Part V. Inspections
16VAC25-60-230. Advance notice.
A. Where advance notice of an inspection has been given to an employer, the employer, upon request of the commissioner, shall promptly notify the authorized employee representative of the inspection if the employees have such a representative.
B. An advance notice of a safety or health inspection may be given by the commissioner only in the following circumstances:
1. In cases of imminent danger;
2. Where it is necessary to conduct inspections at times other than regular working hours;
3. Where advance notice is necessary to assure the presence of personnel needed to conduct the inspection; or
4. Where the commissioner determines that advance notice will insure a more effective and thorough inspection.
Statutory Authority
§ 40.1-22(5) of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 5.1, eff. July 1, 1994.
16VAC25-60-240. Walkthrough.
Walkthrough by the commissioner for the inspection of any workplace includes the following privileges.
1. The commissioner shall be in charge of the inspection and, as part of an inspection, may question privately any employer, owner, operator, agent, or employee. The commissioner shall conduct the interviews of persons during the inspection or at other convenient times. The commissioner may take and preserve testimony, examine witnesses, and administer oaths as provided for in 16VAC25-60-245.
2. As part of an inspection, the commissioner may take or obtain photographs, video recordings, audio recordings, and samples of materials, and employ other reasonable investigative techniques as deemed appropriate. As used here, the term "employ other reasonable investigative techniques" includes the use of devices to measure employee exposures and the attachment of personal sampling equipment such as dosimeters, pumps, badges, and other devices to employees in order to monitor their exposures.
3. The representative authorized by employees may be an employee of the employer or a third party. When the representative authorized by the employees is not an employee of the employer, the representative may accompany the commissioner during the inspection of the workplace if, in the judgment of the commissioner, good cause has been shown why accompaniment by a third party is reasonably necessary to the conduct of an effective and thorough physical inspection of the workplace, including because of relevant knowledge, skills, or experience with hazards or conditions in the workplace or similar workplaces or language or communication skills. Additional employer representatives and employee representatives may be permitted by the commissioner to accompany the inspection team where the commissioner determines such additional persons will aid in the inspection. A different employer representative or employee representative may accompany the commissioner during each phase of the inspection if, in the determination of the commissioner, this will aid in the conduct of the inspection.
4. The commissioner may limit the number of representatives when the inspection group would be of such size as to interfere with the inspection or create possible safety hazards, or when the representative does not represent an employer or employee present in the particular area under inspection.
5. In such cases as stated in subdivision 4 of this section, the commissioner must give each walkthrough representative the opportunity to advise of possible safety or health hazards and then proceed with the inspection without walkthrough representatives. Whenever the commissioner has limited the number of employee walkthrough representatives, a reasonable number of employees shall be consulted during the inspection concerning possible safety or health hazards.
6. Technical personnel such as safety engineers and industrial hygienists or other consultants to the commissioner or the employer may accompany the commissioner if the commissioner determines that their presence would aid in the conduct of the inspection and agreement is obtained from the employer or the commissioner obtains an order under § 40.1-6(8)(b) of the Code of Virginia. All such consultants shall be bound by the confidentiality requirements of § 40.1-51.4:1 of the Code of Virginia.
7. The commissioner is authorized to dismiss from the inspection party at any time any person whose conduct interferes with the inspection.
Statutory Authority
§ 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 5.2, eff. July 1, 1994; amended, Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 5, eff. December 5, 2012; Volume 41, Issue 5, eff. November 20, 2024.
16VAC25-60-245. Use of administrative subpoenas to take and preserve testimony, examine witnesses, and administer oaths.
A. Subdivision 4 of § 40.1-6 of the Code of Virginia authorizes the commissioner, in the discharge of his duties, to take and preserve testimony, examine witnesses and administer oaths. In accordance with subdivision 5 of § 40.1-6 of the Code of Virginia, the Commissioner of Labor and Industry may appoint such representatives as are necessary to carry out the functions outlined in subdivision 4 of § 40.1-6 of the Code of Virginia. Such appointments shall be made in writing; identify the individual being appointed, the length of appointment, and the method of withdrawal of such appointment; and specify what duties are being prescribed.
B. The oath shall be administered by the commissioner's appointed representative to the witness as follows: "Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth."
C. Testimony given under oath shall be recorded by a court reporter.
D. Questioning of employers, owners, operators, agents or employees under oath shall be in private in accordance with subdivision 2 of § 40.1-49.8 of the Code of Virginia.
E. An employer's refusal to make an owner, operator, agent or employee available to the commissioner for examination under this section shall be considered a refusal to consent to the commissioner's inspection authority under § 40.1-49.8 of the Code of Virginia. Upon such refusal the commissioner may seek an administrative search warrant in accordance with the provisions contained in §§ 40.1-49.9 through 40.1-49.12 of the Code of Virginia and obtain an order from the appropriate judge commanding the employer to make the subject owner, operator, agent or employee available for examination at a specified location by a date and time certain.
F. In accordance with § 40.1-10 of the Code of Virginia, if any person who may be sworn to give testimony shall willfully fail or refuse to answer any legal and proper question propounded to him concerning the subject of the examination under § 40.1-6 of the Code of Virginia, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Such person, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not exceeding $100 nor less than $25 or imprisoned in jail not exceeding 90 days or both. Any such refusal on the part of any person to comply with this section may be referred by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to the appropriate attorney for the Commonwealth for prosecution.
Statutory Authority
§§ 40.1-6 and 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 5, eff. December 5, 2012; amended, Virginia Register Volume 34, Issue 6, eff. December 15, 2017.
16VAC25-60-250. Trade secrets.
The following rules shall govern the treatment of trade secrets.
1. At the beginning of an inspection the commissioner shall request that the employer identify any areas of the worksite that may contain or reveal a trade secret. At the close of an inspection the employer shall be given an opportunity to review the information gathered from those areas and identify to the commissioner that information which contains or may reveal a trade secret.
2. The employer shall notify the commissioner prior to the case becoming a final order of any information obtained during the inspection which is to be identified as containing trade secrets.
3. Properly identified trade secrets shall be kept in a separate case file in a secure area not open for inspection to the general public. The separate case file containing trade secrets shall be protected from disclosure in accordance with § 40.1-51.4:1 of the Code of Virginia.
4. Upon the request of an employer, any employee serving as the walkthrough representative in an area containing trade secrets shall be an employee in that area or an employee authorized by the employer to enter that area. Where there is no such employee representative, the commissioner will interview a reasonable number of employees working in that area concerning matters of safety and health.
Statutory Authority
§ 40.1-22(5) of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 5.3, eff. July 1, 1994.