Equipment and Tool Safety

Providing resources and guidance for the safe use of tools by UC Berkeley personnel.

Narrow Aisle Truck

2011
Forklift Safety Program - University of California, Berkeley

This program guides all aspects of the Forklift and Industrial Lift Truck Safety Program for the University of California at Berkeley. As mandated by Cal/OSHA and other regulatory compliance codes, this program guides compliance with, and application of, all legal requirements for UC Berkeley departments, field stations and work / research operations that use these types of equipment.

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Electric Industrial Lift-Forklift Truck

2011
Forklift Safety Program - University of California, Berkeley

This program guides all aspects of the Forklift and Industrial Lift Truck Safety Program for the University of California at Berkeley. As mandated by Cal/OSHA and other regulatory compliance codes, this program guides compliance with, and application of, all legal requirements for UC Berkeley departments, field stations and work / research operations that use these types of equipment.

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High-lift Truck-Forklift Truck

2011
Forklift Safety Program - University of California, Berkeley

This program guides all aspects of the Forklift and Industrial Lift Truck Safety Program for the University of California at Berkeley. As mandated by Cal/OSHA and other regulatory compliance codes, this program guides compliance with, and application of, all legal requirements for UC Berkeley departments, field stations and work / research operations that use these types of equipment.

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Pallet Jack - Forklift and Industrial Work Trucks Safety Program

2011
Forklift Safety Program - University of California, Berkeley

This program guides all aspects of the Forklift and Industrial Lift Truck Safety Program for the University of California at Berkeley. As mandated by Cal/OSHA and other regulatory compliance codes, this program guides compliance with, and application of, all legal requirements for UC Berkeley departments, field stations and work / research operations that use these types of equipment.

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Welder and Flame Cutting Operations

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2004

Vacuum System Hazards and Precautions

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2012

Many campus laboratories are supplied with a “house” vacuum system. The house vacuum system creates suction from a large vacuum pump in a mechanical room whose piping extends to laboratories throughout the building. These house vacuum pumps are maintained by campus maintenance staff, and it is important the systems not be contaminated with hazardous materials or organisms.

Laboratories that are not connected to a house vacuum system, or that need a stronger vacuum, commonly use stand-alone vacuum pumps such as rotary vane pumps, turbopumps, diffusion pumps, and/or cryogenic vacuum...

Calculating the Stored Energy of a Pressurized Gas Vessel

Office of Environment, Health & Safety

When a gas is compressed, it stores energy. If an uncontrolled energy release occurs, it may cause injury or damage. Stored energies in excess of 100 kJ are considered highly hazardous. Sometimes it is helpful to think of stored energy in terms of grams of TNT. One gram of TNT contains 4.62 kJ of energy.

Pressure Vessel Visual Inspection Guide

Office of Environment, Health & Safety

This guide serves as an example and is presented with permission from LBNL. There are many types of pressure vessels so this serves as a template that allows you to replace the images to meet your specific needs.

Visual comparison guides are effective for certain applications, when for example, researchers may otherwise not know what is acceptable or not. We might state “look for excessive wear or corrosion” but these are partly qualitative descriptions that people can interpret differently. Excessive wear to one person may not be the same to another. The visual guide helps to solve...

Guide for Assembling a Pressure Vessel

Office of Environment, Health & Safety

This guide serves as an example and is presented with permission from LBNL. There are many types of pressure vessels so this serves as a template that allows you to replace the images to meet your specific needs.

Visual comparison guides are effective as a quick review of processes. It is recommended to keep these near relevant equipment. Visual guides can be useful for new researchers learning to use the equipment or as a refresher for those who do not regularly use the equipment. People may interpret qualitative descriptions differently so a visual guide helps to solve that...

Microtome Use: Hazards and Precautions

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2013

A microtome is a device that cuts extremely thin sections of tissue for microscopic study. They can be manually operated, semi-automatic, or automatic, and can also be referred to as “histomes” and “cryostats.” Microtomes can present a hazard when the sharp blades and foot treadles are uncovered, and accidental activation can lead to finger amputation. In 2008 a health care lab worker in San Diego lost a fingertip while preparing and cutting tissue samples on a microtome.