OSHA Training in Virginia

There is no official certification required to teach most OSHA training classes in Virginia. However, you must make certain that on site OSHA 10 or 30-hour training classes are conducted by a trainer who is officially authorized to conduct these OSHA Outreach training courses. The trainer must first complete a series of OSHA trainer classes provided by one of the OSHA Education centers located around the country. You can confirm their status as a currently authorized OSHA Outreach trainer by asking to look at their credentials proving they completed the following trainer courses.

Construction industry trainers must successfully complete the OSHA 510 course, followed by the OSHA 500 course. This qualifies the trainer to conduct OSHA 10-hour construction training in Virginia and anywhere else in the USA and territories for a four-year period. The trainer is also authorized to conduct OSHA 30-hour construction training in Virginia and elsewhere. To maintain their status as an authorized OSHA Outreach trainer for construction, they must complete the OSHA 502 trainer update course every four years.

General industry trainers must successfully complete the OSHA 511 course, followed by the OSHA 501 course. This qualifies the trainer to conduct OSHA 10-hour general industry training in Virginia and anywhere else in the USA and territories for a four-year period. The trainer is also authorized to conduct OSHA 30-hour general industry training in Virginia and elsewhere. To maintain their status as an authorized OSHA Outreach trainer for general industry, they must complete the OSHA 503 trainer update course every four years.

Be assured that our trainers who conduct on-site OSHA training classes in Virginia are authorized OSHA Outreach trainers. Scroll down to see links to all of the on site OSHA training classes we conduct listed below.

Online OSHA 10 and 30-hour Training Courses Accepted in Virginia

There are also OSHA-authorized online 10 and 30-hour training courses available for construction and general industry. However, you must pay close attention, as only those course providers that are specifically authorized to provide these courses can issue trainees the official DOL / OSHA 10 or 30-hour wallet cards. There are plenty of imitators out there who use deceptive fine print and “too good to be true” pricing to sell you a course that is not OSHA authorized. You can rest assured that the 10 and 30-hour online OSHA training courses offered on our website are authorized by OSHA, and are accepted in Virginia as well as all other states and DC.

Regulation of Workplace Safety & Health in Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia operates a State OSHA Program ( commonly referred to as VOSH) that regulates OSHA training in most VA workplaces. The Virginia State Plan was initially approved on September 28, 1976. The Department of Labor and Industry was awarded a Certificate of Final State Plan Approval for the VOSH Program by federal OSHA on November 30, 1988.

Virginia OSHA Training Regulations and Standards

The vast majority of the state OSHA regulations are identical to Federal OSHA standards. All standards adopted by the Board from 29 CFR Parts 1910, 1926, and 1928 shall apply by their own terms to all employers who have employees working at places of employment within the jurisdiction of the State Plan of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Standards from Part 1910 apply to employers engaged in general industry; in addition, certain standards from Part 1910 determined by federal OSHA and the Board to be applicable to the construction industry also apply to the construction industry in Virginia. Standards adopted from 29 CFR Part 1926 apply to the construction industry, and standards adopted from 29 CFR Part 1928 apply to agricultural operations within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. In addition, standards from 29 CFR Part 1915, Shipyard Employment; 29 CFR Part 1917, Marine Terminals; and 29 CFR Part 1918, Longshoring, have been adopted for state plan use in the public sector only.

Any new or adopted by Virginia for which no federal OSHA counterpart exists applies as specified by the terms of that standard. The VOSH Administrative Regulations, 16 VAC 25-60, et seq., set forth rules defining the applicability of occupational safety and health standards in Virginia. There are several standards that are unique to Virginia, including several related to OSHA training requirements in VA. In these instances, federal OSHA either does not have a comparable standard addressing the specific hazard or condition or, if it does, the federal standard differs substantially. 

The VOSH Program also assures compliance with the Virginia Overhead High Voltage Line Safety Act that was enacted by the General Assembly in 1989 and codified at 59.1-406 to 414 of the Code of Virginia. This statute is designed to “promote the safety and protection of persons engaged in work or activity in the vicinity of overhead high voltage lines.” This statutory standard is directly enforced in the same manner as VOSH regulatory standards.

Also related to the VOSH program is The Department’s Asbestos Notification and Permit Program was established by the General Assembly in 1992 and codified at §§40.1-51.20 to 51.22 of the Code of Virginia, as part of a larger multi-agency state program, requiring licensing and certification of asbestos contractors and workers by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Identical provisions were added for lead contractors in 1996.

Jurisdiction

The Virginia State Plan OSHA program (VOSH) applies to all public and private sector places of employment in the state, with the exception of federal employees, the United States Postal Service, private sector maritime, federal military facilities, and other federal enclaves where the state has ceded jurisdiction to the federal government.

Virginia OSHA Information

The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry is responsible in the Commonwealth for administering and enforcing occupational safety and health activities as required by the Act. The Virginia State Plan (VOSH) applies to all public and private sector places of employment in the state, with the exception of federal employees, the United States Postal Service, private sector maritime, federal military facilities, and other federal enclaves where the state has ceded jurisdiction to the federal government.

The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, headquartered in Richmond, has regional and field offices located in Abingdon, Lynchburg, Manassas, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke, Verona, and Winchester. Contact information for the State OSHA Field offices located throughout the Commonwealth is available at the contact page of the VOSH website.

The Federal OSHA National Emergency Hotline Telephone number is 1-800-321-OSHA.

Occupational Fatality Data (2020) – Virginia

– See BLS Data for VA