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An audit released Tuesday revealed that the California State University system has hazardous materials on its campuses, including faulty laboratory equipment, contaminated drinking water and asbestos.
“We found that the Chancellor’s Office has failed to sufficiently oversee health and safety on campuses,” the report, published by Sacramento's Capital Public Radio, said.
The audit looked at four California State University campuses -- Channel Islands, Sacramento, San Diego and Sonoma.
All the colleges fell short in terms of safety measures, the report said. The four campuses failed to give students adequate safety training before working in laboratories. Three of four campuses did not conduct required inspections of laboratory safety equipment. Sacramento and San Diego didn’t post warning signs outside rooms with asbestos. And none of the campuses maintained relevant protocols for laboratory workers using hazardous chemicals -- Sacramento hadn’t updated its plan for 15 years, while Sonoma hadn’t for six years.
“Without resolving these issues, campuses cannot ensure they are effectively protecting students and employees against injuries and illnesses,” auditor Elaine Howle wrote in a letter attached to the report.
The California State University Employees Union called for the audit after several safety issues surfaced recently. Some problems included a professor and a group of students finding lead in drinking water, a faulty shelf in a laboratory that caused a chemical spill and a university employee who claimed he was fired after bringing up concerns about asbestos.
The system plans to follow the auditor’s recommendations, Toni Molle, director of public affairs at California State, told Capital Public Radio.
