In response to a directive from the UC Office of the President on December 15, 2023, Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) will be working closely with campus departments to establish appropriate practices for both initial tagging and ongoing maintenance of chemical inventories as part of multiyear implementation of UCOP’s
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March 20, 2024
February 22, 2024
Annual General Lab Safety Inspections will begin soon.
Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) lab safety specialists are in the process of scheduling an in-person inspections for labs.
February 5, 2024
The Biological Use Authorization (BUA) submission process is moving to the Risk & Safety Solutions (RSS) software system, RSS BUA, in time for the April CLEB Meeting! EH&S will be transferring your existing BUA data into the new system.
January 25, 2024
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to review the following key points to help prevent contamination of food and beverages.
January 23, 2024
Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is preparing the 2024 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 materials, in your lab,
January 9, 2024
Leaking cylinders can pose serious hazards, including: oxygen displacement, release of toxic or other hazardous gas, and/or fire/explosion due to flammable or reactive gas release. If your lab works with compressed gas, please be aware that older cylinders are prone to leaking at the valve.
What to do
Please follow the precautions below to prevent gas cylinder leaks:
December 12, 2023
Information for Biological Use Authorization (BUA) holders
We are modernizing the Biological Use Authorization (BUA) submission process by moving to the online UC Risk & Safety Solutions software system (“RSS BUA”).
December 7, 2023
EH&S needs your extra lab coats!
When researchers leave the lab or the university, many lab coats are left behind and remain unused. This occupies valuable space and prevents EH&S from reissuing coats.
1. Return Surplus Lab Coats.
To sustain our campus-funded lab coat program, please return any surplus coats by following the instructions.
October 18, 2023
Information for Researchers
Earlier this fall, Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) launched a new lab coat laundry process.
Please perform the following steps if your lab coat is in need of laundering:
October 2, 2023
The following lessons learned reports detail what went wrong and what corrective actions have been taken or will take place to address the incidents.
September 25, 2023
What happened?
Using dry Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent, a reaction between an organic macrocycle and bromoethane was placed in a round bottom pressure vessel. The reaction was heated using armor aluminum beads in a stainless steel bowl sitting atop a hotplate. The setup was briefly left unattended inside a fume hood with the sash closed.
What happened?
A researcher was heating a small volume (<30mL) of hexanes/ethyl acetate containing approximately one gram of an organic azide. The solution was placed in a capped, 40mL pyrex media storage bottle. Holding the bottle of the azide solution in their left hand, the researcher was heating it with a heat gun with their right hand behind a horizontal fume hood sash protecting their face and torso.
September 20, 2023
Please share this information with supervisors in your department of outdoor workers:
Wildfire Smoke
As of this morning, the campus air quality index has exceeded 100 for a sustained period of time and we continue to be impacted by smoke from wildfires in Northern California and Oregon. Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) advises the following actions in response to unhealthy air quality:
July 24, 2023
2023 Workshop on Laboratory Safety
The UC Center for Laboratory Safety (UCCLS) will be hosting a hands-on in-person workshop to promote research safety for researchers and safety professionals on Sunday, September 17 - Tuesday September 19 in Los Angeles.
July 21, 2023
The ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety will be hosting their RAMP in the Research Lab workshop on Wednesda
July 10, 2023
UC Berkeley faculty and staff can now stay updated on potential COVID-19 exposures by accessing the UC Berkeley Potential Worksite Exposure Information Website. This will replace the previous practice of sending a COVID-19 potential workplace exposure CALmessage to all employees within one business day of a potential COVID-19 exposure in campus buildings.
June 29, 2023
It’s summertime and warmer temperatures are returning. The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for the region starting Friday. 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.
May 31, 2023
Effective today, May 31, 2023, UC Berkeley Managers and Supervisors will now report workplace-related injuries or illnesses online with RSS Injury and Illness Reporting. RSS Injury & Illness Reporting is an online solution that offers a simplified way to submit and monitor employee injury claims to help manage risks and reduce the likelihood of repeated injuries in the workplace. Injury & Illness Reporting (IIR) will replace our current Employer’s First Report (EFR) system.
April 11, 2023
The annual shop safety self-inspection period is here! Each year, shops are asked to conduct self inspections to supplement EH&S inspections in order to promote safety awareness and safe work practices.
Complete a self-inspection online by Monday, May 1, 2023
April 5, 2023
The annual self-inspection program for shipping/receiving and storage facilities is here! Each year, these facilities are asked to conduct self-inspections to supplement inspections conducted by EH&S in order to facilitate safety awareness and safe work practices.
Complete a self-inspection online by Wednesday, April 26, 2023.