Building Safety

To keep campus buildings safe, building coordinators and alternates serve as important liaisons between the occupants of their building and various campus service and support units.

Can I let my contractor or consultant take soil samples?

Not without EH&S approval. Contractors and engineers must comply with UC Berkeley sampling protocols for proper characterization of soils. Improper sampling poses a legal liability to the University. Only EH&S technicians, or a consultant working under the direction of EH&S, should sample soil.

How much does soil sampling cost?

Costs vary depending on the number and type of samples, and the requested analytical laboratory analysis turnaround time. Costs can vary from a few hundred dollars for small projects to tens of thousands of dollars for new buildings involving mass excavation.

Sampling costs can also vary according to site area, depth of final excavation needed and how well known the history of the site is. For example:

A utility trench, 30-inches by 48-inches deep, 50-feet long: one to two samples would be taken by EH&S and incurs a cost of $500 each. Larger sites or projects requiring...

Ladders

Gary Bayne
2021
Ladder Safety Program

UC Berkeley has developed this Ladder Safety Program to manage the safe selection, procurement, safe work practices, inspection, inventory tracking and record keeping of all ladders. The Ladder Safety Program applies to any department on campus, at field stations, or on leased property where any type of ladder three (3) feet or more in length/height is used. Roles and responsibilities for safe use of ladders by employees (including temporary employees and graduate students performing research related activities in field stations and remote research facilities) are...

One Glove Policy

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2021

Schedule a fire drill?

The Fire Prevention Division will contact the Building Coordinator to schedule required fire drills.

If your building does not require an annual fire drill, and you would like to conduct one, please contact fireprevention@berkeley.edu.

If you have any questions, please contact fireprevention@berkeley.edu.

Helpful Resources...

Evacuating Campus Building Upon Activation of a Fire Alarm

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2009

Evacuating Campus Building Upon Activation of a Fire Alarm - Fact Sheet

Contractor Safety Manual (Spanish)

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2012

Manual de Seguridad del Contratista

Este manual es previsto por la Universidad de California, Berkeley como una guía para ayudar a los contratistas que trabajan en la construcción en la Universidad de California en Berkeley (la Universidad).

Los contratistas de construcción son responsables de su propio programa de seguridad.

Los temas que son presentados en este manual son recordatorios y no reemplazan las obligaciones en su contrato. Contratistas de construcción deben ser conscientes de sus propias obligaciones para cumplir con las regulaciones...

Contractor Safety Manual (English)

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2012

This manual is provided by the University of California, Berkeley as a guide to help construction contractors work on the UC Berkeley campus.

Construction contractors are responsible for their own safety program.

The topics highlighted in this manual are reminders and do not replace obligations provided by contract documents. Construction contractors must be aware of their own obligations to comply with local, state and federal regulations as applicable to their work activities on campus.

For clarification or further explanation, please contact your UC Berkeley Project...

Tritium Self-Illuminating Exit Signs

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2008

Fact Sheet: Tritium Self-Illuminating Exit Signs

Job Safety Analysis (JSA) Library

Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

A JSA describes job tasks in step-by-step fashion, identifies associated hazards at each step, and outlines proper hazard controls that minimize the risk of injury or illness to the individual(s) performing that task.