Workplace Safety

The campuswide Workplace Safety Program serves as the university’s central program for creating a safe and healthful work environment. 

Non-Structural Earthquake Seismic Bracing, Q-Brace, Safety Program

The Non-Structural Earthquake Seismic Bracing, Q-Brace, Safety Program provides guidance on the seismic safety requirements for furnishings and equipment in buildings across the University of California, Berkeley.

Kim Hunter

PPE Coordinator
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Lab Safety (Gloves, Lab Coats, Goggles)
Shop Safety (Gloves, Face Shields, N95 Masks, Respirators)
COVID-19: Face Coverings

Elijah Aquino

Health & Safety Specialist, REHS
Workplace Safety
Indoor Air Quality
AEDs
Hearing Conservation

Patrick Kaulback

Director of Occupational Safety; REHS
Workplace Safety
Shop Safety
Food & Water Safety
Food Facilities
Event Safety

Respiratory Protection

EH&S evaluates workplaces for possible airborne hazards and recommends ways to reduce these hazards when found. When appropriate, EH&S will fit campus workers with respirators and provide annual training on their proper use. This program is administered in cooperation with University Health Services. UHS evaluates a person's ability to safely wear a respirator prior to a respirator being issued. For more information contact EH&S at ehs@berkeley.edu.

Do not...

Respiratory Protection

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2023

There are several ways to protect against exposure to airborne contaminants. The most effective are engineering and administrative controls. (Engineering controls can include measures such as increasing ventilation or installing a fume hood; administrative controls involve changes in work procedures.) The law requires that these controls be considered before employees are issued respirators. If engineering and administrative controls are infeasible, respirators can be assigned.

Wildfire Smoke N95 Distribution Schedule

Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) distributes N95 masks to employees when campus is impacted by unhealthy air quality due to wildfire smoke.

At an AQI of 100 and above, EH&S will distribute masks to staff who are particularly sensitive to wildfire smoke.

At an AQI of 150 and above, EH&S will distribute masks to all staff.

At an AQI above 200, additional decisions about campus operations will be communicated to the community.

Laser Safety Pause Attestation: Submit by Jan 31

January 10, 2023
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

This is reminder was sent to Laser Use PIs as follow-up to the Vice Chancellor of Research, Katherine Yelick’s, October 28, 2022 message.

SUBMIT BY 01/31/2023: All PIs must submit an attestation that they have organized a safety pause meeting by January 31, 2023. Failure to...

Laser Shutdown & Safety Day - November 9, 2022

October 28, 2022
The following message was sent to Laser Use Principal Investigators (PIs) on October 28, 2022. Laser Free Day - November 9, 2022 After nearly 20 years without any reported laser injuries and only a few laser incidents on the Berkeley campus, there have been 5 laser exposure incidents within the past 15 months. One incident led to minor, but permanent, retinal damage in a student. For each incident, there were violations of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and/or failure to adhere to campus regulations on laser use.

In response to this uptick, I am...

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Labs

A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of instructions for performing experiments or processes that involve hazards (chemical, physical, biological, radiation). SOPs are lab-specific and include documentation of the people who have received training for that procedure.

New students and employees working in your lab should be provided with hands-on training for hazardous materials and operations that are covered by the SOPs for your lab.

SOPs by Hazard Type Chemicals & General Lab Safety

Written SOPs are required for all hazardous operations/activities. A library of...