SACRAMENTO/SAN FRANCISCO - The State Compensation Insurance Fund’s Information Technology Safety Committee and Risk Management Corporate Loss Control Representative Richard Bruglia have each been awarded the Governor's Employee Safety Awards (GESA) for their outstanding efforts to promote workplace safety.

Bruglia was honored with the ‘Individual Award for Excellence in Occupational Safety’ and State Fund’s Information Technology Safety Committee received the ‘Group Award for Outstanding Safety Efforts.’

“We are honored that State Fund employees are receiving such exceptional recognition,” said State Fund Acting President Jim Tudor. “The Governor’s Award is a prestigious award in the field of workplace safety and underscores State Fund’s commitment to workplace safety.”
 
Bruglia was nominated for his work in researching, planning and implementing State Fund’s statewide automated external defibrillator (AED) program. Responding to the health and safety concerns of over 8,000 employees, Bruglia conducted site surveys of all State Fund locations throughout the state to determine the adequate number of AED units for all locations. He trained site coordinators at each location in the installation of the units, established monthly inspection procedures, and created tools to maintain and comply with State Fund’s AED program. He also developed training material for State Fund’s Risk Management intranet site. To date, Bruglia has placed 124 units in 37 locations and coordinated the training of approximately 1,200 State Fund employees.

State Fund’s Information Technology Safety Committee initiated and coordinated an extensive range of projects designed to promote employee safety. Their efforts included defensive drivers’ training; the creation of an internal website to communicate emergency procedures and safety practices; safety orientation training for all new or transferred employees; and training on how to assist disabled employees to use a transport chair. They also held a contest to promote and reinforce safety practices and promoted safety fairs that provided valuable information on ergonomics, wellness, earthquake preparedness, street safety and other safety awareness tips.  

State Fund’s Information Technology Safety Committee members recognized for their safety efforts include Julie Dean, David Delgadillo, Harcharan Dhillon, Audrey Dillard, Landers Harris, Steve Jump, Alice Leon, Aurora Montenegro, Chinh Nguyen, Kathy Paxton and Alicia Rodriguez.

The Governor's Employee Safety Awards program was launched in 1980 in order to recognize individuals and groups of employees who distinguish themselves through outstanding safety and health service to the state. Awards have been presented for saving lives, responding to hazardous events, and for developing safety programs that were not part of the person's normal duties. The awards presented are for projects and events completed during the previous calendar year. A formal awards presentation will take place at the campus of California State University, Sacramento on August 18, 2006.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Established by the California Legislature in 1914, State Compensation Insurance Fund guarantees the availability of workers' compensation coverage at cost to all California employers and competes fairly with private carriers. State Fund is a wholly self-supporting non-profit enterprise that serves as a moderating and stabilizing influence on California's workers' compensation insurance system.