Chemical Safety

Ensuring the safe and compliant use of chemicals on campus.

Chemical Safety

Chemical SafetyHow Do I: collapse all expand all Store chemicals safely?

The safe storage of hazardous chemicals is an essential part of an environmental, health, and safety program. Chemical storage facilities must meet certain minimum standards to...

5.1 Flammables and Combustibles

GHS symbol showing a flame

Characteristics

These chemicals are easily ignited and may present a serious fire and explosion hazard. Flammable liquids have a flash point below 100°F. Combustible liquids have a flash point of 100°F to 200°F. Flammable solids have an ignition temperature below 212°F. Flammable solids include finely divided solid materials which, when dispersed in air, could ignite. Other...

Waste Disposal

The Office of Environment, Health & Safety maintains a Hazardous Waste Program (HWP) to develop hazard waste disposal procedures, provide orientation to campus personnel, monitor departmental hazardous waste operations, receive departmental waste and dispose of the waste, and evaluate all hazardous waste disposal activities.

Chemical Inventory

The Chemicals app tracks the storage and use of hazardous materials on all UC campuses. UC Berkeley is required to report that information, and these reports are compiled by EH&S. In addition, Chemicals assists emergency responders and provides all lab members with a tool with which to track hazardous items in their rooms. See the Chemicals User Guide below.

Accurate Chemical Inventory Maintenance...

Waste Tubs, medical, stacking

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2003

Formaldehyde: Hazards and Precautions

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2026

Training

The EH&S training team creates, delivers, and tracks health, safety, and environmental training for all faculty, staff, and students.

Transporting Chemicals Safely on Campus

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2002

Transporting Chemicals Safely on Campus Fact Sheet

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Labs

A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of instructions for performing experiments or processes that involve hazards (chemical, physical, biological, radiation). SOPs are lab-specific and include documentation of the people who have received training for that procedure.

New students and employees working in your lab should be provided with hands-on training for hazardous materials and operations that are covered by the SOPs for your lab.

SOPs by Hazard Type Chemicals & General Lab Safety

Written SOPs are required for all hazardous operations/activities. A library of...

Refueling a Gas Caddie

Department of Recreational Sports
2004
5 gallon gas containers

Exposure to chemicals can result in acute or long-time health effects. Touching, picking up, or moving a fuel container can be hazardous to a responder. A fuel container can be touched, picked up, and/or moved after assessment and conclusion that it poses no imminent danger to the person handling the item.

Refueling a Gas Caddie, Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

Also see:...