Workplace Safety

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

Eye Exposure to Specular and Diffuse Reflections

October 17, 2016
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What happened?

A student conducting a physics experiment was briefly exposed to specular and diffuse reflections from a continuous wave 975 nm invisible laser beam while not wearing laser eye protection. The student was applying oil to an objective lens with a glass stick when it was noted that the laser was still on. The student was immediately referred to the optometry clinic and was promptly examined. No eye damage was found.

What went right?

The student immediately stopped work and alerted their professor as soon as...

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...

Plastic Secondary Container Shatters Due to Dry Ice Sublimation

May 28, 2019
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What happened?

A researcher packaged a microgram crystalline sample with dry ice to ensure sample integrity. The crystalline sample was first placed inside a glass vial, which was subsequently housed inside a plastic secondary container with a screw cap. The researcher placed dry ice around the glass vial inside the secondary container before loosely capping the top to vent.

When it came time to take out the glass vial, the researcher found that the secondary container was stuck, even though the cap was originally loosely screwed.

The researcher recruited the help of a staff...

Lessons Learned at UC Berkeley

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...

Space Heaters

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2002

Space Heaters in University Buildings Fact Sheet

The Fire Prevention Division of the Office of Environment, Health & Safety discourages University employees from using space heaters in their workplaces because of fire risks.

Copy Machines

University of Edinburgh
2010

Photocopiers and Laser Printers Health Hazards (PDF)

Information sheet from the Health and Safety Department, the University of Edinburgh

Computers and Electrical Equipment

Workplace Safety Program

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2018

Employee Receives Electrical Shock

March 31, 2004
Office of Environment, Health, and Safety
What Happened?

A university employee was changing ballasts above a drop ceiling in a department reception area. The employee received an electrical shock from a 277volt circuit and was knocked off a step stool that she had placed on top of the reception desk. She fell from a height of 46.5 inches, but received only minor injuries and returned to work the following day.

What was the cause? The power source was not locked and tagged out. Instead, the light switch was turned off. The ladder to be used was too large to work from behind the reception desk, so a...