{"id":"DUT-WV-011","kind":"duty","level":"state","jurisdiction":"West Virginia","state":"WV","metro":"","industry":"","agency":"","eco":"","issuer":"West Virginia Legislature (codified statute)","authority":"W. Va. Code § 21-3-1","instrument":"W. Va. Code § 21-3-1","title":"Employers to safeguard life, etc., of employees; reports and investigations of accidents; orders of commissioner","dateIssued":"2026-09-29","effective":"In force throughout 2020 Q2 to 2021 Q3","end":"standing","startDate":"2026-09-29","endDate":"","quarters":["2020Q2","2020Q3","2020Q4","2021Q1","2021Q2","2021Q3"],"types":["DUTY","EMP","COND"],"addressees":["employers (every employer in the State, public and private, other than coal-mining operations excepted by § 21-3-14); owners of places of employment, places of public assembly and public buildings"],"clause":"Every employer shall furnish employment which shall be reasonably safe... and shall do every other thing reasonably necessary to protect the life, health, safety, and welfare of such employees:... \u0027safe\u0027 or \u0027safety\u0027... shall include... conditions and methods of sanitation and hygiene reasonably necessary for the protection of the life, health, safety, or welfare of employees or the public.","enforcement":"Misdemeanor under W. Va. Code § 21-3-14: fine of $10 to $50 or imprisonment up to six months, or both, \u0027for each such offense; and each day such violation... continues shall be deemed a separate offense,\u0027 recoverable alternatively as a civil penalty (Ex. DUT-WV-012)","functions":[],"notes":"Every employer to furnish reasonably safe employment, to \u0027adopt and use methods and processes reasonably adequate to render employment and the place of employment safe,\u0027 and to \u0027do every other thing reasonably necessary to protect the life, health, safety, and welfare\u0027 of employees, \u0027safe\u0027 being defined to include \u0027conditions and methods of sanitation and hygiene\u0027 protecting \u0027employees or the public\u0027; every \u0027owner of a place of employment, place of public assembly, or a public building\u0027 to \u0027construct, repair and maintain the same as to render it reasonably safe\u0027; the Commissioner of Labor to \u0027make, modify, repeal, and enforce reasonable general orders\u0027 for the prevention of accidents.","sourceUrl":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/pdf/21-3-1/","snapshot":"","fileExists":true,"fileBytes":44822,"grade":"primary","character":"workplace_duty","description":"","collection":"DUT-WV","url":"/library/DUT-WV-011","exhibitUrl":"/exhibit/DUT-WV-011","citation":"West Virginia Legislature (codified statute), W. Va. Code § 21-3-1 (standing) (Ex. DUT-WV-011)","stateName":"West Virginia","related":["DUT-AL-009","DUT-WV-031","DUT-WV-012","DUT-WV-001","DUT-WV-002","DUT-WV-004","DUT-WV-005","DUT-WV-006","DUT-WV-007","DUT-WV-009"]}