Report 2017-119 Recommendation 39 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 #39 To: Sonoma State University

To ensure the health and safety of employees working with hazardous materials, Sonoma should, by December 2018, make the required trainings available to employees and establish procedures for ensuring that the employees have received all required trainings.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019

Sonoma State University has reviewed our training records and identified all employees required to take the training related to laboratory safety, hazardous waste, hazard communication, or blood borne pathogens. We've made trainings available to employees and developed procedures for assigning and monitoring required trainings.

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

At its one year response in April 2019, Sonoma provided evidence demonstrating that it made the required trainings available to employees. In October 2019, it also provided evidence that it established procedures for ensuring that the employees have received all required trainings.


1-Year Agency Response

In response to the audit recommendation, SSU has assembled a training matrix outlining the type of safety training an employee needs to complete based on the job classification and potential hazards/exposures.

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

Although Sonoma provided evidence demonstrating that it made the required trainings available to employees, it did not provide any evidence that it established procedures for ensuring that the employees have received all required trainings.


6-Month Agency Response

The university has reviewed our training records and identified all employees required to take the training related to laboratory safety, hazardous waste, hazard communication, or blood borne pathogens. The campus is currently working on implementing a learning management software solution to coordinate, schdule, and monitor required trainings.

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


60-Day Agency Response

The university has reviewed our training records and identified all employees required to take the training related to laboratory safety, hazardous waste, hazard communication, or blood borne pathogens. We will provide the required training by December 2018 as recommended.

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


All Recommendations in 2017-119

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.