Chemical Safety

Ensuring the safe and compliant use of chemicals on campus.

UC Berkeley Toxic, Corrosive and Pyrophoric (TCP) Gas Program

UC Berkeley has a Toxic, Corrosive and Pyrophoric (TCP) Gas Program that specifies minimum requirements for safe storage, use, and handling of Toxic, Corrosive and Pyrophoric (TCP) gases on campus. The Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) coordinates this program by performing evaluations of toxic, corrosive and pyrophoric gas usage and offering technical advice on the requirements of the program.

New TCP Gas Users

New potential users of toxic, corrosive or...

Laboratory Safety Manual

The laboratory safety manual provides an overview of lab safety procedures and policies.

Labs and Research

Providing support, in the form of risk assessment, review, consultation(link sends e-mail), training, and the necessary resources and guidance for research at UC Berkeley.

Chemical Inventory

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2008

This Fact Sheet will help you decide if you need to do a chemical inventory. For more information about the University of California, Berkeley chemical inventory system, please visit the Chemicals web page.

Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Eighth revised edition

UNECE
2018

Emergency Response Cleaning Up an Unknown Chemical Release or Unknown Abandoned Material

Emergency Response
Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2005

Russ Blackmar

Chemical Inventory Specialist
Chemical Safety
Chemical Inventory
Lab Safety

Improper Labeling Causes Injury from Acid Spray

September 30, 2004
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What Happened?

A UC Berkeley researcher was preparing a sample for microscopy. After he had cleaned the sample with isopropanol, he poured the extra isopropanol into a container for unwanted chemicals labeled “isopropanol.” There was an immediate chemical reaction that caused the plastic container to rupture and spray the mixture around the area. He was later surprised to learn that the container actually held concentrated nitric acid in the form of spent copper etchant.

The researcher was startled and called for help. Other researchers promptly came to his assistance and called 911...

Liquid Nitrogen Dispensing and Sample Storage Use

Office of Environment, Health & Safety

Liquid Nitrogen – Dispensing and Sample Storage Use (Cryogenic Liquid)

Guidelines for Working with Cadavers and Preserved Specimens