet the strict sanitation and safety standards required to protect athletes, coaches, and staff.
What sets certified medical-grade cleaning apart is a level of service not found in traditional janitorial services. Unlike general cleaning companies, medical-grade cleaning teams follow the same infection-control protocols used in hospitals and healthcare offices. Medical-grade cleaning includes the use of hospital-grade disinfectants, advanced electrostatic spraying technology, and stringent cross-contamination prevention measures—all of which go beyond basic cleaning to create a sanitized, OSHA-compliant environment.
Bee Line Support headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is one of the country’s most reputable certified medical-grade cleaning companies and services the premier professional football team in the Chicago area. Bee Line developed a first-of-its-kind Medical Training Facility to train their front-line staff on medical-grade cleaning techniques. Their team stays current on OSHA regulations, ensuring that sports training facilities follow proper cleaning and sanitation protocols required for Exposure Control Plans, Bloodborne Pathogens Standards, and Hazard Communication Standards. This proactive approach helps facilities maintain compliance without the need for last-minute corrections or rushed regulatory fixes that could be far more expensive than routine professional cleaning.
Sports training facility managers who partner with a certified medical-grade cleaning company like Bee Line Support gain a significant advantage over traditional janitorial services by ensuring OSHA compliance, reducing the risk of costly violations, and creating a safer environment for athletes and staff. With expert knowledge, 24/7 emergency response, and tailored cleaning solutions, a medical-grade partner delivers superior safety, cost savings, and long-term compliance protection that traditional janitorial companies simply cannot match.
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