Auditor General
Thomas H. McTavish, C.P.A.
Auditor General
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Auditor General Thomas H. McTavish, C.P.A. Auditor General |
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| INTRODUCTION | This report contains the results of our performance audit of the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health, Department of Public Health, for the period October 1, 1992 through July 31, 1995. |
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| AUDIT PURPOSE | This performance audit was conducted as part of the constitutional responsibility of the Office of the Auditor General. Performance audits are conducted on a priority basis related to the potential for improving effectiveness and efficiency. |
| BACKGROUND | The Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health serves as the lead
Department of Public Health agency to reduce exposure to environmental
and occupational hazards which have an adverse effect on the health of
individuals. Except for the Division of Health Risk Assessment, the
Bureau's functions were transferred to the Departments of Agriculture,
Commerce, Environmental Quality, and Labor by Executive Order 96-1,
effective April 1, 1996.
At the time of our audit, the Bureau was comprised of six divisions: the Divisions of Environmental Health, Water Supply, Radiological Health, Occupational Health, Health Risk Assessment, and Upper Peninsula. The Legislature appropriated approximately $39.6 million for Bureau operations for fiscal year 1994-95. The Bureau had 245 employees as of July 29, 1995. |
| AUDIT OBJECTIVES AND CONCLUSIONS |
Audit Objective: To assess the Bureau's effectiveness and efficiency
in administering the Water Supply Program and the Food Service
Sanitation Program to protect the public through preventing and
controlling environmental health risks.
Conclusion: We concluded that the Bureau's administration of the Water Supply Program and the Food Service Sanitation Program was reasonably effective and efficient. However, our audit noted reportable conditions related to the priority assessments process (Finding 1), program evaluations and monitoring (Findings 2 and 3), and enforcement procedures (Finding 4). Audit Objective: To assess the Bureau's effectiveness and efficiency in administering the licensing, inspection, enforcement, and complaint functions that relate to the Bureau's responsibilities. Conclusion: We concluded that the Bureau's administration of the licensing, inspection, enforcement, and complaint functions was reasonably effective and efficient. However, our audit noted a reportable condition regarding the Bureau's procedures for monitoring illness-related complaints (Finding 5). Audit Objective: To assess the Bureau's effectiveness and efficiency in administering the Medical Waste Regulatory Program to protect the public through preventing and controlling environmental health risks. Conclusion: We concluded that the Bureau was reasonably effective and efficient in its administration of the Medical Waste Regulatory Program. However, we noted a reportable condition regarding program evaluation (Finding 6). |
| AUDIT SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY | Our audit scope was to examine the program and other records of the
Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health for the period October 1,
1992 through July 31, 1995. Our audit was conducted in accordance with
Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the
United States and, accordingly, included such tests of the records and
such other auditing procedures as we considered necessary in the
circumstances.
We researched relevant statutes, administrative rules, grant agreements, and other related data to gain an understanding of the various programs. We analyzed and assessed the Bureau's effectiveness in identifying and prioritizing the areas of environmental health risk by reviewing the areas that the Bureau expended resources on. We analyzed the Division of Water Supply, the Food Service Sanitation Section, and the Medical Waste Regulatory Program to assess program effectiveness. We evaluated the Bureau's performance by using performance indicators used by the Bureau, including the Center for Disease Control (data on water and foodborne health risks) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reporting service. We also reviewed the Bureau's effectiveness and efficiency in licensing, inspecting, enforcing, and responding to complaints by reviewing the procedures and practices related to these areas. We obtained input from various stakeholders related to the Bureau's responsiveness regarding environmental health risks. In addition, we surveyed the local health departments that work directly with the Bureau and obtained their feedback relating to the Bureau's programs. |
| AGENCY RESPONSES AND PRIOR AUDIT FOLLOW-UP | Our audit report includes 6 findings and 6 recommendations. The
Department informed us that it has taken or will take action to
implement the recommendations.
The Department had complied with 12 of the 18 prior audit recommendations included within the scope of our current audit. Five of the prior recommendations were rewritten because of changes in the individual situations. One of the prior audit recommendations is repeated in this report. |
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