What is Virginia BUILT?
The Department’s Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program and the Associated Builders and Contractors – Virginia Chapter (ABC-VA) have entered into a strategic partnership to bring a groundbreaking recognition program to ABC-VA members. News Release
Virginia BUILT is designed to encourage and recognize ABC-VA 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.
Virginia BUILT’s unique approach to workplace safety and health incorporates a “mentorship” program as a key component. The Mentorship Tier is the introductory tier of participation in the partnership for those employers actively working with the ABC-VA Virginia BUILT Council (VBC) to improve their safety and health management systems to meet VOSH requirements, with the goal of becoming a Tier One participant. Safety and health experts from Tier Two and Tier Three participants serve as the mentors.
Another essential component of Virginia BUILT is the incorporation of the ABC STEP program (Safety Training Evaluation Process) as the gateway to participation in Virginia BUILT. Founded in 1989 as a safety benchmarking and improvement tool, STEP has evolved into a world-class safety management system that dramatically improves safety performance among participants regardless of company size or type of work. Participating ABC member firms measure their safety processes and policies on 24 key components resulting in recognition through progressive levels of achievement (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond).
For further information, please contact:
Roy N. Mason, CSP
Virginia BUILT Coordinator
Virginia Voluntary Protection Programs
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
6363 Center Drive
Building 6, Suite 101
Norfolk, VA 23502-4102
(757) 455-0891 x 421 (office)
roy.mason@doli.dev.sitevision.com
The introductory tier of participation in the partnership for those employers actively working with the ABC-VA Virginia BUILT Council (VBC) to improve their safety and health management systems, with the goal of becoming a Tier One participant. Mentorship Tier participants are actively working on developing and implementing an effective safety and health management system that meets current VOSH regulatory requirements. Virginia BUILT Mentorship Tier Participants
The introductory tier of recognition in the partnership for those employers actively working with the ABC-VA Virginia BUILT Council (VBC) and VOSH to improve their safety and health management systems. Tier One participants have developed and implemented an effective safety and health management system that meets current VOSH regulatory requirements. Virginia BUILT Tier I Participants
The intermediate tier of recognition in the partnership for those employers that demonstrate outstanding safety and health performance and have built an established safety and health management system that exceeds current VOSH regulatory requirements. Tier Two participants actively mentor other contractors and subcontractors. Virginia BUILT Tier II Participants
The highest achievement tier in the Virginia BUILT program for participants having an exceptional safety and health management system that serves as a model for other construction employers. Tier Three participants actively mentor other contractors and subcontractors. Virginia BUILT Tier III Participants
The Benefits of Virginia BUILT
Benefits are provided commensurate with the level of participation in Virginia BUILT. Participants that achieve Tier 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 BUILT will substantially improve safety and health protections for Virginia workers through cooperative efforts to reduce injuries, illnesses and fatal accidents. Virginia BUILT 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
A DOLI website page will be dedicated to this partnership with recognition for Tier One, Tier Two, and Tier Three participants.
Acceptance in the program can be publicized by the participant to enhance its marketplace recognition.
Participants will be recognized as industry leaders in construction safety and health.
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.
Potentially reduced costs in insurance rates, lost time and less damaged or lost materials resulting in greater profit margin.
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.
Virginia BUILT Outreach Documents
Application Instructions:
When submitting an application, utilize the application document link to ensure the most recent/ current application is being used for the VA BUILT program. If you are submitting electronically to ABC ensure all required tables are filled out, embedded forms are filled out, and required attachments are submitted electronically to the ABCVA per the cover page of the application.
If submitting the VA BUILT application by hard copy please fill out the application ensuring all tables and the Accident Injury rate table are filled out to completion. If this application is a hard copy, you will need to click the document link for the VA BUILT SHSMS Self-Assessment form, due to not being able to print the embedded form from the electronic application, fill this out and print off to submit with the application and other required documents outlined in the application.
Virginia BUILT SHMS Self-Assessment
Virginia BUILT Policies and Procedures Manual, VOSH Directive 09-065
Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Associated Builders and Contractors – Virginia Chapter (ABC-VA) and the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry.