Housekeeper’s Insurance Shut Off, Two Decades of Research Gone
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Sues Cleaning Company Over Laboratory Accident
In a recent development, the renowned private research university, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has filed a lawsuit against a cleaning company for allegedly failing to provide proper training to its employees. This lawsuit comes nearly three years after a laboratory accident occurred in 2020, resulting in significant damage and the loss of valuable research samples.
According to reports from the BBC, the university’s lawyers argued in their petition that the damage caused by the cleaner’s actions rendered the samples, which had to be stored at extremely low temperatures of minus 80 degrees Celsius, “unrecoverable.” The university claims that this incident has led to approximately $1 million worth of losses.
Of particular concern is the potential loss of groundbreaking research on photosynthesis, which has been ongoing for the past 20 years under the guidance of Professor KV Lakshmi. The research conducted by Professor Lakshmi and his team may have significant implications for the development of solar panels.
The incident in question occurred in 2020 when the sample cabinet in the laboratory triggered an alarm. The research team promptly contacted a repairman to address the issue. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, they were only able to secure an appointment a week later.
During this waiting period, the research team took precautions by leaving notes on the sample cabinet’s doors, instructing the cleaning company not to clean the laboratory and explaining how to silence the alarm. Unfortunately, when the team returned to the laboratory four days after the alarm first sounded, they discovered that the fuse connected to the cabinet had been turned off.
Lawyers representing the cleaning company held a meeting with the implicated employee, who claimed to have heard an “annoying” noise but denied any wrongdoing.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the focus remains on determining the responsibility for the irreversible damage and financial losses suffered by the university. This case highlights the importance of proper training and communication in laboratory settings to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future.
