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.

Compressed Gas Cylinders: Proper Management And Use

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2012

University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) departments that use compressed gas cylinders must comply with a wide variety of laws and regulations, including those issued by Cal/OSHA, the California Fire Code and the City of Berkeley. This booklet provides general guidelines to help departments comply with those regulations. More specific information can be obtained from Material Safety Data Sheets and your department’s Job Safety Analyses (JSAs). Talk to your gas supplier about hands-on training and other useful safety information.

Compressed gas cylinders range from small...

Sophia Laskaris

Assistant Biosafety Officer / Controlled Substances Program Administrator
Biosafety
BUA
Lab Safety
Controlled Substances (CSPA)

Joseph Callahan

Campus Biosafety Officer
Biosafety
BUA
Lab Safety

Training

The EH&S training team creates, delivers, and tracks health, safety, and environmental training for all faculty, staff, and students.

Biological Safety

Providing support, in the form of risk assessment, review, consultation and training, for research at UC Berkeley that involves the use of recombinant DNA, biohazardous materials and biological toxins.

illustration of a biohazard symbolHow Do I: collapse all...

Biological Spill Kits

EH&S will provide one biological spill kit to each lab with an approved Biological Use Authorization (BUA). This kit contains the supplies needed to safely clean up small spills of biological materials. Bleach or other disinfectants must be made fresh in the event of a spill.

Peroxide Explosion Injures Campus Researcher

November 30, 2006
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What Happened?

An undergraduate student researcher was working at the laboratory bench when the apparatus she was using exploded, sending glass fragments into her face and upper torso. The researcher was using a rotary evaporator (rotovap) to remove organic solvents from an azobenzene precipitate. She adjusted the bottom flask which then exploded sending glass towards her face, hitting her safety goggles and forehead. Lab personnel helped her to the safety shower and called 911. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital where she received stitches above her eyes and other treatment...

Laboratory Safety Self-inspections

Each year, EH&S initiates and tracks the completion of lab safety self-inspections, which are conducted by principal investigators or their delegates. The topics covered are designed to supplement inspections conducted by EH&S in order to facilitate safety awareness and ownership within the lab.To promote this effort, please complete your self-inspection in advance of your General Lab Safety inspection. EH&S recommends you complete your self-inspection 3 to 6 months relative to the General Lab Safety inspection.

The self-inspection questionnaire can be...

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...

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Labs

EH&S provides campus researchers with lab coats, safety glasses, and goggles. Please contact the PPE coordinator at ppe@berkeley.edu if you have any questions or comments about personal protective equipment for your lab.

We also distribute N95 masks to employees when campus is impacted by unhealthy air quality due to wildfire smoke (when AQI exceeds 150). View distribution schedule.