Senate hears safety worries

Cambridge University has fallen foul of health and safety watchdogs at least seven times since it admitted losing a package of radioactive material in 1999, its senate heard this week.

The university narrowly escaped further prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive last year after one of its laboratory technicians received an electric shock during an experiment.

During 2000, Cambridge was issued with at least four formal improvement notices, one prohibition notice and other oral warnings from the HSE.

One improvement notice related to the university's failure to improve its radiation protection policies despite the prosecution. The HSE accused the university of complacency a year ago.

Breaches of safety, mostly addressed by the HSE on a two-day visit last year, are listed in the minutes from a meeting of the university committee of safety. They include:

• "Radiation badges" that gave safety details on packages were not being checked or changed on a regular basis
• A spillage of mercaptoethanol, a toxic and combustible liquid, classed as a major hazard
• Unsealed asbestos
• A visit to the engineering department found that "electrical power could not easily be shut off rapidly when an emergency arose".

A Cambridge spokeswoman said the university would not comment on the incidents but said it had a comprehensive safety policy and had recently appointed a director of health and safety.