Over the last few years, Providence Publications has been recognized for journalistic excellence by three of the major trade associations. The Newsletter on Newsletters, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Specialized Information Publishers Association (SIPA)have recognized Workers’ Comp Executive and Cal-OSHA Reporter for their work in numerous categories including government service, public service, and breaking news.
2013
When the Senate Rules Committee conducted a confirmation hearing for Department of Industrial Relations Director Christine Baker and Division of Workers’ Compensation Administrator Rosa Moran, Workers’ Comp Executive brought cameras to the hearing room. Capitol Correspondent Bess Shapiro provided the wind up with the Capitol Building as a backdrop before moving to the hearing room to capture the action. Using two cameras, Workers’ Comp Executive’s video team filmed both the nominees and the committee members.
Combining Bess Shapiro’s narration with the seamless splicing together of important video clips, Workers’ Comp Executive was able to capture the essence of a two hour long confirmation hearing in a four and a half minute segment.
Reporter: Bess Shapiro
Video staff: Robbie Lynn, Nick Hurley, Cameron Congdon
Title: And the Ayes Have It
Contest: Specialized Information Publishers Association
Category: Best Use of Video
Place: 3rd
Following a rash of worker deaths and injuries in confined spaces California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) launched a special emphasis program and Cal-OSHA Reporter brought out the cameras to bring the news to subscribers. Cal-OSHA Reporter’s crack video team shot live interviews of experts as DOSH and the Oakland Fire Department teamed up to demonstrate confined space hazards, prevention techniques and the importance of rescue plans.
Breaking down the interviews, reporter Kevin Thompson and the Cal-OSHA Reporter’s video staff put together the most important segments of expert interviews with the Oakland Fire Department demonstrations serving as a backdrop. Kevin’s detailed coverage combined with the relative footage of experts and live demonstrations provided an informative video package for Cal-OSHA Reporter subscribers on an important topic.
Reporter: Kevin Thompson
Video staff: Robbie Lynn, Nick Hurley, Cameron Congdon
Title: Widess: There is No Room for Error
Contest: Specialized Information Publishers Association
Category: Best Use of Video
Place: 2nd
2012
When California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health landed on Napa State Hospital with an alleged willful/serious violation of the hospital’s injury and illness prevention program, following the death of a psych tech at the hands of a patient, Cal-OSHA Reporter was there to bring a major occupational safety issue to life. Reporter Kevin Thompson followed up on his award winning work exposing the weaknesses in the system including the hospital’s failure to adequately follow its own safety procedures. In addition, thanks in no small part to Cal-OSHA Reporter’s well regarded coverage at the Capitol, the Legislature commenced hearings with the DOSH chief Ellen Widess to discuss how to improve safety at the state hospitals.
Reporter: Kevin Thompson
Title: Napa State Hospital Hit with Willful Violations in Psych Tech’s Death
Follow up: Panel Looks at State Hospital Safety
Contest: Specialized Information Publishers Association
Category: Best Spot News or Single News Story
Place: 2nd
Heat illness is a serious matter in California’s occupational safety and health community, especially in the expansive and important agricultural industry. Cal-OSHA followed through on this mission by enhancing its written coverage with a video news story of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s campaign to stamp out heat illness. Cal-OSHA Reporter’s video team captured the experts discussing the importance of heat illness prevention and what DOSH plans to do about it. Editor Kevin Thompson delivered a news story interspersed with relevant clips of DOSH personnel including Ellen Widess, the new chief of DOSH, representatives of trade associations and labor representatives.
Reporter: Kevin Thompson
Video crew: Robbie Lynn, Cameron Congdon
Title: Meeting Heat in Modesto
Contest: Specialized Information Publishers Association
Category: Best Use of Video
Place: 3rd
2011
When a nurse was killed at Napa State Hospital by a patient who was also a convicted felon, the safety standards at these facilities came under intense scrutiny. But even before this, a nurse at the facility contacted Kevin Thompson at Cal-OSHA Reporter telling him on the record about how dangerous conditions at the facility really were. Other nurses corroborated instances of violence against staff by inmates and their inability to properly deal with it. As a result of the deaths and violence, legislators have introduced bills applying additional safety standards at these facilities.
Reporter: Kevin Thompson
Title: “Staffers Say Safety and Napa State Hospital Is “Snake Pit,” “Catch-22” and “Cuckoo’s Nest” Rolled into One”
Contest: Specialized Information Publishers Association
Category: Best Investigative Reporting
Place: Honorable Mention
Cal-OSHA Reporter editor Kevin Thompson and Publisher J Dale Debber collaborated on an editorial targeting a member of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board who was derelict in his duty. The Cal/OSHA Standards Board sets important safety standards for California industries. In a hard hitting editorial that appeared in both print and video, Debber pointed out that Jose Moreno represented labor interests on the board, yet he missed 28 out of 37 meetings. When a crucial vote regarding heat standards came up Moreno’s absence on that day caused the vote to fail, a crushing blow to labor representatives. These revelations not only led to Moreno’s resignation, but his loss in a union election.
Reporters: J Dale Debber, Kevin Thompson
Title: The Missing Mr. Moreno Must Move
Contest: Newsletter on Newsletters
Category: Best Governmental Reporting
Place: 1st
Cal-OSHA Reporter editor Kevin Thompson and Publisher J Dale Debber collaborated on an editorial targeting a member of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board who was derelict in his duty. The Cal/OSHA Standards Board sets important safety standards for California industries. In a hard hitting editorial that appeared in both print and video, Debber pointed out that Jose Moreno represented labor interests on the board, yet he missed 28 out of 37 meetings. When a crucial vote regarding heat standards came up Moreno’s absence on that day caused the vote to fail, a crushing blow to labor representatives. These revelations not only led to Moreno’s resignation, but his loss in a union election.
Reporters: J Dale Debber, Kevin Thompson
Title: The Missing Mr. Moreno Must Move
Contest: Newsletter on Newsletters
Category: Award for Public Service
Place: 1st
2010
When a nurse was killed at Napa State Hospital by a patient who was also a convicted felon, the safety standards at these facilities came under intense scrutiny. But even before this, a nurse at the facility contacted Kevin Thompson at Cal-OSHA Reporter telling him on the record about how dangerous conditions at the facility really were. Other nurses corroborated instances of violence against staff by inmates and their inability to properly deal with it. As a result of the deaths and violence, legislators have introduced bills applying additional safety standards at these facilities.
Reporter: Kevin Thompson
Title: “Staffers Say Safety and Napa State Hospital Is “Snake Pit,” “Catch-22” and “Cuckoo’s Nest” Rolled into One”
Contest: Society of Professional Journalists
Category: Public Service Newsletter Journalism
Place: 1st
2009
When Cal-OSHA Reporter found out that a Walmart employee contracted Hepatitis B, the search was on to find the cause. Reporter/ editor Kevin Thompson revealed, Walmart had not taken the proper steps to address needle sticks by tagging guns and was seemingly unaware that it was a problem. Getting stuck by a tagging gun was just considered part of the job. Once the issue came to light, Walmart cooperated with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to address the hazard immediately including issuing individual tagging guns to employees. Walmart was cited for several health and safety violations including allegedly failing to maintain a Sharps Injury Log of exposure incidents and for failing to provide hand protection to employees using tagging guns. DOSH proposed more than $16,000 in penalties.
Reporter: Kevin Thompson
Title: Walmart Tagged by Needle Sticks
Contest: Society of Professional Journalists
Category: Public Service Newsletter Journalism
Place: 1st
The Cal-OSHA Reporter News Digest is a daily aggregation of news stories throughout the country that informs Cal-OSHA Reporter’s readers on important health and safety developments in other states. Digest editor Rick Waldinger with the help of Cal-OSHA Reporter editor Kevin Thompson summarizes each news story, so their busy readers can get a quick synopsis. Each summary also includes a link to the story for more information. The news digest enjoys a readership of 20,000.
Editors: Rick Waldinger, Kevin Thompson
Contest: Newsletter on Newsletters
Category: Best Free Net-Letter
Place: 2nd
News Releases and Articles
The Newsletter On Newsletters Awards Providence Publications Top Journalism Award For Second Consecutive Year
Providence Publications takes home journalism awards
Workers’ Comp Executive Wins NL/NL’s Top Journalism Award for Reporting That Opened Records and Meetings of California Agency