What is Virginia BEST?
The Department’s Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program and the Associated General Contractors of Virginia (AGCVA) have entered into a strategic partnership to bring a first in the nation – Virginia BEST Program (Building Excellence in Safety, Health and Training) to AGCVA members.
Virginia BEST is designed to encourage and recognize AGCVA members who voluntarily implement highly effective safety and health management systems to benefit construction workers and reduce or eliminate injuries, illnesses and fatalities on construction sites in Virginia.
What are the Core Elements and levels of participation of BEST? Core elements of the Virginia BEST Program include:
Management Leadership and Employee Involvement
Worksite Analysis
Hazard Prevention and Control
Safety and Health Training
Three levels of participation in Virginia BEST are provided:
Level 1 – The basic achievement level in the Virginia BEST program for applicants that develop and implement an effective safety and health management system that meets current VOSH regulatory requirements.
Level 2 – The intermediate achievement level in the Virginia BEST program for applicants having an established safety and health management system that exceeds current VOSH regulatory requirements.
Level 3 – The highest achievement level in the Virginia BEST program for applicants having an exceptional safety and health management system that serves as a model for other construction employers.
The Benefits of BEST
Benefits are provided commensurate with the level of participation in Virginia BEST. Participants that
achieve Level Three recognition will receive an exemption from planned construction inspections from the VOSH Program, which allows VOSH to focus its limited compliance resources on high injury and illness rate employers.
Construction contractors that participate in Virginia BEST will substantially improve safety and health protections for Virginia workers through cooperative efforts to reduce injuries, illnesses and fatal accidents. Virginia BEST participants will implement safety and health management systems which have consistently demonstrated decreased bottom line costs associated with dramatically reduced injury and illness rates and improved productivity and employee morale and retention. Reducing private sector employer costs associated with injuries, illnesses and fatal accidents enhances a company’s economic viability and competitiveness, and increases available capital for reinvestment, expansion and new hiring.
Costs avoided include workers’ compensation charges, insurance premium increases, property damage,
production downtime, employee replacement and retraining, and litigation expenses.
Additional Benefits include:
Recognition for Level Two and Three participants on a DOLI website
Participation in the program can be publicized by employer to enhance the employer’s marketplace recognition.
Access to specific targeted training sessions conducted by VOSH Consultative Services.
Priority access to VOSH Consultative Services for briefings on new standards, regulations and emphasis programs.
Improved employee morale and productivity, and the ability to attract the best workers based on the participant’s enhanced reputation in the industry.
Use of official logo, icons, devices and/or official program flag, etc.
For additional information see https://doli.dev.sitevision.com/vosh_enforcement/BEST_program.html