On July 15, 2020, Virginia’s Safety and Health Codes Board (Board), the body that establishes Virginia Occupational Safety and Health regulations and standards, approved workplace safety regulations related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Virginia is the first state in the country to enact such a standard or regulation, though other states, like Oregon, may follow suit. According to Gov. Ralph Northam’s office, the emergency standard was prompted by the alleged lack of enforcement from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency that enforces workplace safety and health regulations. To date, OSHA has not created a workplace safety standard specifically related to addressing COVID-19 in the workplace, instead opting to issue a plethora of non-mandatory workplace safety and health guidance regarding COVID-19.

Click here to read the full GT Alert, “Virginia Becomes First State to Adopt COVID-19-Related Workplace Health and Safety Standard.”