Contractor Safety Program Definitions
Capital project: A project whose total project cost exceeds $3,000,000 and/or the construction of 5,000 square feet or more.
Competent Person: As related to excavation/trenching/shoring, one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings, or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has the authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Confined space: A space that is large enough for a person to enter, that has limited means of egress, and this is not designed for continuous human occupancy. Examples include tanks, vessels, vaults, pits, bins, hoppers, silos, etc.
Contracting department: The department at the university that is contracting, coordinating, or approving the work to be performed by a contractor.
Contractor: An entity or agency employed by the university to perform the installation or maintenance of equipment, or the renovation or construction of a building, room, or space on university property, or that provides services to the university on university property including, but not limited to, vending and the supply and erection of tents.
Friable asbestos: Any material containing greater than 1% asbestos that is capable of being reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry, or a non-friable asbestos material that is subject to grinding, sanding, cutting, or abrading, or that is otherwise rendered friable by other means.
Lockout/tagout: The control of a hazardous energy source(s) by means of de-energization, application of an isolation device, lock, and tag for the purposes of personnel protection.
Non-capital Project: A project whose total project cost is less than $3,000,000 and/or the construction of 5,000 square feet or more.
Serious, Willful Safety Violation: A work activity with a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and where the hazard was known or should have been known, but the work activity was continued regardless of the existence of the safety hazard.
TCLP: Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, an EPA test used to characterize waste streams (for lead) as either hazardous or non-hazardous for the purpose of disposal.
University Project Manager/Coordinator: The representative from Virginia Tech that coordinates the work of the architect/engineer related to construction and/or renovation projects.