Building Safety

To keep campus buildings safe, building coordinators and alternates serve as important liaisons between the occupants of their building and various campus service and support units.

What should I do if my project finds smelly or discolored soil?

Discovery of hazardous materials during excavation is considered an emergency and the EH&S emergency response team should be contacted immediately at (510) 642-3073 including on weekends and after hours. Immediately stop work and isolate and restrict access to the area in question. EH&S will assess the soil. Contaminated soils can only be excavated by a licensed hazardous materials contractor. If the project contractor is not licensed, EH&S will work with you to obtain services of a campus approved hazardous materials contractor.

What is required for importing soil for my project?

It is crucial that your project import only clean fill. Contractor’s must provide you with a statement that the soil is not contaminated and if necessary laboratory data. In some cases, particularly if large amounts of soil are being imported, or if the origin of the soil is not well documented, the University requires that the soil importer provide a description of the soil source, sampling plan, and laboratory analytical results. The project manager should develop a soil import plan with EH&S prior to the project commencing.

Do I have to sample soil excavated from my project?

Soil sampling is required for most excavation projects to assess worker safety and determine disposal requirements. The University has a legal responsibility to verify that we do not haul contaminated soil from the campus or give away pollution if present. Campus Project Managers must coordinate with EH&S prior to beginning excavation to establish a soil sampling and management plan.

What are my options for disposing of unwanted excavated soil?

If the project generates excess soil that cannot be managed on site, there are a few basic options that depend on what is in the soil:

Non-hazardous soil:

If the material is clean, it may be reused at another campus project location, brokered to a non-University off-site construction site, or disposed of at a municipal (sanitary) landfill where it is usually used as landfill cover.

Contaminated soil:

If soil contains contamination such as asbestos, lead paint or other metals, PCBs or...

Noise: Controlling Your Exposure at Work - Fact Sheet

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2020

There are several ways to protect against exposure to excessive noise levels. Engineering controls involve changes in the work area or equipment; administrative controls involve changes in work procedures. Usually one or the other provides sufficient protection. The law requires that these controls be considered before employees are made to wear hearing protection. If engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or will not provide adequate protection, hearing protection devices, training, and audiometry must be provided to employees.