Report 2017-119 Recommendation 52 Responses

Report 2017-119: California State University: It Has Not Provided Adequate Oversight of the Safety of Employees and Students Who Work With Hazardous Materials (Release Date: April 2018)

Recommendation #52 To: Sonoma State University

To ensure the health and safety of students in a laboratory setting, beginning in the Fall 2018 semester, Sonoma should require departments to have those students required to wear PPE sign the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020

Departments provide safety training to students and require students who must wear personal protective equipment to sign the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training. This requirement has been communicated to the School Deans and Administrative Managers by the Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Sonoma provided evidence demonstrating that it requires departments to have those students required to wear PPE sign the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training.


Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019

Departments have improved their implementation of this recommendation and consistently required students who must wear personal protective equipment to sign the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

Although Sonoma provided evidence demonstrating that students required to wear PPE signed the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training, it did not provide a policy that it requires all departments to have those students sign forms consistently to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training.


1-Year Agency Response

SSU has developed and implemented student safety in laboratory curriculum.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

Although Sonoma provided evidence demonstrating that some students required to wear PPE signed the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training, it did not provide evidence demonstrating that it requires departments to have those students sign forms consistently to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training.


6-Month Agency Response

The university now requires departments that have students required to wear personal protective equipment to sign the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training as described in the Chemical Hygiene Plan.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

Sonoma did not provide any documentation to support its claim that it has fully implemented this recommendation.


60-Day Agency Response

The university will require departments that have students required to wear personal protective equipment to sign the student safety training acknowledgement forms to demonstrate that they have received proper laboratory safety training in August 2018 as recommended.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending


All Recommendations in 2017-119

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.