Please review the following personal protective equipment (PPE) reminders and share this information with lab members.
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.
Log into the Risks and Safety Solution Website
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.
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 small fire broke out in a laboratory in the Department of Physics when a service technician plugged a heat gun into a power strip that was plugged into an isolation transformer. When a transformer is overloaded, the transformer can experience high operating temperatures, causing it to overheat. In this case, the overheated transformer caused a small fire to break out.
Last month, severe flooding occurred in a campus building, leading to unexpected challenges in laboratory waste management.
A serious concern emerged when floodwater seeped into cardboard boxes, used for clean glass disposal, that did not have plastic liners. Without this essential barrier, the integrity of the boxes were compromised, rendering them unsafe for handling and disposal.
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.
Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is excited to announce a one-time opportunity to exchange your eyewear for FREE
This special opportunity will take place on Wednesday, February 26th at 775B Tan Hall from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
CSHEMA's Lab Safety Awareness Week is held from February 10-14, 2025, and is intended to promote laboratory health and safety programs and offer information and ideas on how to keep our faculty, staff, and students safe.
Following guidance from Cal/OSHA and the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), UC Berkeley’s Guidelines on Protecting Workers from COVID-19 training, the COVID-19 Prevention Program, and the COVID-19 Workplace Exposure dashboard will be retired.
Please refer to the University Health Services website for the latest COVID-19 information.
All EH&S web applications will be shut down for a system upgrade on Saturday, January 18, from 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM.
We’re implementing a newer database version that will enable
Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is preparing the 2025 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
The following materials are for researchers, principal investigators, staff, and faculty involved in off-campus fieldwork–both domestic and international.
EH&S is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all employees. The role of Department Safety Coordinator (DSC) is instrumental in achieving this goal. EH&S has launched a Safety Newsletter to build community and raise awareness about safety topics.
Practice your Drop (or Lock), Cover, and Hold on this ShakeOut at 10:17 am on October 17.
We invite you to get involved by taking actionable steps to bolster your personal preparedness for earthquakes and other emergencies that can impact our campus and region.
Where? South Side of McCone Hall
When? 11 am to 2 pm Thursday, October 17
The town hall will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 online from 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm.
Zoom Meeting ID: 948 3905 3719
Passcode: 6427540.
Warmer temperatures are returning. The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for the region. Heat can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening. It is important to take precautions and to be prepared for high heat conditions. Please share this information with supervisors and employees in your department that work outdoors or may be exposed to high temperatures indoors during their workday.
Following the enactment of California law SB 553, UC Berkeley is introducing a Workplace Violence Prevention (WPVP) Plan. This plan is designed to protect you and everyone on campus by clearly outlining what constitutes prohibited conduct, including any act or threat of violence that occurs in the workplace.