Cintas Midland Facility Earns MVPP Star Worksite Certification
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has officially recognized the Midland, Michigan facility of Cintas Corporation as an MVPP Star Worksite, marking a significant milestone in workplace safety excellence. This prestigious certification highlights the company’s sustained commitment to maintaining high standards in occupational health and safety while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
The Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP) is a collaborative initiative led by MIOSHA that evaluates and promotes robust safety and health management systems. Built on a cooperative model, the program encourages active participation from management, employees, and regulatory authorities to create safer working environments. Within this framework, the Michigan Star Program represents the highest level of recognition. It is awarded only to organizations that demonstrate exemplary safety practices, strong employee engagement, and injury and illness rates consistently below industry averages over a three-year period.
At the award ceremony, Todd Mengeu, General Manager of the Midland location, accepted the honor on behalf of the entire team. He emphasized that achieving MVPP Star status was the result of years of dedication and collaboration among employee-partners. According to Mengeu, the journey to certification required unwavering focus, shared accountability, and a commitment to strengthening the facility’s safety culture. He highlighted how employees actively contributed to identifying risks, implementing improvements, and ensuring that safety remained a top priority in daily operations.
Mengeu also noted that the accomplishment reflects not just compliance with safety regulations but a deeper, organization-wide commitment to protecting every individual in the workplace. The Midland team’s proactive approach, he said, has been instrumental in building a culture where safety is embedded in every process and decision. This culture of collaboration and continuous improvement has ultimately been the driving force behind the facility’s success in achieving MVPP Star certification.
The Midland operation holds a particularly notable distinction as the first industrial laundry facility—and the first Cintas location in Michigan—to earn MVPP Star Worksite status. This achievement sets a new benchmark for similar operations across the state. By demonstrating that such a high level of safety performance is attainable, the facility has created a roadmap for other Cintas locations and industrial workplaces aiming to enhance their own safety programs.
The certification process for MVPP Star status is both rigorous and highly selective. Michigan is home to more than 900,000 businesses, yet only a small number—just 29—have achieved this elite designation. To qualify, companies must go beyond basic compliance and demonstrate a comprehensive, proactive approach to safety management. This includes implementing detailed safety protocols, encouraging employee involvement, and maintaining injury and illness rates that are consistently lower than national averages reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Additionally, organizations must undergo periodic re-evaluations every three to five years to retain their MVPP status. These assessments ensure that companies continue to meet the program’s stringent requirements and remain committed to ongoing improvement. This continuous review process reinforces the importance of sustained effort and vigilance in maintaining a safe workplace.
Cintas Corporation’s achievement in Midland is part of a broader commitment to safety excellence across its operations. The company has been a strong participant in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), which serve as a national benchmark for workplace safety. Through its dedication to these programs, Cintas has established itself as a leader in promoting safe and healthy work environments.
As of February 2026, Cintas has achieved an impressive milestone, with 140 of its facilities across the United States earning VPP Star certification. This figure significantly surpasses that of any other company, underscoring Cintas’ leadership and long-term commitment to workplace safety. The company’s consistent performance demonstrates that maintaining high safety standards is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing organizational priority.
Stephen Jenkins, Vice President of Health & Safety at Cintas, highlighted the importance of teamwork in reaching such milestones. He emphasized that VPP certification is not solely about meeting regulatory requirements but about fostering a shared responsibility among employees to look out for one another. According to Jenkins, the company’s success is driven by a collective commitment to excellence and a strong culture of accountability.
Jenkins further noted that achieving and maintaining VPP certification requires continuous effort, innovation, and engagement at all levels of the organization. By adhering to rigorous standards and encouraging active participation from employees, Cintas has been able to consistently deliver safe and healthy work environments across its facilities.
The recognition of the Midland facility as an MVPP Star Worksite not only celebrates the achievements of its employee-partners but also reinforces the value of collaboration, leadership, and dedication in building a strong safety culture. It serves as an inspiring example for other organizations striving to enhance their safety performance and demonstrates the tangible benefits of investing in comprehensive safety and health management systems.
Ultimately, this milestone reflects Cintas Corporation’s broader mission to prioritize the well-being of its workforce while setting new standards for safety excellence in the industry.
Source Link:https://www.businesswire.com/
