Information and guidance for construction contractors work on the UC Berkeley campus. Construction contractors must be aware of their own obligations to comply with local, state and federal regulations as applicable to their work activities onsite.
How Do I:
Request an environmental assessment?
Please contact the EH&S Construction Specialist at ehs-ep@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-3073.
Request an occupational health and safety assessment?
EH&S offers environmental and occupational safety (CalOSHA) consultation and project assessments free of charge to campus project managers. If analytical testing or other services are required by your project that incur a cost to EH&S, a chartstring and EH&S Recharge account will be needed from your project.
Contact the Construction Coordinator at ehs@berkeley.edu to request a project assessment or inspection.
Typical environmental services and inspections for construction include:
- Project planning and consultation regarding environmental compliance within building design and equipment selection.
- Sampling soil or building materials for hazardous materials screening.
- Disposal of shop and chemical wastes or equipment.
- Stormwater monitoring.
Cal-OSHA requirements can be met in a variety of ways and should include EH&S’ Safety Engineer. Safety codes can be vague at times, but may greatly impact how buildings should be designed. Contact EH&S in advance for assistance in building design to meet Cal-OSHA requirements.
Most common Cal-OSHA violations and building design issues revolve around:
- Ladders and maintenance access
- Window washing
- Fall protection
- Lock-out, Tag-out (Energy Controls)
- Confined spaces
- Elevators
Building work areas that may include some of these elements can be challenging to maintain by the end-user and can be simplified with the right advice.
EH&S can also help you come up with a compliance checklist that is specific to your project needs.
Know what environmental permits I need?
Environmental permits depend on the design, activity and size of the project as well as the disturbance that will occur to: soil, air water or spaces and buildings.
Some construction work has environmental compliance elements that are not part of a permitting process, but rather a documentation process involving some due diligence.
Common Environmental Permits
Examples of permits required before performing work are:
| Air District | Regional Water Board | City of Berkeley |
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Other Owner Obligations
Examples of owner obligations that do not require a permit, but are covered under federal law and applicable to any party who may potentially claim protection from Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) liability as an innocent landowner, a bona fide prospective purchaser, or a contiguous property owner:
- Environmental site assessments
- Hazardous materials building surveys
- Excavation & soil off-haul/import
- Proper characterization of waste
Regulatory Guide for Construction Managers
EH&S created the Regulatory Guide for Construction Managers as a screening tool for building changes and construction that may have environmental, health and safety exposure impacts or agency requirements beyond fire marshal requirements.
Review the Guide and contact the EH&S construction coordinator at (510) 642-3073 or ehs-ep@berkeley.edu to help you summarize compliance requirements specific to your project needs.
Request a fire and life safety construction inspection?
To schedule a fire and life safety construction inspection:
- For New Construction and Renovation Projects
- Visit the Facilities Services Inspections page and complete the inspection request form. Make sure you select "Fire Marshal" from "Inspection Authority" on the third page.
- Purchased or Leased Spaces
- Prior to purchase or entering into a lease agreement of space for use by UC employees, contact the Campus Fire Marshal for inspection.
If you have any questions, please contact the Fire Prevention Division at fireprevention@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-3073.
Resources
EH&S Contact
EH&S Construction Specialist: ehs-ep@berkeley.edu