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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85981</law_id><section_number>40.1-51.1</section_number><catch_line>Duties of employers</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>40.1-49.3</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="40.1">Labor and Employment</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Protection of Employees</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="5">Safety Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It shall be the duty of every <span class="dictionary">employer</span> to furnish to each of his <span class="dictionary">employees</span> safe employment and a place of employment that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his <span class="dictionary">employees</span> and to comply with all applicable occupational safety and health rules and regulations promulgated under this title. <a id="paragraph-307947" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/40.1-51.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Every <span class="dictionary">employer</span> shall provide to <span class="dictionary">employees</span>, by such suitable means as shall be prescribed in rules and regulations of the Safety and Health Codes <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, information regarding their exposure to toxic <span class="dictionary">materials</span> or harmful physical agents and prompt information when they are exposed to concentration or levels of toxic <span class="dictionary">materials</span> or harmful physical agents in excess of those prescribed by the applicable safety and health standards and shall provide <span class="dictionary">employees</span> or their representatives with the opportunity to observe monitoring or measuring of exposures. Every <span class="dictionary">employer</span> shall also inform any <span class="dictionary">employee</span> who is being exposed of the corrective action being taken and shall provide former <span class="dictionary">employees</span> with access to information about their exposure to toxic <span class="dictionary">materials</span> or harmful physical agents. <a id="paragraph-307948" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/40.1-51.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Every <span class="dictionary">employer</span> cited for a violation of any safety and health provisions of this title or standards, rules, and regulations promulgated thereunder shall post a copy of such <span class="dictionary">citation</span> at the site of the violations so noted as prescribed in the rules and regulations of the Safety and Health Codes <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. <a id="paragraph-307949" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/40.1-51.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Every <span class="dictionary">employer</span> shall report to the Virginia <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Labor and Industry within eight hours any work-related incident resulting in a fatality or within 24 hours any work-related incident resulting in (i) the inpatient hospitalization of one or more persons, (ii) an amputation, or (iii) the loss of an eye, as prescribed in the rules and regulations of the Safety and Health Codes <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. <a id="paragraph-307950" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/40.1-51.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Every <span class="dictionary">employer</span>, through posting of notices or other appropriate means, shall keep his <span class="dictionary">employees</span> informed of their rights and responsibilities under this title and of specific safety and health standards applicable to his <span class="dictionary">business establishment</span>. <a id="paragraph-307951" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/40.1-51.1/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> An <span class="dictionary">employer</span> representative shall be given the opportunity to accompany the safety and health inspectors on safety or health inspections. <a id="paragraph-307952" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/40.1-51.1/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers and duties of Commissioner" href="/40.1-6/">40.1-6</a> or the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Safety and Health Codes Commission continued as Safety and Health Codes Board" href="/40.1-22/">40.1-22</a> to promulgate necessary rules and regulations to protect and promote the safety and health of <span class="dictionary">employees</span>. <a id="paragraph-307953" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/40.1-51.1/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1972, c. 602; 1973, c. 425; 1976, c. 607; 1979, c. 354; 1995, c. 373; 2015, c. 270; 2016, c. 336.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
