Workplace Safety

The campuswide Workplace Safety Program serves as the university’s central program for creating a safe and healthful work environment. 

Conducting Materials Handling and Storage Self-inspections on a Mobile Device

How to install Inspect For iOS Users For Android Users Navigate to the App Store Search for “RSS Inspect” Select Install Launch the application Select your campus Log in with your CalNet credentials Navigate to the Google Play Store Search for “RSS Inspect” Select Install Launch the application Select your campus Log in with your CalNet credentials

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

Overview

AED

What is an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

An AED is a portable automated computerized medical device that is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. An AED is programmed to analyze an individual’s heart rhythm, recognize rhythms that require defibrillation, and provide voice and visual instructions for the device operator, including, if indicated, to push the...

Fact Sheet Legionella (For Facilities)

2026

Training

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

Step Ladders

Step ladders are self-supporting portable ladders, nonadjustable in length, with flat steps and hinged base. A step ladder is used on a level firm surface. Review the resources below to learn more about step ladder safety.

UC Berkeley Resources Ladder Safety Program Office Safety Fact Sheet Using Step Stool - Job Safety...

Changes to Special Event Permissions for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs)

April 9, 2024
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety

The California Retail Food Code regulates food service for Non-Profit Charitable Organizations. This includes Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) at UC Berkeley. The Code restricts organizations from holding more than four events per calendar year where food is served to the public and requires approval by a Local Enforcement AGENCY (LEA). As UC Berkeley’s LEA, the Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is responsible for providing permits and performing inspections for campus events at...

Indoor Air Quality During Smoky Conditions

The UC Berkeley campus has hundreds of buildings and each building performs differently based on its design, age, equipment, and critical human factors.

"It Smells Smoky in Here..."

We can't stress enough the importance of keeping doors and windows closed when it's smoky outdoors. Indoor air will commonly smell of smoke during a wildfire event, but when we test it, we find it’s consistently better (i.e., containing lower particulate matter) than being outdoors. Most buildings contain MERV-rated filters that reduce harmful particulate pollution, but do not have charcoal...

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality Program Overview

The Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) manages the campus Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Program to address air quality, ventilation, odors, dust, and wildfire smoke concerns. Working in partnership with Facilities Services and University Health Services (UHS), EH&S responds to indoor air quality concerns across campus. This page contains multiple resources associated with indoor air quality, wildfire smoke...

Shop Safety Program

There are more than 50 shops on campus and at field stations that conduct work in support of research and maintenance activities. Work includes model-building, carpentry, machine building, electrical/electronics, concrete work, glass blowing, metal working, vehicle maintenance and more. The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) has developed this Shop Safety Program to manage the hazards associated with various shops and their work activities to comply with Cal-OSHA and other regulations concerning shops.

This program applies to any department on campus, at field stations...

Nitric Acid Waste Over-pressurization Event

July 3, 2018
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What happened?

A graduate student researcher was consolidating aqueous nitric acid solutions into a 4-L bottle marked as hazardous waste. The bottle was stored inside a fume hood along with other waste bottles, organic reagent bottles, a hotplate and an oil bath. The fume hood sash was left open when all researchers left at the end of the day.

Several hours later, a custodian entered the lab and saw broken glass and brown liquid on the floor. It appears that the nitric acid waste was stored in a bottle that contained residual organic compounds, the combination of which generated...