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Note: The Virgin Islands Division of Occupational Safety and Health covers the workplace safety of public sector employees only. Private sector coverage for employees in the Virgin Islands is provided by Federal OSHA's Puerto Rico Area Office.

Virgin Islands Department of Labor
2203 Church Street
Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands 00820-4660

Albert Bryant, Commissioner
(340) 773-1994
(340) 773-1858 FAX

Glen Smith, Assistant Commissioner
(340) 776-3700
(340) 774-5908 FAX

Division of Occupational Safety and Health
Virgin Islands Department of Labor
3012 Golden Rock
Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands 00840
(340) 772-1315
(340) 772-4323 FAX

Consultation
Safety in Paradise
University of the Virgin Islands
Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning Center
#2 John Brewer's Bay
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00803

Ilene Garner, Program Manager
(340) 693-1100
(340) 693-1115 FAX

VIRGIN ISLANDS COVERAGE OF PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES

The Virgin Islands Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) operates an OSHA-approved public sector only State Plan under the 23(g) 50/50 Grant. State and local government workers are excluded from federal coverage under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act). All private sector and federal government agency complaints are forwarded to the federal Puerto Rico Area Office. The Virgin Islands Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) presently conducts initial inspections at government facilities based on complaints and referrals received, follow-up abatement inspections, and programmed inspections.

The Virgin Islands received initial approval for a comprehensive State plan covering the private (safety only) and public sectors on September 11, 1973 (38 FR 24896) and final approval under section 18(e) of the OSH Act on April 17, 1984 (49 FR 16766). Final approval status for the State plan was suspended and full concurrent Federal enforcement authority was reinstated on November 13, 1995 (60 FR 56950).

Effective July 1, 2003, the Virgin Islands withdrew the private sector portion of its State plan while retaining coverage of public sector enforcement and initiated a developmental public employee only State plan. Exclusive Federal OSHA enforcement jurisdiction for the private sector resumed on the same date. On July 23, 2003, OSHA formally announced its initial approval of the Virgin Islands developmental public employee only plan and its approval of a new 21(d) cooperative agreement with the Commonwealth to provide expanded on-site consultation services to the private sector (68 FR 43457). The private sector consultation program was transferred from the Virgin Island Department of Labor to the University of the Virgin Islands effective September 1, 2005.