POLICY & MANAGEMENT
February 2024
- “Debra Lee appointed Cal/OSHA Acting Chief,” Department of Industrial Relations memo, January 18, 2024
December 2023
- “Reorganization, Expansion, and Restructuring of the Enforcement Branch,” DOSH Chief Jeff Killip, May 11, 2023
September 2017
- DOSH Headquarters memorandum on increased civil penalties, September 12, 2017
April 2017
- Labor-Enviro Coalition letter to DIR regarding PSM revisions, March 1, 2017
- Labor-Enviro Coalition letter to Cal/EPA regarding PSM revisions, March 29, 2017
January 2017
Letters from California labor organizations to the Cal/OSHA Standards Board and to the Department of Industrial Relations related to revisions to the Process Safety Management standard to protect oil refinery workers, and DIR efforts to weaken worker protections.
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- Labor Coalition letter to DIR regarding PSM revisions, December 21, 2016
- Labor Coalition letter to DIR regarding PSM revisions, November 10, 2016
- Labor Coalition letter to the Cal/OSHA Standards Board, September 2, 2016
- Explanation of Labor Coalition proposals to revise the PSM standard, September 2, 2016
December 2015
Testimony at the California Assembly’s legislative hearing on Latino worker deaths and injuries on November 19, 2015 in Los Angeles:
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- Post-Hearing Report by the California Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment
- Testimony from the Department of Industrial Relations
- Testimony from WorkSafe
- Testimony from UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH)
- Testimony from the Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (SoCalCOSH)
- Post-Hearing Report by the California Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment
August 2015
July 2015
- Fed OSHA FY 2014 FAME Rpt on DOSH
- Fed OSHA’s June 26th letter in response to the CASPA filed by PEER
- DIR’s July 7th response to the Fed OSHA letter on the PEER CASPA
- New members of the Cal/OSHA Advisory Committee as of August 2015
February 2015
January 2015
October 2014
- Text of DIR Budget Change Proposal BCP 14-02, PSM Unit Expansion
- Text of DIR Budget Change proposal BCP 14-03, Cal/OSHA Unfunded Positions
- Program of DIR December 2014 event
July 2014
Two memos from Acting Chief Juliann Sum about improving productivity (July 2, 2014) and canceling the May 27th memo from Estakhri (July 18, 2014).
May 2014
Memo from Acting Deputy Chief for Enforcement William Estakhri redefining the criteria for “high profile cases” and requiring expanded reporting to DOSH Headquarters and to the DIR Office of the Director.
April 2014
“Whistleblower” complaint file with the California State Auditor by Garrett Brown regarding misuse of Cal/OSHA’s funds by the Department of Industrial Relations.
March 2014
Letter from former Cal/OSHA Training Coordinator Jack Oudiz to the Cal/OSHA Reporter regarding Cal/OSHA staffing.
February 2014
Letter from former Cal/OSHA Chief Ellen Widess to Governor Jerry Brown and Labor Secretary David Lanier regarding Cal/OSHA staffing.
Memo by Garrett Brown on Cal/OSHA’s understaffing and the adverse impact on worker protections in California.
September 2013
Cal/OSHA Chief Ellen Widess is forced to resign as Chief; media coverage and statements from labor and employer stakeholders.
March 2013
- The positive impact of Cal/OSHA’s work – DOSH’s Positive Impact
November 2011
Reports with the results of the statewide “Listening Tour” conducted by Peter Riley and Garrett Brown describing the state of Cal/OSHA at the start of the Brown Administration.
October 2011
“Urgent Hiring” memos from Cal/OSHA Chief Ellen Widess to Department of Industrial Relations Director Christine Baker.
September 2011
Memo from Cal/OSHA Chief Ellen Widess on critical vacancies in Cal/OSHA.
October 2010
Cal/OSHA staff comments on findings of Fed OSHA audit.
March 2010
Department of Industrial Relations announces it will conduct an “audit” of all non-work, after-hours “teaching, training and presentation activities” of all Cal/OSHA professional staff. After a firestorm of criticism, DIR scales back its “audit.”
Letters to the Department of Industrial Relations opposing the “audit” of Cal/OSHA staff’s after-hours activities from the Professional Engineers in California Government, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Media coverage of the Department of Industrial Relations “audit” of Cal/OSHA staff’s after-hours activities by EHS Today, Cal/OSHA Reporter, The Pump Handle blog.
June 2009
Open letter to Cal/OSHA Appeals Board from 47 Cal/OSHA staff regarding improper scheduling and forced settlement policies of the Board; materials from the California State Senate Labor Committee hearing on this issue; and materials from an August 2009 Appeals Board meeting on continuing problems.
“Exit Interview” by 25-year veteran Jack Oudiz upon his retirement with analysis of obstacles to Cal/OSHA being able to meet its mission and mandate.
July 2006
Open letter to Labor Secretary Victoria Bradshaw from 70 Cal/OSHA staff regarding pay disparities between industrial hygiene and safety engineer job classifications.
April 2002
Report by the California Association of Professional Scientists (CAPS) and Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) unions describing the state of Cal/OSHA in 2002 (“EGIP II”).
November 2001
Memo to CAPS union from Garrett Brown on DOSH staffing and performance in advance of Legislative Hearings on Cal/OSHA.
August 1999
Report from the “Employee-Generated Improvement Project” (EGIP) initiated by an open letter of Cal/OSHA staff to Chief John Howard with suggestions for improving the Division’s performance.
