Department Safety Coordinators

Department Safety Coordinators (DSCs) are a vital part of the campus safety structure, coordinating, implementing, and documenting safety practices in departments across campus.

Safety Newsletter - Vol 2, March 2025

March 20, 2025
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all employees, and your role as a safety coordinator is instrumental in achieving this goal. This Safety Newsletter is intended to build community and raise awareness about safety topics.

...

Fire Safety & Lab Doors: Propping Open Doors

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2025

Many people prop doors open for ease of access or to increase airflow. However, not all doors are allowed to be propped open. Laboratory doors and any door opening into a corridor should never be propped open.

Access to many campus labs is restricted to approved personnel due to the presence of hazardous materials and equipment, including lasers, radiation sources, as well as biological and chemical agents. These areas require specific safety training and personal protective equipment (PPE) before entry is permitted. Any lab that handles...

Safety Spotlight: Teddy Prompichai & Joshua Miller

March 19, 2025
Tyler Goldstein

Behind every groundbreaking scientific discovery at UC Berkeley’s Innovative Genomics Institute, there lies an almost invisible force that keeps the research running smoothly — its facility services team. While scientists like Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna develop revolutionary genome-editing technology, Building Manager Teddy Prompichai and Lab Operations Manager Josh Miller work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure labs are safe, equipment is functional, and researchers have the support they need. From developing a lab alert system to optimizing space in a packed...

Lab Managers & Safety Coordinators

Laboratory managers and Laboratory Safety Coordinators (LSCs) are typically selected by a lab’s principal investigator, and serve a critical role with regards to lab safety. In many cases, the LSC is also the lab manager, though not always. LSCs serve as delegates for the principal investigator for many safety programs and applications including Lab Hazard Assessment Tool (LHAT) and Inspect.

Construction at UC Berkeley

Nanoscale Materials Information Form

January 15, 2025

Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is preparing the 2025 Manufactured Nanoscale Materials Disclosure for the City of Berkeley.

If you use nanoscale materials in your lab, and

a. you have never filled out the Nanoscale Materials Information Form,

or,

b. you have begun using new nanoscale materials, or a new class of nanoscale materials

Please...

Important: New UC Chemical Inventory Requirements

March 20, 2024
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

In response to a directive from the UC Office of the President on December 15, 2023, Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) will be working closely with campus departments to establish appropriate practices for both initial tagging and ongoing maintenance of chemical inventories as part of multiyear implementation of UCOP’s ...

Shop Safety Self-inspections Due May 1, 2024

March 21, 2024
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

The annual shop safety self-inspection period is here! As a reminder, shops are asked to conduct self-inspections each year to supplement EH&S inspections in order to promote safety awareness and safe work practices.

Important Update Expanded Shop Safety Checklist The inspection checklist has expanded to include additional safety considerations for a more thorough safety inspection. Be prepared to spend more time conducting the self-inspections. There are now 10 safety categories, which includes a total of 83 items to check as part of the self-inspection. Review the...

Updates to Hazardous Waste Recharge

August 26, 2024
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

Please review important changes to hazardous waste disposal costs.

What’s new

Research labs, core facilities, and instructional labs will no longer be recharged for routine waste disposal. Subsidizing waste disposal is a part of the University’s strategy to reduce unsafe quantities of hazardous materials storage, and is a key recommendation from UCOP’s ...

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)