News

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:

All labs

• 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.

What Are Sharps? 

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

The campus Ergonomics program is a faculty and staff support unit part of the Be Well at Work program under University Health Services. They provide assistance to departments to guide ergonomic improvement for campus faculty and staff work environments to prevent and address repetitive strain injury.

Please review the following personal protective equipment (PPE) reminders and share this information with lab members.

Get a bulk replacement of clean coats

EH&S is now offering bulk lab coat replacements. This time of the year is a good time to exchange your lab coat for a clean one, even if there are no visible stains or spillage on it.  

Previously, updates to personnel approved to conduct research on a BUA were made on Labs At Berkeley (L@B), the web application used to manage lab roster and training information. There is no longer a need to make BUA personnel changes in L@B. BUA personnel changes can now only be made in RSS BUA.

How do I make BUA personnel changes in RSS BUA?

1. Log into the Risks and Safety Solution Website

Announcing New Lab Safety Inspection Format!

The Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is pleased to launch a new format for lab safety inspections. To everyone in the research community who provided feedback about our services, thank you! We appreciate your input and are dedicated to supporting your needs. 

What’s New

General lab safety inspections and biosafety inspections are now combined into one annual inspection. Inspection checklists are now expanded to cover all biological use authorizations.

We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all employees, and your role as a safety coordinator is instrumental in achieving this goal. This Safety Newsletter is intended to build community and raise awareness about safety topics. 

Behind every groundbreaking scientific discovery at UC Berkeley’s Innovative Genomics Institute, there lies an almost invisible force that keeps the research running smoothly — its facility services team. While scientists like Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna develop revolutionary genome-editing technology, Building Manager Teddy Prompichai and Lab Operations Manager Josh Miller work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure labs are safe, equipment is functional, and researchers have the support they need.

A new Cal/OSHA Indoor Heat Illness Standard went into effect July 2024 to protect workers in areas where temperatures may exceed 82°F. During Bay Area heat waves, our building ventilation systems may be challenged to maintain temperatures below this threshold, potentially affecting all campus employees.

The campus Drain Disposal Restrictions have been revised in an effort to simplify the guidelines and mitigate improper disposal practices. Discharge of hazardous chemical wastes into the municipal sanitary sewer system is prohibited by campus policy and is regulated by federal, state, and regional laws. UC Berkeley is committed to the protection of the local community and the environment.