Part VI. Citation and Penalty
16VAC25-60-260. Issuance of citation and proposed penalty.
A. Each citation shall be in writing and describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including a reference to the appropriate safety or health provision of Title 40.1 of the Code of Virginia or the appropriate rule, regulation, or standard. In addition, the citation must fix a reasonable time for abatement of the violation. The commissioner shall have authority to propose penalties for cited violations in accordance with § 40.1-49.4 of the Code of Virginia and this chapter. The citation will contain substantially the following: "NOTICE: This citation will become a final order of the commissioner unless contested within fifteen working days from the date of receipt by the employer." The citation may be delivered to the employer or the employer's agent by the commissioner or may be sent by certified mail or by personal service to an officer or agent of the employer or to the registered agent if the employer is a corporation.
No citation may be issued after the expiration of six months following the occurrence of any alleged violation. The six-month timeframe is deemed to be tolled on the date the citation is issued by the commissioner, without regard for when the citation is received by the employer. For purposes of calculating the six-month timeframe for citation issuance, the following requirements shall apply:
1. The six-month timeframe begins to run on the day after the incident or event occurred or notice was received by the commissioner (as specified in subdivisions 1 through 5 of this subsection), in accordance with § 1-210 A of the Code of Virginia. The word "month" shall be construed to mean one calendar month in accordance with § 1-223 of the Code of Virginia.
2. An alleged violation is deemed to have "occurred" on the day it was initially created by commission or omission on the part of the creating employer, and every day thereafter that it remains in existence uncorrected.
3. Notwithstanding subdivision 1 of this subsection, if an employer fails to notify the commissioner within eight hours of any work-related incident resulting in a fatality or within 24 hours of any work-related incident resulting in (i) the in-patient hospitalization of one or more persons, (ii) an amputation, or (iii) the loss of any eye, as required by § 40.1-51.1 D of the Code of Virginia, the six-month timeframe shall not be deemed to commence until the commissioner receives actual notice of the incident.
4. Notwithstanding subdivision 1 of this subsection, if the commissioner is first notified of a work-related incident resulting in an injury or illness to an employee through receipt of an Employer's Accident Report (EAR) form from the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission as provided in § 65.2-900 of the Code of Virginia, the six-month timeframe shall not be deemed to commence until the commissioner actually receives the EAR form.
5. Notwithstanding subdivision 1 of this subsection, if the commissioner is first notified of a work-related hazard, or incident resulting in an injury or illness to an employee, through receipt of a complaint in accordance with 16VAC25-60-100 or referral, the six-month timeframe shall not be deemed to commence until the commissioner actually receives the complaint or referral.
B. A citation issued under subsection A of this section to an employer who violates any VOSH law, standard, rule, or regulation shall be vacated if such employer demonstrates that:
1. Employees of such employer have been provided with the proper training and equipment to prevent such a violation;
2. Work rules designed to prevent such a violation have been established and adequately communicated to employees by such employer and have been effectively enforced when such a violation has been discovered;
3. The failure of employees to observe work rules led to the violation; and
4. Reasonable steps have been taken by such employer to discover any such violation.
C. For the purposes of subsection B of this section only, the term "employee" shall not include any officer, management official, or supervisor having direction, management control, or custody of any place of employment that was the subject of the violative condition cited.
D. The penalties as set forth in § 40.1-49.4 of the Code of Virginia shall also apply to violations relating to the requirements for recordkeeping, reports, or other documents filed or required to be maintained and to posting requirements.
E. In determining the amount of the proposed penalty for a violation, the commissioner will ordinarily be guided by the system of penalty adjustment set forth in the VOSH Field Operations Manual. In any event the commissioner shall consider the gravity of the violation, the size of the business, the good faith of the employer, and the employer's history of previous violations.
The commissioner shall have authority to propose civil penalties to public employers for willful, repeat, and failure-to-abate violations in accordance with subsections I and J of § 40.1-49.4 of the Code of Virginia, and for serious violations that cause death to an employee or are classified as high gravity in accordance with subsection H of § 40.1-49.4.
F. On multi-employer worksites for all covered industries, citations shall normally be issued to an employer whose employee is exposed to an occupational hazard (the exposing employer). Additionally, the following employers shall normally be cited, whether or not their own employees are exposed:
1. The employer who actually creates the hazard (the creating employer);
2. The employer who is either:
a. Responsible, by contract or through actual practice for safety and health conditions on the entire worksite, and has the authority for ensuring that the hazardous condition is corrected (the controlling employer); or
b. Responsible, by contract or through actual practice for safety and health conditions for a specific area of the worksite or specific work practice or specific phase of a construction project, and has the authority for ensuring that the hazardous condition is corrected (the controlling employer); or
3. The employer who has the responsibility for actually correcting the hazard (the correcting employer).
G. A citation issued under subsection F of this section to an exposing employer who violates any VOSH law, standard, rule, or regulation shall be vacated if such employer demonstrates that:
1. The employer did not create the hazard;
2. The employer did not have the responsibility or the authority to have the hazard corrected;
3. The employer did not have the ability to correct or remove the hazard;
4. The employer can demonstrate that the creating, the controlling, or the correcting employers, as appropriate, have been specifically notified of the hazards to which the employer's employees were exposed;
5. The employer has instructed his employees to recognize the hazard and, where necessary, informed them how to avoid the dangers associated with it;
6. Where feasible, an exposing employer must have taken appropriate alternative means of protecting employees from the hazard; and
7. When extreme circumstances justify it, the exposing employer shall have removed the employer's employees from the job.
H. The commissioner's burden of proving the basis for a VOSH citation, penalty, or order of abatement is by a preponderance of the evidence.
I. The burden of proof in establishing an affirmative defense to a VOSH citation resides with the employer.
Statutory Authority
§§ 40.1-2.1, 40.1-6, and 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia; Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (P.L. 91‑596).
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 6.1, eff. July 1, 1994; amended, Virginia Register Volume 22, Issue 25, eff. September 21, 2006; Errata, 33:17 VA.R. 2009 April 17, 2017; amended, Virginia Register Volume 34, Issue 6, eff. December 15, 2017; Volume 35, Issue 3, eff. November 1, 2018; Volume 36, Issue 19, eff May 11, 2020.
16VAC25-60-270. Contest of citation or proposed penalty; general proceedings.
A. An employer to whom a citation, abatement order, or proposed penalty has been issued may contest the citation by notifying the commissioner in writing of the contest. The notice of contest must be mailed or delivered by hand within 15 working days from the receipt of the citation or proposed penalty. No mistake, inadvertence, or neglect on the part of the employer shall serve to extend the 15-working-day period in which the employer must contest.
B. The notice of contest shall indicate whether the employer is contesting the alleged violation, the proposed penalty or the abatement time.
C. Employees may contest abatement orders by notifying the commissioner in the same manner as described in subsection A of this section.
D. The employer's contest of a citation or proposed penalty shall not affect the citation posting requirements of 16VAC25-60-40 unless and until the court ruling on the contest vacates the citation.
E. When the commissioner has received written notification of a contest of citation or proposed penalty, he will attempt to resolve the matter by settlement, using the procedures of 16VAC25-60-330 and 16VAC25-60-340.
F. If the matter is not settled or it is determined that settlement does not appear probable, the commissioner will initiate judicial proceedings by referring the contested issues to the appropriate Commonwealth's Attorney and arranging for the filing of a bill of complaint and issuance of a subpoena to the employer.
G. A contest of the proposed penalty only shall not stay the time for abatement.
Statutory Authority
§§ 40.1-2.1, 40.1-6, and 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia; Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (P.L. 91‑596).
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 6.2, eff. July 1, 1994; amended, Virginia Register Volume 35, Issue 3, eff. November 1, 2018.
16VAC25-60-280. General contest proceedings applicable to the public sector.
A. Public employers may contest citations, abatement orders, or proposed penalties by notifying the commissioner in writing of the contest. The notice of contest must be mailed or delivered by hand within 15 working days from receipt of the citation or abatement order. No mistake, inadvertence, or neglect on the part of the employer shall serve to extend the 15-working-day period during which the employer may contest.
B. The notice of contest shall indicate whether the public employer is contesting the alleged violations, the proposed penalty, or the abatement order.
C. Public employees may contest abatement orders by notifying the commissioner in the same manner as described at subsection A of this section.
D. The commissioner shall seek to resolve any controversies or issues rising from a citation issued to any public employer in an informal conference as described in 16VAC25-60-330.
E. The contest by a public employer shall not affect the requirements to post the citation as required at 16VAC25-60-40 unless and until the commissioner's or the court ruling on the contest vacates the citation. A contest of a citation may stay the time permitted for abatement pursuant to § 40.1-49.4 C of the Code of Virginia.
F. A contest of the proposed penalty only shall not stay the time for abatement.
Statutory Authority
§§ 40.1-2.1, 40.1-6, and 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia; Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (P.L. 91‑596).
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 6.3, eff. July 1, 1994; amended, Virginia Register Volume 35, Issue 3, eff. November 1, 2018.
16VAC25-60-290. Contest proceedings applicable to political subdivisions.
A. Where the informal conference has failed to resolve any controversies arising from the citation, and a timely notice of contest has been received regarding a citation issued to a public employer other than the Commonwealth or one of its agencies, the Commissioner of Labor and Industry shall schedule a hearing in accordance with the provisions of §§ 2.2-4019 and 2.2-4021 of the Code of Virginia. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the commissioner will notify all participants within five working days of the decision to affirm, modify or vacate the contested aspects of the citation or abatement order.
B. Public employers may appeal decisions of the commissioner in the manner provided for in §§ 2.2-4025 through 2.2-4029 of the Code of Virginia.
C. Public employees and their authorized representative have full rights to notification and participation in all hearings and appeals as are given private sector employees.
D. If abatement of citations is not accomplished, the commissioner shall seek injunctive relief under § 40.1-49.4 F of the Code of Virginia.
Statutory Authority
§ 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 6.4, eff. July 1, 1994; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 9, eff. March 1, 2003.
16VAC25-60-300. Contest proceedings applicable to the Commonwealth.
A. Where the informal conference has failed to resolve any controversies arising from a citation issued to the Commonwealth or one of its agencies, and a timely notice of contest has been received, the Commissioner of Labor and Industry shall refer the case to the Governor, whose written decision on the contested matter shall become a final order of the commissioner.
B. Whenever the Commonwealth or any of its agencies fails to abate a violation within the time provided in an appropriate final order, the Commissioner of Labor and Industry shall formally petition for redress as follows: For violations in the Department of Law, to the Attorney General; for violations in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, to the Lieutenant Governor; for violations otherwise in the executive branch, to the appropriate cabinet secretary; for violations in the State Corporation Commission, to a judge of the commission; for violations in the Department of Workers' Compensation, to the Chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission; for violations in the legislative branch of government, to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor; for violations in the judicial branch, to the chief judge of the circuit court or to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Where the violation cannot be timely resolved by this petition, the commissioner shall bring the matter to the Governor for resolution.
C. Where abatement of a violation will require the appropriation of funds, the commissioner shall cooperate with the appropriate agency head in seeking such an appropriation; where the commissioner determines that an emergency exists, the commissioner shall petition the governor for funds from the Civil Contingency Fund or other appropriate source.
Statutory Authority
§§ 40.1-6 and 40.1-22 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR425-02-95 § 6.5, eff. July 1, 1994; amended, Virginia Register Volume 22, Issue 25, eff. September 21, 2006.