Preempted in 1972 from enforcing its laws and regulations pertaining to employee safety and health by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA), Virginia resumed enforcement activities on January 1, 1977, implementing, pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Act, a unique developmental State Plan. Virginia\u27s resumption of enforcement activity in the area of job safety and health culminated a difficult four-year effort by the legislative and executive branches of Virginia government to gain recognition from the United States Department of Labor that her regulations and the method for enforcing the regulations were at least as effective as the provisions of the Federal Act
