Chemical Safety

Ensuring the safe and compliant use of chemicals on campus.

Drain Disposal Restrictions for Chemicals

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2024

Disposal of chemicals into the sanitary sewer is regulated by federal and state laws and regulations, by the local East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Wastewater Control Ordinance and by the EBMUD Wastewater Discharge Permit issued to the campus. These laws and regulations prohibit any drain disposal of hazardous wastes and limit the allowable wastewater concentration of a number of specific substances. The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is committed to protection of the local community and the environment through strict compliance with these laws and regulations...

Resources and Guides

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.

JSAs Listed by Topic: Body Mechanics ...

Lead Waste

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2005

Radioactive Waste Handling - Lead Waste

Hazards and controls

New labs

How do I set up a new lab?

Note: Your department's Department Safety Coordinator (DSC) may have their own practices and guidelines. It is strongly suggested that you contact them for guidance. Not sure who your DSC is? Use the "Who's your DSC?" tool to find out!

Getting Started Email labsafety@berkeley.edu to have your new lab set up in our database. If you are a new Principal Investigator,...

Ren Ramos

Lab Inspection Program Coordinator / Lab Safety Specialist
Lab Safety
EH&S Inspections

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...

Lab Decommissioning

Lab Equipment Decontamination Protocol Departments must identify equipment desired for release by creating a list for Equipment Management (contact: betshelp@berkeley.edu). Department equipment listings must provide a BETS #, Serial #, building and room number of the equipment intended for release. Departments must also include: equipment history, associated chemical use, biological use or radiation use authorizations - where applicable. Verify and update equipment building, room and description to...

Needles and Sharps: Safe Handling, Injury Response and Disposal

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2020

A sharp is any device with corners, edges, or projections capable of cutting or piercing. Sharps include,
but are not limited to, the following:

Needles Needles with syringes and attached tubing Blades (razors, scalpels and X-acto®) Glass pasteur pipettes Broken glass, glass slides, and coverslips

Chemical Waste Recharge Authorization Form

Office of Environment, Health & Safety

This form authorizes EH&S to recharge the account specified below whenever a department representative signs a Materials Packing List (MPL), or whenever a Hazardous Materials Management Team member completes and signs an MPL for routine bulk material pick-ups (i.e., oil, photographic waste,etc.).

To establish your Chemical Waste Disposal Account, complete this form, obtain an authorized signature. Email, fax, or mail the completed form to the Office of Environment,...

How do I get access to 'Chemicals'?

If you work in a lab that uses hazardous chemicals, you can get access to the inventory by being added to your lab’s roster in Labs @ Berkeley (L@B). If you need access to a chemical inventory but are not working in a lab, contact cheminv@berkeley.edu to be manually added.