Workplace Safety

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

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...

Asbestos Safety on The UC Berkeley Campus

Office of Environment, Health & Safety

EH&S assists the campus in complying with asbestos laws and regulations by assessing the potential risk from asbestos exposure and developing measures to control those exposures. In addition, EH&S together with Facilities Services (formerly PP-CS), responds to campus asbestos concerns, provides sampling, consults with contractors, and recommends corrective actions in emergency situations. Contact EH&S for training on asbestos hazards and for additional campus information, see the...

Biological Use Authorization Application

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2022
Biological Use Authorization (BUA) Application Form

Principal Investigators (PIs) will need to submit a Biological Use Authorization (BUA) if working with biological agents including:

recombinant DNA synthetic nucleic acids WHO Risk Group 2 or higher pathogens biological toxins material of human or non-human primate origin, including cell lines

To determine if the agent you plan to work with is considered Risk Group 2 or higher, please reference the...

Lab Managers & Safety Coordinators

Laboratory managers and Laboratory Safety Coordinators (LSCs) are typically selected by a lab’s principal investigator, and serve a critical role with regards to lab safety. In many cases, the LSC is also the lab manager, though not always. LSCs serve as delegates for the principal investigator for many safety programs and applications including Lab Hazard Assessment Tool (LHAT) and Inspect.

Sewer System Management Plans

Wastewater generated at UC Berkeley is conveyed through our sanitary sewer collection systems and eventually flows to EBMUD's wastewater treatment plant in Oakland prior to discharge to the San Francisco Bay.

The Waste Discharge Requirements Order No. 2022-0103-DWQ adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board regulates sanitary sewer systems greater than one mile in length (each individual sanitary sewer system).

UC Berkeley maintains regulatory coverage for three collection systems:

Sewer System Management Plans

(All...

Suggested Job Duties for Department Safety Coordinators

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2023

Department Safety Coordinators (DSCs) are a vital part of the campus safety structure. Yet at times there is confusion about what tasks are appropriate for the role. The Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) has developed the following task descriptions to guide campus departments in assigning responsibilities to DSCs. The language used is appropriate for insertion into job descriptions, a practice that can help clarify expectations for both DSCs and their supervisors. Departments should feel free to modify the task descriptions to meet their unique needs. EH&S staff...

Department Safety Committees

Office of Environment, Health & Safety
2023

To comply with state injury and illness prevention statutes, the campus requires every department to have a safety committee. This Fact Sheet will tell you what department safety committees do and how to start them.

Download Department Safety Committees Fact Sheet

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.

The self-inspection questionnaire can be viewed prior to initiating the self-inspections: Lab Safety Self-inspection Questions.

Compliance Requirement

...

Electrical Safety Program

Electrical Safety at UC Berkeley

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 systems at UC Berkeley. All faculty, staff, students, visitors and contractors must comply with the requirements of this program as it ensures their safety by:

Defining safe work practices and use requirements for...

Hazardous Materials Facility

Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) manages hazardous materials at the Hazardous Materials Facility, located on Frank Schlessinger Way, just east of the Hellman tennis complex. Hazardous materials are collected, reusable materials are stored, and waste is sorted, labeled, packaged, and then transported to various off campus treatment facilities depending on the waste type.

The Facility also operates to distribute N95 masks during Wildfire Smoke events for the UC Berkeley campus community.