Chap. 292.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section 1830, as heretofore amended, of
the Code of Virginia, relating to safety appliances and to the powers of the
Commissioner of Labor with reference thereto. [HB 218]

Approved March 28, 1940

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That
section eighteen hundred and thirty, as heretofore amended, of the
Code of Virginia, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 1830. Safety appliances; powers of Commissioner of
Labor.—The owner or person in charge of a factory, shop, manufac-
turing establishment, where machinery is used, shall provide, in the
discretion of the Commissioner of Labor, belt shifters or other me-
chanical contrivances for the purpose of throwing on or off belts on
pulleys. Whenever practicable, all machinery shall be provided with
loose pulleys. All vats, pits, floor openings, elevators, cogs, gearing,
belting, shafting, set screws, and machines and parts thereof shall be
properly guarded; provided that the word pits as herein used shall
not apply to engine and cinder pits of railroads, pits incidental to the
operation of saw mills, and grease pits at filling stations and garages.
No person shall remove or make ineffective any safeguard around or
attached to machinery, vats, or elevators while the same are in use,
unless for the purpose of immediately making repairs thereto, and all
such safeguards so removed shall be promptly replaced. If a machine
or any part thereof is in a dangerous condition, or is not properly
guarded, notice thereof shall be given to the manager or owner in
charge of such operation, and unless such machinery is repaired or
made safe within thirty days after such notice, the use thereof may be
prohibited by the Commissioner of Labor and a notice to that effect
shall be attached thereto. Such notice shall not be removed until the
machine is made safe and the required safeguards are provided, and
in the meantime such unsafe or dangerous machinery shall not be
used. When in the opinion of the Commissioner of Labor it is neces-
sary, the work rooms, halls and stairs leading to the work rooms shall
be properly lighted; and in cities of the first class, if deemed necessary
by the Commissioner of Labor, a proper light shall be kept burning
by the owner or lessee in the public hallways, near the stairs upon the
entrance floor and upon the other floors on every workday in the
year, from the time when the building is opened for the use in the
morning until the time it is closed in the evening, except at times
when the influx of natural light shall make artificial lig’1t unnecessary.
Such lights shall be independent of the motive power of such factory.
None of the provisions of this section shall apply to machinery being
operated on farms in connection with the production, harvesting or
processing of agricultural products.