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.

Clutter as a Laboratory Safety Concern

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2007

Campus laboratories that are cluttered and poorly organized present a variety of safety hazards to researchers, students, and visitors. In some cases, campus laboratories have been cited by government regulators for excessive clutter and related hazards.

Nanotechnology: Guidelines for Safe Research Practices

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2008

Nanotechnology: Guidelines for Safe Research Practices, Fact Sheet

Exposure Control Plan - UC Berkeley

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2020
Biological Spills and Exposures

Follow procedures outlined in the lab’s Biological Use Authorization (BUA).

Exposure Control Plan

The UC Berkeley Exposure Control Plan (ECP) describes how to eliminate or minimize the exposure of all UC Berkeley personnel to human and nonhuman primate blood or blood products and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) that might contain bloodborne pathogens (BBP).

Also see:...

CDPH Compliant Medical Waste Practices

2022

Power Failures

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2024

Power Outages: Preparation and Response

Note: Power Outage guidance for Food Facilities, Swimming Pools, and Campus Housing is not included in this resource. Please see the Power Outages: Preparation and Response Health Considerations resource (coming soon).

Training

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

Flooding Event and Improper Disposal of Glassware

March 6, 2025
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
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.

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....

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.