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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.

March 6, 2023

Department Safety Coordinators (DSC) play an important role in campus safety structure – coordinating, implementing, and documenting safety practices in departments across campus. The Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) partners with DSCs to help implement safety and compliance programs and communicate information to departments.

Update DSC Contacts

January 30, 2023

January 10, 2023

This is reminder was sent to Laser Use PIs as follow-up to the Vice Chancellor of Research, Katherine Yelick’s, October 28, 2022 message.

January 4, 2023

December 7, 2022

Laser Free Day Information

Two laser safety presentations were held on Wednesday, November 9; 10:00am - 12:00pm and 2:00pm - 4:00pm. Both presentations were identical and were held in-person at 290 Hearst Memorial Mining Building and virtually via Zoom. Laser Use Principal Investigators (PIs) were encouraged to attend the session that worked best with their schedules.

Online option

December 6, 2022

Agilent, a lab instrumentation company, has identified a potential fire safety hazard affecting the 8890, 8860, and Intuvo 9000 Gas Chromatography (GC) instruments. If your department has any of these instruments, please share the attached notification with potential users for more details about corrective actions that can be taken to mitigate the fire safety hazards.

October 28, 2022

The following message was sent to Laser Use Principal Investigators (PIs) on October 28, 2022.

Laser Free Day - November 9, 2022

After nearly 20 years without any reported laser injuries and only a few laser incidents on the Berkeley campus, there have been 5 laser exposure incidents within the past 15 months. One incident led to minor, but permanent, retinal damage in a student. For each incident, there were violations of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and/or failure to adhere to campus regulations on laser use.

September 12, 2022

On Friday, September 9, 2022, Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) responded to a fire incident at 2000 Carleton Street resulting from a defect in a recalled “SMC” brand pedestal oscillating floor fans.

August 15, 2022

Overview

The risk of getting infected with Mpox/MPX (formerly Monkeypox) is very low for the general public. However, as this comes on the heels of the Coronavirus and all the public health concerns that it has raised, it’s important to get informed about the risks of MPX and what you can do to protect yourself.  

August 12, 2022

Be Prepared to Help

First Aid Training Opportunity

BMRC Stop the Bleed Training

July 21, 2022

Urgent Field Action Notice: Getinge ULTIMA Washer/Dryer

Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) has been advised of a defect with ULTIMA washer/dryer models that may be in use in your lab.

The manufacturer, Getinge Life Science, has received complaints where the screed/cylinder link of the ULTIMA washer/dryer was broken, leaving the door unlatched when opened. This may result in an unreasonable risk of harm to the user.

April 26, 2022

Cal/OSHA recently made its third and final revision to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard. The Campus COVID-19 Prevention Plan is being updated accordingly. The new ETS will go into effect on May 6 and will remain in effect through December 31, 2022.

February 8, 2022

Each year, law requires that the Cal/OSHA Annual Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Form 300A be posted in each department. The summary must be posted in a visible place, such as where notices to employees are displayed. Departments must have the summary posted through April 30, 2022.

Please work with your department(s) to ensure that this summary is appropriately posted.

January 14, 2022

Reuse & Disposal of Face Coverings

January 5, 2022

What happened?

A researcher was exposed to a 1 watt continuous wave beam from a Ti-Sapphire (852 nm) laser while visually inspecting a non-linear crystal on the optical table with a dielectric mirror. The researcher was unaware that the beam was present and it was directed into their right eye. The researcher was not wearing laser eye protection because they thought the laser was off.

December 14, 2021

Keeping EH&S Applications Secure

EH&S has implemented temporary security parameters to reduce vulnerabilities across our applications. In order to use EH&S applications, you will now need to either 

December 21, 2020

October 26, 2020

Message for Radiation Use Authorization (RUA) holders and Lab Contacts, October 2020.

Effective immediately, the UC Learning Center will be used to deliver and document: 

  • Training of RUA SOPs and the
  • Radiological Hazards Awareness Training for Non-Users.  

Instructions for how users can access the SOP and non-user training are below.  Radiation Safety staff will work with you during your next survey to update the LMS for those users who have already signed off on SOP training or have completed their non-user training.

May 28, 2020

You can prevent burns by allowing alcohol-based sanitizers to dry/evaporate before resuming work activity.

Hand sanitizers contain high concentrations of alcohol and alcohol vapors can flame or flash if exposed to an ignition source, switches, or any surface containing static electricity.

When a disinfectant or hand sanitizer ignites it produces an almost invisible, blue flame that can quickly produce harmful burns.