Chemical Inventory 2020 Expectations

August 13, 2020

As a reminder, chemical inventory and door hazard signs should continue to be updated for both emergency response and regulatory purposes. However, we understand that it may be difficult to perform a full survey of your group's inventory due to the constraints and limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Therefore, we ask that you update only significant changes in your inventory. EH&S will continue to check the dates on door hazard signs during lab inspections, and outside regulatory agencies may do the same. See below for more details. 

What to do: 

  • Inventories must be certified annually. Check your door hazard sign posted outside your room, or check the Inventory Summary page in Chemicals, to see when your inventory was last certified. 

    • If the certification date is more than one year ago, then it is now time to update and recertify your inventory in Chemicals. 

    • If your date to recertify is not for awhile, then you do not need to update and recertify right now.

  • To update your inventory, log into Chemicals and, at a minimum, make any significant changes.
  • Recertify the inventory on the Inventory Summary page (you must have manager or delegate access in Chemicals to do this).
  • Using a color printer, print and post new door hazard signs. Please see our Chemicals User Guide for more details.

What is a significant change to your inventory? 

A significant change to your inventory may include, but is not limited to:

  • Rooms added to or removed from the lab 
  • Acquisition of new hazards, or notably larger volumes of hazardous items already there
  • Acquisition of any new toxic, flammable, or oxidizing gases  
  • Removal of notable and/or particularly hazardous items 
  • New safety contact personnel to be added to the door hazard sign

If you have any questions about this year's chemical inventory expectations, please contact cheminv@berkeley.edu