Hazardous Materials

Helping campus units manage their hazardous materials by providing assistance with shipping, waste pick-up and disposal, and chemical inventory needs.

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:...

Campus Laboratory Safety Policies

The University of California, Berkeley is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for the campus community. Faculty, students, and other personnel in laboratories and other academic settings may work with hazardous materials, equipment, and processes. With regard to safety and environmental protection, this teaching, and research work is governed by state and federal regulations and University policies.

New UC Systemwide Laboratory Safety Policies...

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets

EH&S Fact Sheets serve as campus-wide Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

Empty Container Disposal and Recycling

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2011

This Fact Sheet describes how to properly dispose of or recycle an unwanted container which previously held a hazardous material. Hazardous materials include laboratory chemicals, paints, solvents, pesticides, aerosols, compressed gas cylinders, and hazard- ous waste.

Download Empty Containers Fact Sheet

Hazardous Waste

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2014

University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)’s hazardous waste is divided into four categories: 1) chemical, 2) biological (e.g., recombinant DNA and biohazardous), 3) radioactive, and 4) sharps. This fact sheet will help you understand how to use the Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) online "Hazardous Waste Program" (HWP) to manage your hazardous wastes, and find other related guidance on the EH&S web site.

Download Hazardous Waste Management Fact Sheet

Safety Data Sheets

Safety data sheets (formerly MSDS) are the best source of information regarding the hazards, emergency response, and protective measures for any hazardous material.

Manufacturers are always the most reliable sources for SDSs, and the UC system has provided its researchers with UC SDS Resources, a systemwide website created to help locate SDSs and other chemical safety information. In addition,...

Lessons Learned at UC Berkeley

Improper Hazardous Material Disposal

September 30, 2002
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What Happened?

A can of epoxy hardener was included in a salvage cart (see photo) and spilled at some point in the process of moving the salvage cart. An employee came in contact with the spilled material and was instructed to immediately wash with soap and water. EH&S then cleaned up the spill (see photos).

Lessons Learned

Please remind your staff of proper disposal methods for hazardous materials.

Researcher Smells Toxic Fluorine Gas When Changing Out Gas Cylinder

April 30, 2007
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What Happened?

Two researchers were changing out a gas cylinder containing a low concentration of fluorine used in an excimer laser. After reconnecting the regulator, researchers opened the cylinder valve, heard a hissing sound, and smelled a pungent odor. They quickly turned off the cylinder valve and reported the incident to their department safety coordinator (DSC). Fluorine is a very toxic and reactive gas, but fortunately, the concentration was dilute, less than 0.1% fluorine. The DSC contacted EH&S and was advised that researchers involved should be medically evaluated because of...

Accidental Mixing of Bleach and Acid

October 31, 2009
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What Happened?

A researcher working in a laboratory glassware washing area thought she should refresh the bleach solution for soaking lab glassware. In an "inattentive moment" she added fresh bleach to what she thought was the bleach soaking tub; unfortunately the tub did not contain bleach but contained 5% hydrochloric acid. The acid solution (with bleach) immediately turned from clear to yellow. She quickly realized that bleach and acid should never be mixed because toxic chlorine gas can be created. She immediately had everyone leave the room; she considered calling 911, but since...