August 16, 2006 :: No. 15

Cal State Fullerton custodian Michelle Lau, a resident of Brea, will be honored Friday as a recipient of this year’s Governor’s Employee Safety Award, an honor recognizing state employees for outstanding contributions to safety.

Lau will be recognized during a special ceremony at Sacramento State University.

“Michelle is a significant contributor to safety in our Science Laboratory Center,” said Susan Fisher, campus radiation safety officer, who nominated Lau for the statewide honor. “Her duties are custodial, but she has a trained eye for detecting lab safety problems.”

Lau, who earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Cal State Fullerton in 2004, has worked on campus since 1996, most of that time in the Science Laboratory Center, where students and faculty members conduct chemical, biochemical, biological and other research studies.

“Everyone wants to go home safe,” said Lau. “Because of the research done in this building, we have to be more vigilant … respect the danger.”

As examples of Lau’s diligence, Fisher reported two incidents in which Lau spotted something amiss and acted appropriately to limit contact by students and other campus members, then contacted campus safety personnel to intervene, in order to prevent a hazardous situation.

A self-motivator, Lau is always “very conscientious on safety,” said Terry Thompson, custodial services manager, noting that her assignment to the laboratory building was a “good fit.”

“She took on the assignment, working in this specialized building on campus, and made it her own,” she added.

“I’m a nosy person,” Lau said. “I check out what’s going on, construction and repairs, etc.”

Because of where she works, Thompson noted that Lau “has to be aware of the safety procedures for each lab, due to its chemicals, experiments, research and specialized equipment, and about her cleaning procedures to accommodate the needs of each separate area.”

Lau’s creativity, initiative and teamwork earned her a Titan Excellence Award earlier this year. The campus award is given to staff members who have provided outstanding service to students, faculty, staff and university visitors. In her nomination for the award, Thompson noted that Lau “is often one step ahead of her customers’ and their needs.”

“I love working here (in the SLC). This is my home away from home,” said Lau. “There are so many students working and attending classes in this building. They are like my kids.”

“I really appreciate Michelle’s efforts,” said Fisher. “It takes everyone involved in the operations of this building to make the educational experience a great one, and Michelle really does that.

“She is our first line of emergency response, which is so important in stopping hazardous situations from escalating,” Fisher added. “She is a great asset to a highly technical building and is a significant part of the team that keeps labs safe.”

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