All Virginia career and technical education (CTE) courses are governed by the policies set forth by the Virginia General Assembly and the Department of Education (DOE). It is imperative that all students be tested prior to touching any tool. All instructors should have written documentation of this testing for each student in their lab. Students should always be closely monitored even after passing a safety check. Instructors are also required to maintain and inspect equipment prior to student use. Each school division has their own policy on machine use and maintenance. Contact your CTE supervisor to find out the rules for your county.
With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.
OSHA has safety certification for 10 and 30 hour courses. These certifications are helpful to students who are pursuing construction jobs. VATIE offers OSHA training courses at their summer conference. Instructors are not required to become OSHA certified but the OSHA regulations are to be followed in the classroom.