CSB slow to take corrective action: report

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board lacks effective management controls and, as a result, the agency has failed to adequately implement recommendations from four government audits, according to a recent report.

The Feb. 15 report (.pdf file) from the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General said CSB took four years beyond the agreed-upon date to implement certain recommendations. Even then, the agency’s actions were not completely effective, the report said.

OIG concluded CSB’s control activities do not ensure accountability. For example, office directors are not held responsible for incident prevention initiatives, and board orders have not been developed and implemented.

The report urged CSB to create a management control plan and address all outstanding recommendations. In September 2010, the agency appointed a managing director to oversee operations, which the report indicated should improve accountability and the timeliness of corrective actions.

In other news, CSB requested $12.8 million for fiscal year 2012 – $1.7 more than the president’s budget allocated. The agency justified (.pdf file) the increase as necessary to support current programs and hire two investigators for the Denver office and an employee to manage records.