The California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
was created as part of the 1993 workers' compensation reforms
by Senate Bill 1005, enacted on July 27, 1993 and effective January
1, 1994.
SB 1005 enacted California Labor Code Sections 75 through 78,
abolishing the former Health and Safety Commission and creating
the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
in its place.
The Commission is charged with overseeing the health and safety
and workers' compensation systems in California and recommending
administrative or legislative modifications to improve their operation.
The Commission was established to conduct a continuing examination
of the workers' compensation system and of the state's activities
to prevent industrial injuries and occupational diseases and to
examine those programs in other states.
The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
is comprised of eight members, four from organized labor and four
representing employers.
The Governor appoints two organized labor representatives and
two employer representatives; one of the employer members represents
public agencies. The Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules
Committee each appoint two members, one each from labor and employers.
The Commission members elect a Chairman, alternating between
labor and employer members, for a one-year term.
All official actions of the Commission require a majority vote,
including at least two votes from members representing organized
labor and at least two votes from members representing employers.
The Commission members are:
James J. Hlawek
1997 Commission Chairman
County Administrative Officer, County of San Bernardino
Appointed by the Governor to represent public agency employers
Leonard McLeod
Appointed by the Governor to represent labor
Gerald O'Hara
Appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly to represent labor
Tom Rankin
1996 Commission Chairman
President, California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
Appointed by the Senate Rules Committee to represent labor
Kristen Schwenkmeyer
Appointed by the Senate Rules Committee to represent employers
Robert B. Steinberg
Appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly to represent employers
Darrel "Shorty" Thacker
Appointed by the Governor to represent labor
Gregory Vach
Appointed by the Governor to represent employers
Commission meetings were held as follows in 1996 and 1997:
| January 18, 1996 | Los Angeles |
| March 14, 1996 | Sacramento |
| April 18 & 19, 1996 CHSWC Educational Program: Challenges in California Workers' Compensation: A Symposium | San Francisco |
| May 23, 1996 | Los Angeles |
| September 16, 1996 | Los Angeles |
| November 15, 1996 | San Diego |
| February 20, 1997 CHSWC Fact-Finding Hearing: Workers' Compensation Anti-Fraud Activities | Los Angeles |
| April 24, 1997 | Sacramento |
| June 19, 1997 | Los Angeles |
| July 25, 1997 | San Diego |
| September 18, 1997 | Sacramento |
The Commission is planning to meet:
| November 21, 1997 CHSWC Community Forum: Summit on California Workers' Compensation Permanent Disability | South San Francisco |
| December 18. 1997 | Sacramento |
Commission's Approach to Monitoring Effects of Reform
As described in this Annual Report, the Commission has taken several
approaches to monitor the effects of the workers' compensation
reform legislation. The Commission's goal is to evaluate situations
from all perspectives to achieve an equitable, well run system
to benefit all. Commission activities include:
Community Service and Outreach
Participation in Community Activities
The Commission has participated in task forces, special studies and other activities conducted by others in the workers' compensation community. Commission members and executive officer have made presentations at various meetings of the community, including:
At its inception in 1994, pursuant to Labor Code Section 77(b),
the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
assumed the duties of the former Health and Safety Commission.
These duties included completing the process of awarding of grants
to employers and/or employee organizations for Injury and Illness
Prevention Programs (IIPP).
Nine grant projects totaling $503,655.87 were awarded by the Commission
in 1994 for Injury and Illness Prevention Programs. Of the nine
organizations receiving grant monies, seven have submitted their
completed project reports and products. The remaining two grantees
are expected to submit their final products by December 1997.
All products such as training videos and manuals produced with
Health and Safety Grant funds are maintained in a library and
available to the public for viewing upon request. None of these
products are copyrighted and can be duplicated as needed. A catalog
of grant products is available by contacting the Commission.
Requests for grant products (and other health and safety material)
may be directed to:
CHSWC Internet Guide to Health and Safety and Workers'
Compensation Courses
As a public service, the Commission developed and maintains an
extensive curriculum of college-level health and safety and workers'
compensation classes at its web site on the Internet.
This free service provides the name of the college or university,
information on degree and certification programs and admission
processes, course names and descriptions, schedule of classes,
tuition costs (if any), and referrals and/or instructions on how
to obtain additional information. The data base, updated periodically
to incorporate additions to and changes in classes and schedules,
contains information on programs, certificates, and/or classes
in hazardous materials, environmental technology, health and safety,
workers' compensation, ergonomics, and related topics.
In addition, the Commission will provide a compendium of this
data base information in printed form for those members of the
public without access to the Internet.
The Commission website also provides links to California colleges
with websites, including the University of California system,
the California State University system and 85 community colleges.
CHSWC Programs for the Community
The Commission has evolved in its role to provide a means of enabling
the health and safety and workers' compensation community
to come together, discuss, and work to resolve important programmatic
and systemic issues.
In addition to its regular meetings which are open to the public,
the Commission has presented several public forums which have
been very well received. The Commission is gratified to note
that the community urges a continuation of these endeavors.
These CHSWC public forums include a fact-finding hearing on permanent
disability in 1995 and an educational program "Challenges
in California Workers' Compensation: A Symposium"
in 1996. Further information about those programs may be found
in the CHSWC 1995-96 Annual Report.
In February 1997, the Commission hosted a "Fact-Finding
Hearing on Workers' Compensation Anti-Fraud Activities"
Findings from the hearing are discussed in the "Fraud"
section in this report.
In November 1997, the Commission will host a public forum to discuss
the preliminary findings of the CHSWC sponsored study by RAND
of the permanent disability system in California. This "Summit
on California Workers' Compensation Permanent Disability"
is further discussed in the "Permanent Disability"
section of this report.
In 1998, the Commission plans to hold several events focused on
providing information to injured workers.
Information about the Commission
For further information about the Commission and its activities:
Write to:
Telephone: 415-557-1304 FAX: 415-557-1385
Internet:
Information about CHSWC and its activities are contained in publications
available at no charge to the public. Most CHSWC publications
are accessible at www.dir.ca.gov on the Internet.
Commission publications are available upon written or faxed request
to the Commission. One copy of any or all of the following CHSWC
publications will be provided at no charge.
Commission publications may be reproduced for further distribution,
with appropriate attribution to CHSWC.
CHSWC Publications currently available include:
Commission Issue Papers
Commission Study Reports
Commission Grant Product Catalog
* Please note: This item is not available at the
CHSWC web site on the Internet
Organization Chart
Executive Summary: Findings and Recommendations
Section I The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
Section II Reform Legislation Impact on the Workers' Compensation
Community
Section III Workers' Compensation Issues
Section IV Health and Safety Issues
Section V Program and Agency Operations