Safety inspectors in California issued nine citations to the Department of General Services in Sacramento for failing to adequately prepare their groundskeepers who were asked to clean up needles and fecal matter in the city’s Capitol Park.

Cal-OSHA investigated between March 2 and June 21 this year. There were nine citations in all, including failure to fill out forms recording injuries and hazard assessments, failure to provide training, safety procedures, information and personal protective devices. The citations come with $3,270 in fines.

Groundskeepers for the park typically maintain shrubs and repair park facilities. They complained that they were expected to clean blood and fecal matter that was left in the park. Steve Crouch, director of public employees for the International Union of Operating Engineers filed a complaint on behalf of workers, and said they were given pressure washers to atomize the waste that exposed them to blood-borne diseases. Crouch said that an increase in the homeless population at the park has led to an increase in debris and garbage left at the park.

Crouch said that the job should have been left to a hazardous materials crew, and that areas should have been sectioned off to limit exposure to other people and passersby in the park.

Jennifer Iida, public information officer for the Department of General Services, said that the department takes the safety of employees and visitors to the park seriously and that they are taking steps to ensure the park is clean and safe for everyone. The department plans to pay the fines issued by Cal-OSHA.

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