Hazardous Materials and Equipment

UC Berkeley has regulatory driven policies in place regarding hazards including chemical and biological materials. At Bakar Labs we follow those policies and have a few additional requirements that conform to our building design and laboratory configurations. 

Important to know is there are two categories of items:

A. Sensitive items: These MAY be possible that require either a BUA or other similar types of permission. Follow the link provided to learn more about the BUA process.

Examples of items like this that require oversight include:

• Recombinant nucleic acids

• Synthetic nucleic acids

• Material of human or non-human primate origin

• Mammalian cell culture

• Bacteria (BSL-1)

• Chemotherapeutics

B. Prohibited items: These have no direct way to allow for use and Bakar Labs generally lacks the appropriate infrastructure for working with these items. Submit a Freshdesk ticket before acquiring to initiate EH&S review.

• Radioactive materials and x-ray machines

• Explosives

  • Examples of explosive chemicals include (but not limited to) ethylene glycol dinitrate, benzoyl peroxide (97%) (dry), 1-hydroxy-7-azabenzotriazole (HOAt), 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt), Tetrazole, Picrylsulfonic acid / 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) Nitramine.

  • Some chemicals are typically stable except under certain storage conditions. While not explicitly prohibited, caution should be used when handling and storing these materials. Never acquire these secondhand and dispose of them when expired. Examples include (but not limited to) peroxide-forming chemicals (such as ethers), hydrated picric acid that becomes dry, sodium amide that reacts with air or moisture, certain alkyl nitrates that become contaminated with nitrogen oxides, certain normally stable perchlorates that become unstable at elevated temperatures, and nitrogen-rich chemicals (e.g. sodium azide, aluminum azide, 1,2,3-triazole). 

• Pyrophoric materials (ignite spontaneously on contact with air)

  • Examples include (but not limited to) sodium methoxide, sodium, finely divided metal (e.g. aluminum, chromium, zinc), Aluminum borohydride, diethylzinc, diborane, phosphine, silane.

• Toxic gases or materials that could produce toxic gas

  • Examples include (but not limited to) fluoroboric acid, and anything with the following hazard codes: H280, H330, H331, H332, H333.

• WHO Risk Group 2 or higher pathogens (i.e. above BSL-1)

• Live animals

• Biological toxins

• Transgenic animals

• DEA-listed controlled substances, or California precursor chemicals