Campus plans to contest Cal/OSHA fines in November 2007 lab fire

UCLA plans to contest citations and $23,900 in fines proposed by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) in connection with a November 2007 accident in a campus chemistry and biochemistry laboratory. The incident was reported to the UCLA Office of Environment, Health and Safety and to UCLA Compensation and Employment Services, according to Kevin Reed, vice chancellor for legal affairs. The university is examining the circumstances that led to the failure to report the accident to Cal/OSHA. "UCLA long ago corrected the conditions and circumstances that allowed it to go unreported," Reed said. "We're frustrated that state workplace safety regulators do not appear to recognize the comprehensive enhancements made to campus lab safety programs and are instead focused on something that took place more than two years ago. Our intent is to develop a dialogue with Cal/OSHA that will allow us to work cooperatively to ensure our labs are operated in as safe a manner as possible." Information about the November 2007 accident released to journalists by Cal/OSHA was based on UCLA documentation provided to the agency in the course of its review of campus safety programs. Cal/OSHA is not alleging any attempt to withhold information.