First-in-Nation Worker Virus Safety Rule Adopted in Virginia (1)

A Virginia regulatory panel has approved an emergency temporary standard that requires employers to establish coronavirus protections plans, making the state the first in the U.S. to enact such a rule during the pandemic.

The rule, which the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board approved Wednesday by a 9-2 vote, is slated to take effect the week of July 27, once it is published in a Richmond newspaper, as required under state law. Covered employers will then have 30 days to train or notify workers about methods for avoiding coronavirus infections and to provide protective gear and equipment. The ...