Archive of the Safety and Health Codes Board Electronic Emergency Meeting

Virginia Adopts First-in-the-Nation Workplace Safety Standards for COVID-19 Pandemic – July 15, 2020

Governor Ralph Northam today announced the adoption of Statewide Emergency Workplace Safety Standards in response to the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Reporting COVID-19 positive cases:  16 VAC 25-220.B.7.e of the Final Standard provides that “The employer shall notify the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) within 24 hours of the discovery of three (3) or more employees present at the place of employment within a 14-day period testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus during that 14-day time period.”

COVID-19 case reports must be filed through the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) online reporting portal.  By using this portal, these case reports will ensure VDH and DOLI reporting compliance. The new online reporting portal allows employers to submit up to 10 Covid-19 positive cases.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Effective January 27, 2021, in accordance with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry’s Virginia Occupational Safety and Health program Final Permanent Standard for Infectious Disease Prevention of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus that Causes COVID-19, 16VAC25-220-40.B.7.d and -40.B.7.e:

Notifications to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), 16VAC25-220-40.B.7.d

Employers shall report to VDH within 24 hours of the discovery of two or more of its own employees present at the place of employment within a 14-day period testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus during that 14-day time period.

After the initial report of outbreak (two or more cases), employers shall continue to report all cases to VDH until the local health department notifies the business that the outbreak has been closed.

After the outbreak is closed, subsequent identification of two or more cases of COVID-19 during a declared emergency shall be reported, as above.

Notifications to the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI), 16VAC25-220-40.B.7.e

Employers shall report to DOLI within 24 hours of the discovery of three or more of its own employees present at the place of employment within a 14-day period testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus during that 14-day time period. 

A reported positive SARS-CoV-2 test does not need to be reported more than once and will not be used for the purpose of identifying more than one grouping of three or more cases, or more than one 14-day period.

Safety and Health Codes Board Electronic Emergency Meeting – July 15, 2020

NEW!  Final Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) Adopted at the July 15th, 2020 Continued Emergency Meeting

The ETS incorporates the following documents by reference:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) List N for use against SARS-CoV-2
Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” (Dec. 2009)

NEW! Outreach, Education and Training For The COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard, 16VAC25-220

Safety and Health Codes Board Electronic Emergency Meeting – June 24, 2020

https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=31004

Recording of the June 24, 2020 Emergency Safety and Health Codes Board Meeting

Safety and Health Codes Board Continued Electronic Emergency Meeting- June 29, 2020

https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=31037  

Recording of the June 29, 2020 Emergency Safety and Health Codes Board Meeting

Safety and Health Codes Board Continued Electronic Emergency Meeting- July 7, 2020

https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=31057  

Recording of the July 7, 2020 Emergency Safety and Health Codes Board Meeting

Safety and Health Codes Board Continued Electronic Emergency Meeting- July 15, 2020

https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=31089  

Recording of the July 15, 2020 Emergency Safety and Health Codes Board Meeting

Please note there will not be an opportunity for the public to present comments during the July 15, 2020 Safety and Health Codes Board Continued Electronic Emergency Meeting.

In accordance with Executive Order 63, Order of Public Health Emergency Five, Requirement to Wear Face Covering While Inside Buildings, the Department will be presenting to the Safety and Health Codes Board an Emergency Temporary Standard/Emergency Regulation, Infectious Disease Prevention, SARS-CoV-2 Virus That Causes COVID-19, §16 VAC 25-220, applicable to all employers and employees covered by Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program jurisdiction.

The text of the proposed Emergency Temporary Standard/Emergency Regulation along with the corresponding briefing package can be viewed below:

Briefing Package for Emergency Standard/Regulation with Track Change Revisions added June 23, 2020 

Board Amendment Notes and Summary of COVID-19 ETS June 29, 2020 SHCB Continuation Emergency Meeting

VOSH Proposed Amendments, June 23, 2020, Reflecting Changes to June 12, 2020 Draft: Combined Board Member Amendments: June 29, 2020

Emergency Temporary Standard, Regulation, Infectious Disease Prevention, SARS-Virus that Causes COVID-19, 16 VAC 23-220 with Track Changes Revisions added June 23, 2020  This document will be considered at the  Safety and Health Codes Board Continued Electronic Emergency Meeting on June 29, 2020.

The documents above were revised to take into consideration the comments received from the public during a 10 day comment period that took place from June 12-June 22, 2020.

On June 23, 2020, DOLI shared the followed proposed amendments to the Proposed Emergency Temporary Standard/Regulation, Infectious Disease Prevention, SARS-CoV-2 Virus that Causes COVID-19, 16 VAC 25-220 with the Safety and Healthy Codes Board. These amendments will be considered at the Safety and Health Codes Board Continued Electronic Emergency Meeting on June 29, 2020.

Proposed Amendments to Emergency Temporary Standard/Regulation introduced by Board Member Malveaux

Proposed Amendments to Emergency Temporary Standard/Regulation introduced by Board Member Parsons

Proposed Amendments to Emergency Temporary Standard/Regulation introduced by Board Member Rodriguez

Statement Supporting Proposed Amendments to Emergency Temporary Standard/Regulation introduced by Board Member Rodriguez

Proposed Amendments to Emergency Temporary Standard/Regulation introduced by Board Member Thurston

Proposed Amendments to Emergency Temporary Standard/Regulation introduced by Board Member Flammia