Virginia State Health & Safety Information Links

Contact information for the State / Commonwealth of Virginia for Health, Safety and Labor

Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
Powers-Taylor Building
13 South 13th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-4101

C. Raymond Davenport, Commissioner
(804) 786-2377
(804) 371-6524 FAX

William Burge, Assistant Commissioner
(804) 371-2327
(804) 371-6524 FAX
Virginia State Plan Web Page
 

Department of Labor and Industry
Occupational Safety and Health - Compliance

Glenn Cox, Director
Safety Compliance
(804) 786-2391
(804) 371-6524 FAX
E-Mail: Safety Compliance

Ron Graham, Director
Health Compliance
(804) 371-2327
(804) 371-6524 FAX
E-Mail: Health Compliance

VOSH Consultation and Cooperative Programs

Jennifer Wester, Cooperative Programs Director
(Training, Consultation, Information, VPP)
(804) 786-6359
(804) 786-8418 FAX
E-Mail: Cooperative Programs
 

Description of the Virginia State Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Plan

The mission of the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program is to protect and promote the safety and health of Virginia's workers in their workplaces. The Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board establish Virginia Occupational Safety and Health regulations and standards, a regulatory board appointed by the Governor. The VOSH program operates within the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI).

One of the strengths of Virginia's State Plan is that it strives for a balanced and integrated approach to ensuring safe and healthy workplaces. Safety and health compliance activities, which include Discrimination Services, are a large part of the program, but in addition Virginia has programs that protect employees while providing an opportunity for employers to work cooperatively with VOSH.

Consultation is available to the public sector (and to the private sector through the 7(c)(1) grant). The Virginia Voluntary Protection Program (VVPP) (select "Cooperative Programs," then "Voluntary Protection Program") recognizes companies where management and labor establish exemplary safety and health management programs. VVPP members mentor other companies needing assistance with best practices. Safety networks, larger companies working together to help provide training and safety expertise to smaller businesses, are located throughout Virginia. Public briefings, printed materials including the agency quarterly newsletter, and the annual occupational safety and health conference are mechanisms used to inform employers and employees of safety and health requirements. VOSH works cooperatively with employers through formal partnerships directed toward specific goals, shared training sessions, settlement agreements, and the Virginia Compliance Alternative Partnership (VCAP). VCAP identifies Virginia companies with the highest injury incidence rates and provides an opportunity for those companies to work cooperatively with VOSH to lower their rates.

Virginia OSHA Standards
Virginia General Assembly Legislative Information System

Legislative Authority/Statutory Code:
Code of Virginia, Title 40.1 - Labor and Employment

Virginia State Plan Home Page Webmaster:
Powers-Taylor Building
13 South 13th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
E-Mail: Webmaster

Enforcement (Compliance)

The Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Program conducts inspections of private and public sector employers to assure compliance with the laws, standards and regulations of the Commonwealth. The Compliance Program may issue citations listing violations of the standards and regulations to employers, determines dates by which violations must be abated, and may propose civil monetary penalties for certain types of violations (Public Sector employers are not issued such penalties).

Virginia Unique Standards

The State Plan agreement between the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor and Virginia gives the Commonwealth authority to regulate occupational safety and health within its jurisdiction for General Industry, Construction, Agriculture, and the Public Sector.

Federal OSHA retains authority over the following Virginia industries: private sector maritime (shipyard, marine terminals, long shoring, gear certification), federal military facilities, as well as other federal enclaves where civil jurisdiction has been ceded by the State to the federal government. Federal jurisdiction is also retained with respect to federal government employers and employees; and over working conditions where a federal agency has exercised statutory authority to enforce safety and health standards.

The Safety and Health Codes Board has adopted occupational safety and health standards for enforcement by the Department of Labor and Industry. Virginia Code Section 40.1-1 provides that the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry be responsible for administering and enforcing occupational safety and health activities within the Commonwealth. Within the Department, regulation of Virginia occupational safety and health falls under the purview of the VOSH (Virginia Occupational Safety and Health) Program.

The vast majority of the Virginia occupational safety and health standards are identical to federal OSHA standards. However, there are several standards that are unique to Virginia and are listed below. They are unique in the sense that federal OSHA either does not have a comparable standard or, if it does, it differs substantively.

For ease of use, instead of reference to the Virginia Administrative Code "VAC" number, the individual sections will be referred to by subject as well as the conventional OSHA numbering where the unique standard replaces an existing or previous Federal OSHA standard on the same subject. For example, 16 VAC 25-175 will be referred to simply as § 1926.650, or "Virginia Excavation Standard, Construction Industry." The VAC number for each unique regulation is also listed.

Virginia Unique Standards DOLI Web site)