Frequently Asked Questions

• What do I do for a chemical spill?

  • If an acidic chemical was spilled, follow the instructions in the Acidic Chemical Spill Response [pdf] fact sheet, and if a basic chemical was spilled, follow the instructions in the Basic Chemical Spill Response [pdf] fact sheet. For small biohazardous spills, follow the instructions on the Biohazard Small Spill Response [pdf] guide. For spills that require safety staff, follow the instructions in the “Hazardous Materials Spills or Leaks” section of the Emergency Assistance [pdf] fact sheet. 

• What to do for indoor air quality?

  • Review the Indoor Air Quality [pdf] fact sheet for steps to prevent indoor air quality issues in your work area. Contact EHS at ehs@sjsu.edu to report the concern. 

• How do I report and injury or exposure?

  • Go to the Reporting an Injury page on the University Personnel website and follow the instructions.

• How do I report a safety concern?

  • Report a safety concern to your immediate supervisor.  If you aren’t getting an expedient response from them, contact EH&S at ehs@sjsu.edu.  

• I need my hazardous waste picked up

  • Contact your college/department safety staff or ehs@sjsu.edu to arrange a pickup of your hazardous waste.

    For universal waste, request a universal waste pick-up by contacting EH&S at for small amounts or by contacting FD&O at workcontrol@sjsu.edu or (408) 924-1990 for larger amounts and large items.

• How do I get my fume hood checked?

  • Fume hoods are certified annually to ensure they are performing properly.  If you think your fume hood isn't working properly, contact your college's safety staff to check the hood.  You can also contact EH&S at ehs@sjsu.edu.  

• How do I get my biosafety cabinet* certified?

  • Biosafety cabinets are required to be certified annually. EH&S schedules and completes this work every year and will communicate to the departments in advance when it will happen. Contact biosafety@sjsu.edu for any additional questions.

• I have questions about the results of my recent lab inspection

  • You can find the inspection results in the RSS Inspect App and search for your lab.  If you have additional questions, contact EH&S at ehs@sjsu.edu.   

• Do I need authorization to use radioactive material in my proposed research project?

  • Yes. Contact the Radiation Safety Officer to initiate a Radioactive Use Authorization (RUA) request. Review the Handling Radioactive Materials [pdf] fact sheet to learn more about the approval process.

• Do I need authorization to use potentially infectious material in my proposed research project?

  • Contact the Biosafety Officer (BSO) to discuss this in more detail.  Depending on the types of agents being used, the request may be subject to a Biological Use Authorization (BUA) and review by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).  Contact the BSO at biosafety@sjsu.edu.  

• Do I need authorization to use hazardous chemicals in my proposed research project?

  • Contact the Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) at ehs@sjsu.edu to discuss in more detail.  Depending on the type of hazardous materials you are requesting you may have to complete the New Chemical Procurement Form. 

• How do I ship a specimen?

  • All personnel who will be shipping hazardous materials must be trained in doing so before shipping any hazardous materials. Review the “Guidelines for Shipping Hazardous Materials” document for more information about shipping guidelines. 

• How do I get my emergency shower and eyewash checked?

  • EH&S is responsible for monthly activations of safety shower and eyewash stations. Contact FD&O Work Control (408-924-1990) immediately if a safety shower or eyewash station is not functioning properly, leaking or if a shower or eyewash is not receiving monthly activations. 

• Where do I access safety information on Research Safety?

  • To access safety information on research safety, visit the Laboratory Safety page. 

• Where do I access safety information on Occupational Safety?

  • To access safety information on occupational safety, visit the Health and Safety page. 

• Where do I access safety information on Biosafety?

  • To access safety information on biosafety, visit the Biosafety page. 

• Where do I access safety information on Radiation Safety?

  • To access safety information on radiation safety, visit the Laser and Radiation Safety page. 

• Where do I access safety information on Fire Safety?

  • To access safety information on fire safety, visit the Fire Safety page.