On behalf of the Associated General Contractors of Virginia (AGCVA), Virginia’s largest and most influential construction trade organization, we urge you to rescind the Permanent Safety Standard for Infectious Disease Prevention:  SARS-CoV-2 / 16VAC25-220, which is a permanent regulatory burden for businesses based on a pandemic that will eventually end.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia’s construction companies invested heavily to keep employees and jobsites safe. While millions of fellow Americans faced unemployment and the consequences of such, many AGCVA members were able to keep employees working and do so safely. Further, the industry has complied with all government mandates and followed the science and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control.

However, the current Permanent Standard goes beyond the science-based CDC recommendations. If the board feels a full repeal is not in order, AGCVA would at a minimum urge the board to adopt the governor’s suggested amendment. This amendment will provide safeguards for employers who follow CDC guidelines, which change frequently as evidenced by this week’s updated guidance.

AGCVA represents an industry with a concerted focus on the safety and health of its workforce. Providing these companies the flexibility to adopt safety and health policies and procedures that fit each individual situation is the best way to ensure the safety of Virginia’s workers. Ensuring that employers can implement safety measures that follow CDC recommendations and in the best interest of the particular business and its employers is the safest and best path forward.