AZASSP Technical Meeting FY27-01

Join Arizona’s top occupational safety and health leaders for an interactive panel discussion on current and emerging initiatives impacting workplaces across the state. This session brings together the Chairman of the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA), the Director of the Industrial Commission of Arizona, the Chief of the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH), and the Chairman of the Arizona OSHA Advisory Committee to provide updates on regulatory priorities, enforcement trends, outreach and education efforts, legislative developments, and collaborative initiatives designed to improve worker safety and health. Participants will have the opportunity to hear directly from state leadership, gain insight into upcoming changes affecting employers and safety professionals, and engage in a moderated question-and-answer discussion.

This event is approved for 0.1 CEUs! You will receive a redemption code after attending the event (virtually or in person) to your ASSP profile.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand current Arizona occupational safety and health initiatives, regulatory priorities, and enforcement trends affecting employers throughout the state.
• Identify upcoming programs, resources, and collaborative efforts led by the Industrial Commission of Arizona and ADOSH to support workplace safety and health.
• Discuss emerging occupational safety and health issues with Arizona’s regulatory leadership and apply insights to improve organizational compliance and worker protection.

AZASSP Chapter President, Amber Pappas, will be the moderator for this event.

Panelist Bio: Tony Dominguez is a Safety Program Coordinator for the City of Chandler, bringing 28 years of safety experience across both construction and general industries. An advocate for workplace safety, Tony manages comprehensive safety, occupational health, and loss prevention programs to protect municipal employees. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Community Health from New Mexico State University and actively helps shape regional safety policies and practices. Since 2019, Tony has served on the ADOSH Advisory Committee, where he currently serves as Chairperson.

Panelist Bio: Dennis Kavanagh has served as Chairman of the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) since April 2023 and was appointed to the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) Regulations Committee in 2025. With more than four decades of experience in workers’ compensation law, he has held several key leadership positions within the ICA, including Chief Counsel, where he oversaw legal operations, represented the Commission before Arizona courts, drafted legislation and procedural rules, and advised on occupational safety, labor, and workers’ compensation matters. Following his tenure with the ICA, he spent more than 30 years in private practice specializing in workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability law. He earned his law degree from Arizona State University and has been recognized as a certified specialist in workers’ compensation law for over three decades.

In addition to his legal career, Chairman Kavanagh has an extensive record of public service. He served four terms on the Mesa City Council, including two terms as Vice Mayor, and has chaired or served on numerous regional, state, and national boards focused on transportation, the arts, economic development, and historic preservation. His continued community involvement includes leadership roles with several nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and foundations throughout Arizona. In recognition of his longstanding contributions to public service and the Mesa community, he was honored as Mesa’s Man of the Year in 2015.

Panelist Bio: Gaetano Testini was appointed by Governor Hobbs as the Director of the Industrial Commission of Arizona in September 2024. Prior to this appointment he served the Industrial Commission of Arizona as the Chief Counsel, and as an Administrative Law Judge. He is certified by the State Bar of Arizona as a workers’ compensation specialist, and currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board. Mr. Testini served on the State Bar of Arizona’s Board of Governors. He is a 2010-2011 graduate of the State Bar of Arizona’s Bar Leadership Institute, and the inaugural class of the Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy and has returned to the program as an instructor. Mr. Testini serves as an adjunct professor for Grand Canyon University, and for Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law.

Panelist Bio: Bryce Rucker serves as the Interim Chief of the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH). Since joining ADOSH more than 15 years ago, he has held leadership roles across compliance, consultation, and voluntary programs, demonstrating a strong commitment to advancing workplace safety and health throughout Arizona. Prior to his appointment as Interim Chief, Bryce served as Deputy Director of Voluntary Programs after previously leading ADOSH’s Consultation Division, where he worked collaboratively with employers to strengthen safety and health management systems while promoting regulatory compliance and worker protection.