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.

Laboratory Ergonomics

University Health Services

Laboratory Ergonomics
Whether you plan to work in a research lab for one semester or throughout your career, there are ways to protect yourself from ergonomic hazards common in laboratory settings. Learn about proper posture, pipetting, and other common ergonomic risk factors.

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 (BBPs).

Also see:...

Electrical Safety Program

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2021

More than 3,600 disabling electrical contact injuries occur in the workplace and more than 2,000 workers are sent to burn centers with electric burns every year in the U.S. Every day one person dies from electrical incidents.

The UC Berkeley Electrical Safety Program provides information about electrical hazards, guides University safe-work policy, electrical safety procedures, equipment design, development and installation for all electrical work, equipment and...

One Glove Policy

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2021

Working Close During COVID-19

July 8, 2021

If unvaccinated people need to work closer than 6-feet apart for lab work, training, maintenance or other activities with others, the following process needs to be applied:

Participants shall be current for all required campus training and COVID-19 testing. Think creatively about all available options. Can it be done by Zoom? Are there portions that don't require close proximity work? Is there an alternate methodology? If close proximity work cannot be eliminated, unvaccinated persons should wear their cloth face mask or a properly fitted N95 for voluntary use (voluntary N95 use...

Samuel Chiang

Project & Communications Coordinator
Administration
Communications & Outreach

Contact Hazard, response

Emergency Response
Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2005

Environment, Health & Safety – Emergency Response
Responding To A Known Contact Hazard

Mixing Ceramic Glazes

ASUC Auxiliary Art Studio
2002

Glazes, mixing

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.

Improper Labeling Causes Injury from Acid Spray

September 30, 2004
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What Happened?

A UC Berkeley researcher was preparing a sample for microscopy. After he had cleaned the sample with isopropanol, he poured the extra isopropanol into a container for unwanted chemicals labeled “isopropanol.” There was an immediate chemical reaction that caused the plastic container to rupture and spray the mixture around the area. He was later surprised to learn that the container actually held concentrated nitric acid in the form of spent copper etchant.

The researcher was startled and called for help. Other researchers promptly came to his assistance and called 911...