UC Berkeley’s proximity to two active faults (each due for large seismic activity) means it’s important for us to be ready for shaking at any moment. Each year millions of people participate in The Great ShakeOut, practicing what to do when you hear an earthquake early warning alert or feel shaking: Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
Drop (or Lock), Cover, and Hold On
Where? Dwinelle Plaza
β-mercaptoethanol (BME) is a hazardous substance characterized by its acute toxicity, corrosivity, and reproductive risks. Additionally, its thiol group gives the compound a distinct, pungent odor.
The Berkeley Medical Reserve Corps (BMRC) now proudly offers Basic Life Support CPR Certification w/ AED training for UC Berkeley staff and the wider community. The training teaches individuals how to recognize and respond to cardiac arrests, better empowering all members of the campus community to save lives. The training is an inexpensive and timely resource offered in-house by BMRC, a student-run organization of EMT-B volunteers.
Derek Apodaca has been the Safety Manager and Health and Safety Officer for the Division of Biological Sciences for the last 14 years. He shared what it’s like to have a front-row seat on world-changing research… and why safe science is good science.
How many times have you ever glanced at a weather alert that used terms such as Advisory, Watch, and Warning and thought, “Okay… so what does that mean and what am I actually supposed to do?”
Understanding what these terms mean in the context of emergency alerts will empower you to make informed decisions about your commute to and from work or classes, attending events on campus, and the overall safety of yourself and your loved ones.
Daisies belong in gardens, not outlets. Daisy chaining—plugging power strips into other strips or extension cords—is a major fire hazard. This practice increases electrical resistance and heat, often overloading circuits and violating safety standards.
Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is preparing the 2026 Manufactured Nanoscale Materials Disclosure for the City of Berkeley.
If you use nanoscale materials in your lab, and
a. you have never filled out the Nanoscale Materials Information Form,
or,
b. you have begun using new nanoscale materials, or a new class of nanoscale materials
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 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