Virginia Safety & Health Codes Board
History
Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1962, the Safety Codes Commission had the power to promulgate rules and regulations governing safety operations. The General Assembly revised the Commission in 1972 to continue as the Safety and Health Codes Board.
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Purpose
The Safety and Health Codes Board shall study and investigate all phases of safety and health in business establishments; serve as advisor to the Commissioner; adopt, amend, and repeal rules and regulations to further the safety and health of employees in places of employment; and adopt permanent and emergency standards to assure a safe place of employment. The Board, with the advice of the Commissioner, is authorized to adopt, alter, amend, or repeal rules and regulations to further, protect and promote the safety and health of employees in places of employment over which it has jurisdiction and to effect compliance with the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-596).
Board Composition
The Board shall consist of fourteen members, twelve of whom shall be appointed by the Governor. One member shall, by reason of previous vocation, employment or affiliation, be chosen to represent labor in the manufacturing industry; one member shall, by reason of previous vocation, employment or affiliation, be chosen to represent labor in the construction industry; one member shall, by reason of previous vocation, employment or affiliation, be chosen to represent industrial employers; one member shall be chosen from and be a representative of the general public; one member shall be a representative of agricultural employers; one member shall, by reason of previous vocation, employment or affiliation, be chosen to represent agricultural employees; one member shall, by reason of previous vocation, employment or affiliation, be chosen to represent construction industry employers; one member shall be a representative of an insurance company; one member shall be a labor representative from the boiler pressure vessel industry; one member shall be a labor representative knowledgeable in chemicals and toxic substances; one member shall be an employer representative of the boiler pressure vessel industry; one member shall be an industrial representative knowledgeable in chemical and toxic substances. The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality or his duly authorized representative, and the Commissioner of Health or his authorized representative shall be members ex officio with full membership status. The Board shall annually select a chairman from its members.
Current Board Members
For a list of current members, please visit the website of the Secretary of the Commonwealth at Safety and Health Code Board members. The list can be found at the bottom of the page.
Board meetings, meeting notices, agendas, and minutes
The Board is required to meet at least twice annually. Other meetings may be held upon call of the chairman or any three members of the Board. Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
Board meeting notices can be found on the Commonwealth Calendar. Please select a date range for your search and enter “Safety and Health Codes Board” in the “Sponsor” field.
Meeting notices, agendas, and minutes for all meetings of the Board since 1999 can also be found on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall.
For more information or to contact members of the Board, please contact Cristin Bernhardt, DOLI’s Regulatory Coordinator, at Cristin.Bernhardt@doli.virginia.gov or (804) 786-2392.