C. Ray Davenport, Commissioner, Virginia Labor and Industry v. G.D.C., Inc.

**Virginia Safety Official Wins Case Against Company Over Power Line Violations** This case involved a dispute between Virginia's workplace safety commissioner and G.D.C., Inc. over serious violations of state laws designed to protect workers around dangerous overhead power lines. The commissioner had issued citations against the company for breaking Virginia's Overhead High Voltage Line Safety Act, but a lower court had dismissed these citations. The Virginia Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the safety commissioner, overturning the lower court's dismissal. The appeals court found that the trial court had made a mistake by using the wrong legal standards when evaluating the case. Instead of applying workplace safety regulations, the lower court had incorrectly used tort law (personal injury law) standards. The appeals court sent the case back to be properly reviewed under the correct safety regulations. This decision matters for workers because it reinforces that workplace safety laws have their own standards that are separate from personal injury laws. When safety officials cite companies for violations, courts must evaluate these cases using safety regulations, not other types of legal standards. This helps ensure that workplace safety laws maintain their intended strength in protecting workers from hazardous conditions.