POLICY & MANAGEMENT

February 2024

 

December 2023

September 2017

April 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.

December 2015

Testimony at the California Assembly’s legislative hearing on Latino worker deaths and injuries on November 19, 2015 in Los Angeles:

August 2015

July 2015

February 2015

January 2015

October 2014

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

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.