Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Program (VOSH Enforcement)

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).

The VOSH Program also assures compliance with the Virginia Overhead High Voltage Line Safety Act which was enacted by the General Assembly in 1989 and codified at §§ 59.1-406 to 414. This Act is designed to "promote the safety and protection of persons engaged in work or activity in the vicinity of overhead high voltage lines." It is enforced in the same manner as VOSH regulatory standards.

The Department's Asbestos Notification and Permit Program was established by the General Assembly in 1992 and codified at §§40.1-51.20 to 51.22, as part of a larger state program requiring licensing and certification of asbestos contractors and workers by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). The 1995 General Assembly amended §§ 40.1-51.20 to 51.22 and the accompanying DPOR laws to add identical requirements for lead removal contractors and workers which became effective July 1, 1996.

In addition, the Asbestos NESHAP Program was transferred to the Department from the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board by the General Assembly in 1992 and codified at §§ 40.1-51.23 to 51.41, as part of a consolidation of inspection responsibilities concerning asbestos removal projects in the areas of NESHAP, asbestos licensing and occupational safety and health standards and regulations for asbestos. View DOLI's Asbestos and Lead Regulations.

For more information concerning Occupational Safety Compliance please contact the Safety Compliance Director at (804) 371-3104. For more information concerning Occupational Health Compliance, contact the Health Program Director at (804) 786-0574, or visit the OSHA, EPA or NIOSH web sites.

New Emphasis Programs

VOSH Program adopts federal OSHA’s Primary Metal Industries National Emphasis Program

New Regulations

Tree Trimming Operation Final - Regulation for Construction and General Industry to take effect April 27, 2011.

Reverse Signal Operation Final - Regulation for Construction and General Industry to take effect September 18, 2009. See our Special Edition of the E-Virginia Works Newsletter

New VOSH Directives

OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program - This directive concentrates resources on inspecting employers who have demonstrated indifference to their OSH Act obligations by willful, repeated, or failure-to-abate violations.