The staff was another important problem. The agency had not occupied 32% of its positions last year, but the vacancies were more serious when enforcing, where 81% were not occupied by critical industrial hygienist positions.
Grant Parks of the California State Auditor told the legislators that the agency needs enough employees, clear guidelines and systems to monitor the performance of the employees.
“The problems with which Cal-Osha is confronted are really a kind of three-legged chair,” said Parks. “And in our opinion we have not fully developed any of these three legs.”
The Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-LOSS Angeles, Chairman of the Senate Committee for Labor, Employment and Permanements, said that the necessary changes to the legislators must ensure that the laws in the area of CAL/OSHA must be implemented.
“It is incredible that an agency that has been around for decades has no legs for her stool,” she said.
Lee, a 30-year-old employee at Cal/Osha before she was appointed Governor Gavin Newsom to lead the agency in 2024, sometimes seemed nervous and loud in her answers. At some point she referred to a manual before answering a question from Ortega when the agency refers to cases for law enforcement.
Ortega repeatedly quoted three workers who died after they were crushed by machines in a metal production and recycling system in their district without sufficient consequences for the employer.
“When do you decide that it is time to hold an employer to account? Is it after the first death? Is it the second death? Is it after the third death?” Asked Ortega.
Lee quoted related labor codes, however, admitted that the agency does not yet have a clear guideline for the transfer of cases to the lawyers of the district lawyers.
“I recognize the results and its recommendations of the audit, which makes it clear and sure that improvements are required for Cal/Osha,” said Lee. “My priority is to improve the life of the California employees and enable employers to offer a safe job. In fact, after my leadership, Cal/Osha already worked to fix problems that were identified by the state auditor.”
Records show that the agency has increasingly exhibited stiffly punishments against the Alco Iron & Metal Co. based in San Leandro. It is unclear whether the company paid the fines. Cal/Osha did not answer inquiries immediately to receive further information.
In an e -mail, Michael Bercovic, Chief Operating Officer at Alco Iron & Metal, refused to comment on the two recent deaths that are still being examined and in legal proceedings. He said that the 2017 accident was caused by the design error of a manufacturer in the equipment that crushed the worker.
“The employee's family filed a lawsuit against the equipment manufacturer and reached an agreement before the legal proceedings,” he said.
Cal/Osha has prioritized the attitude and, according to Lee, reduced the total valuation rate to 12% this year. The job offers are still higher, and 30% of the positions of field personnel are not staffed, said a spokesman.
The agency modernizes the company with a new electronic data management system, which spokesman Daniel Lopez described as the “largest technology project” in the history of Cal/Osha. Officials said it would help collect and standardize information.
The state auditor's office plans to pursue the progress of Cal/Osha next month.