Lab Safety

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.

Flooding Event and Improper Disposal of Glassware

March 6, 2025
What happened?

Last month, severe flooding occurred in a campus building, leading to unexpected challenges in laboratory waste management.

A serious concern emerged when floodwater seeped into cardboard boxes, used for clean glass disposal, that did not have plastic liners. Without this essential barrier, the integrity of the boxes were compromised, rendering them unsafe for handling and disposal.

As a result, safety responders had to take extra precautions to safely transfer the broken glass and sharps to new disposal...

My lab or shop is moving, what I do I need to do in order to properly vacate?

Contact EH&S as soon as possible for planning to vacate a laboratory or shop space. Vacating technical workspaces may require furniture, equipment, and chemical moves along with cleaning and chemical inventory updates.

In general, equipment and items for relocation need to be free of contamination before moving, giving to Excess or discarding. Laboratories, shops, etc. also need to be cleaned prior to re-occupancy.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Laser Template

Lasers-Class 3B or 4
Standard Operating Procedure

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines requirements to be considered by an authorized user of the Type of Laser(s) or experiment as well as describes the normal operation of the laser and any hazards that may be encountered during normal operation. Finally, the SOP explains how to minimize any hazards and how to respond in an emergency situation. This document is to be reviewed one year from the date of approval or as conditions warrant, whichever is the shorter time period.

Laser Safety

Ensuring the safe use of lasers, laser systems, and non-ionizing radiation sources. How Do I: collapse all expand all Get authorized to use a laser? Please go to the UC Learning Center and enroll in the course titled EHS 301 - Laser Safety. If you have questions, contact us at ehstrain@berkeley....

Cryogenic Liquids: Precautions and Safe Handling Procedures

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2021

Cryogenic liquids are extremely cold liquids that at normal temperature and pressure would be a gas. These very cold liquids provide a fluid media that is useful for researchers to preserve their sample materials and for laboratory experimental processes. This fact sheet provides a summary of the hazards and safe work practices for users of cryogens and can be referenced in the laboratory Chemical Hygiene Plan. The most common cryogens are nitrogen and helium.

Biosafety Laboratory Inspection Program

BiosafetyBiosafety Laboratory Inspection Program

EH&S safety professionals conduct inspections of all laboratory spaces included on a research group’s Biological Use Authorization (BUA). These inspections cover administrative controls, general laboratory safety, and specific requirements related to the biosafety level(s) designated to...

Lab Inspections

Lab Safety General Lab Safety Inspection Program

EH&S safety professionals inspect research labs with hazardous materials, hazardous operations, or biological materials. During inspections, EH&S safety professionals help researchers stay up to date on current safety requirements by providing consultations, support, and resources. Example inspection topics include, but are not limited to: training, chemical...

Fume Hoods

Common Sensors on Campus collapse all expand all Magnehelic and Minihelic

magnehelic gauge...

General Lab Safety Inspection Questions

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
Lab Safety General Lab Safety Inspection Program

EH&S lab safety specialists inspect labs with hazardous materials or operations. Labs within the College of Chemistry are inspected twice per year and all other labs annually. During inspections, lab safety specialists help researchers stay abreast of current safety requirements by providing consultation,...

Corrosive Waste Spill

August 31, 2015
What Happened?

A UC Berkeley researcher was working in a lab with a highly corrosive sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide (piranha) solution to clean the surface of a glass sample in a fume hood.

After completing the work, the researcher found the existing waste container to be greater than 75 percent full. Rather than add the recently used piranha solution to the already overfilled waste container, the researcher found an additional empty waste container and attempted to pour off some of the overfilled waste into the empty bottle.

During this attempt, some of the corrosive...