News & announcements from EH&S.
Alicia Bihler stepped into the role of Executive Director of EH&S on July 1, 2025. Since 2023, she has led the department as Acting Director, guiding EH&S through a period of sustained focus on campus safety, regulatory compliance, and emergency preparedness.
After nearly two years of effort, the campus-wide chemical inventory tagging project is wrapping up—and the results are remarkable. Since February 2024, our partners at Triumvirate Environmental have visited almost every lab and hazardous materials area on campus, placing barcode tags on chemical containers and logging them into the RSS Chemicals database. In total, the team has tagged more than 200,000 containers, creating one of the most comprehensive chemical inventories UC Berkeley has ever had.
The fall semester is under way, and Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) would like to help get you started on the right foot with some key lab safety reminders:
Update your lab’s roster in Labs @ Berkeley (L@B)
The following message is meant for labs:
Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) will be performing audits of groups on campus with chemical inventories to check for chemical inventory accuracy. Maintaining chemical inventories to at least 90% accuracy is a prerequisite to UC Systemwide MAQ compliance
The following messaging is meant for Department Safety Coordinators:
Unhealthy air quality associated with wildfire smoke poses health risks, particularly for those who work outdoors or have outdoor activities planned. Ensuring the safety and well-being of the campus community is a top priority for Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S). As a proactive measure, departments and employees are encouraged to prepare by taking the following actions.
Stay Informed
We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all employees, and your role as safety coordinators is instrumental in achieving this goal. This Safety Newsletter is intended to build community and raise awareness about safety topics.
When Alan Bolind walks into a lab, he’s not just inspecting equipment — he’s laying the foundation for a safer research environment. As a lab safety specialist (LSS) for UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S), Bolind works closely with department safety coordinators (DSCs), like Amin Jazaeri, to ensure that safety isn’t just a checklist item, but a shared culture.
This message was sent as a Calmessage to all faculty and staff by the Vice Chancellor for Research and Vice Chancellor for Administration.
Dear colleagues,
Following a nationwide search, we are pleased to announce that Alicia Bihler will assume the role of Executive Director within UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S), effectiveJuly 1, 2025.
Sharps are any items with pointed edges or projections capable of cutting, puncturing, or piercing the skin. Common examples include:
Hypodermic needles
Syringes with attached needles or tubing
Razor blades, scalpels, and X-Acto® knives
Glass Pasteur pipettes
Broken glass items