COVID-19 Prevention: Campus Facilities

In accordance with current CDC and ASHREA guidance, UB is not recommending the use of APUs for non-high risk, general occupied areas.  However, we do recognize that some may feel an individual desire for an APU in their space.  UB will not provide funding for APUs in personal spaces unless UB Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) approves the purchase. 

Purchase of APU units is the responsibility of the ordering unit or the individual, and will be approved only after EH&S review and approval of the need for the unit, and with the specified documentation.

Information on working remotely and other updates pertaining to employees’ safe return to campus will be provided on the Administrative Services Gateway page.

FMLA will be administered at UB by the Office of Human Resources based on the legal requirements and individual circumstances with approriate medical documentation.

As soon as the university learns that a member of our community hsa been exposed, UB Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and University Facilities activate disinfecting protocols dictated by the CDC and the Erie County Department of Health.

We identify the areas where this person worked and locations they may have frequented. These areas are cordoned off and left unoccupied for at least 48 hours.

EH&S has trained University Facilities’ janitorial staff in safety procedures, cleaning methods and use of protective equipment. We deploy these special teams to the affected areas, where they use chlorine-based disinfecting fogs and EPA and CDC-recommended disinfecting product on all surfaces.

Public health officials contacts anyone who may be at risk of being exposed based.

Students, faculty and staff are cautioned against making judgments regarding a fellow student or colleague’s health. If you see someone who is clearly ill, encourage them to contact their health care provider or UB’s Student Health Services at 716-829-3316

As with other forms of influenza (flu) or contagious illnesses such as colds, maintaining a reasonable distance from the person is a starting point. Do not shake hands or make other physical contact. Use a sanitary wipe after the person has left to wipe areas of your work station that the person has touched and follow good hand-washing practices.  There may be situations in which a meeting can be rescheduled to a time when the person is feeling better, or the business can be conducted by phone or e-mail.

No.  You are not required to disclose whether you have a medical condition that might place you at higher risk.  The laws prohibiting discrimination based on disability prohibit UB from making these inquiries or requiring medical examinations of employees without symptoms.

If you voluntarily disclose that you have a specific medical condition or disability that puts you at increased risk for COVID-19, or that you are living with someone with such a condition or disability, the department will keep this information confidential.  Your supervisor will consult with their unit HR manager to determine the type of assistance that will be needed to mitigate your risk. The appropriate response will depend upon your job duties, responsibilities, and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Employees returning from areas designated by the CDC with Level 3 Travel Health Notices will be required to follow CDC guidelines for limiting exposure, including self-quarantine (staying at home) for  14 days. 

Employees should contact their supervisor to report their plan to self-quarantine.  Employees in self-quarantine who develop symptoms of illness should contact their health care provider.  Employees with questions related to local health department guidelines should call the Erie County Department of Health helpline at 716-858-2929. 

No.  The University can only require this for areas specified by the CDC or state or local public health officials as having widespread sustained (ongoing) transmission.  Individuals with medical conditions, disabilities, or other circumstances that render them vulnerable in cases of exposure should contact their department supervisor, manager, or Human Resources liaison to discuss their options.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, University Facilities has continually monitored guidance from the CDC, NYS Department of Health and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) professional associations, and made recommended adjustments to campus HVAC where feasible to ensure optimal indoor air quality. These adjustments include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Upgrading filters
• Increasing the amount of supplied outside air
• Extending the run times of occupied building settings
• Balancing temperature, static air pressure, and humidity conditions 

For individuals who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, getting vaccinated remains the most effective method of preventing COVID-19, and continues to be the most significant action that can be taken to protect the health of individuals who are not fully vaccinated.

Read more about how UB's department of Environment Health and Safety is addressing HVAC concerns in this UBNow story.

CDC provides recommendations on postponing or canceling travel. These are called travel notices and are based on assessment of the potential health risks involved with traveling to a certain area. A list of destinations with travel notices is available on the CDC website.

UB provides resources to help full-time academic and staff employees and eligible dependents cope with these types of life events through its Employee Assistance Program Hotline (EAP). Call 716-645-4461 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year). The EAP provides confidential, short-term counseling at no cost to the employee.

You can also find guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on mental health and coping here:

UB Human Resources encourages employees to take the following four actions now to prepare for any possible future changes to normal business operations:

1. Sign up for direct deposit (state employees):
   If you are still receiving paper paychecks and are a state employee, HR strongly recommends that you sign up for direct deposit now to avoid any disruption in your pay in the case that it may become challenging to obtain your paycheck.
   
   
2. Update your time and attendance records:
   Ensure that your time and attendance records are updated to the current month (through February 2020). If your timesheets are incomplete, HR may be unable to determine your eligibility to remain in paid status in the event that you are absent from work. Learn more about managing your time on the HR website.
   
   
3. Sign up for UB Alerts:
   The University at Buffalo offers a free service that delivers text messages and email messages to UB students, faculty, and staff during emergencies, incidents that may affect personal safety and when adverse weather conditions affect normal campus operations. Sign up for UB Alerts here.
   
   
4. Update your emergency contact information:
   State employees can update their phone number and emergency contact information using the SUNY HR Self Service portal. After logging in, click on SUNY HR Self Service and enter your date of birth. Use the Phone and Emergency Contacts tabs at the top of the screen to make additions and changes.
   
   Research Foundation (RF) employees can update emergency contact information using this form.
   
   UBF employees can update their phone number and emergency contact information by sending an email to ubfhr@buffalo.edu.
   

For help with these or additional questions, contact UB's Office of Human Resources at 645-7777 or ub-hr@buffalo.edu.

If you voluntarily disclose that you have a specific medical condition or disability that puts you at increased risk COVID-19, or that you are living with someone with such a condition or disability, the department will keep this information confidential.  You and your supervisor will determine the type of assistance that will be needed to mitigate your risk.  The appropriate response will depend upon your job duties and responsibilities, and will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

You should contact your supervisor who will consult with HR to determine what benefits or leave options may be available to you (i.e. accrual usage, NYSPFL, FMLA, or leaves as may be appropriate), and to consider whether there are any alternative work arrangements that would allow you to perform essential job duties.  Alternative arrangements will be considered on a case-by-case basis and their appropriateness will depend upon the nature of your essential duties and responsibilities.   

The University at Buffalo is taking additional cleaning precautions across campus to ensure the health and safety of the UB community in accordance with the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cleaning protocols are reviewed and adapted as the COVID-19 situation evolves and new recommendations are released.

UB custodial staff conduct regular daily cleaning and disinfection of facilities with a focus on high-traffic public areas and frequently touched surfaces. Some units with unique requirements (e.g., housing, dining, labs), have developed their own cleaning protocols.

UB Parking and Transportation Services UB has implemented several guidelines and protocols to ensure a safe experience for our faculty, staff and students. For more information, see COVID-19 Prevention: UB Buses and Shuttles

• Campus Dining and Shops, in keeping with food safety standards, will ensure that all areas in dining services will be sufficiently clean and sanitized. Staff is utilizing a product line of disinfecting cleansers which are certified by the EPA and CDC for the destruction of ARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
• Frequent hand washing and glove use reinforced to all staff.
• Campus Dining and Shops is adhering to all New York State guidelines in limiting dining room seating and in some locations only offering to-go services.
• Sneeze guards are in use at all locations.
• Hand sanitizer stations will be available at all dining location entrances.
• Managers on the floor at all times, helping to reinforce these practices with both staff and students.

For more information, see Campus Dining and Shop's COVID-19 Health and Safety Updates.

• Janitorial staff cleans commonly touched areas with CDC-recommended disinfectant including (but not limited to):
  • Door handles
  • Facets
  • Knobs
  • Copy machines
  • Stair rails
  • Elevator buttons
  • Restroom toilets, sinks and other fixtures
  • Light switches
  • Push plates
  • Water fountains
  • Table tops
  • Open wall spaces in halls

Faculty and staff who are not feeling well are asked to stay home and consult their health care provider as needed. Please notify your supervisor that you will be absent. 

If faculty or staff are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as fever, cough and/or shortness of breath, contact your health care provider. Be sure to call ahead and tell your provider about any travel and symptoms you are experiencing.   Faculty or staff must notify their supervisor and then Mark Coldren, associate vice president for human resources, at (716) 645-8155 or mcoldren@buffalo.edu to ensure that the University takes appropriate preventive actions. 

Students experiencing symptoms should call UB Student Health Services at 716-829-3316.

Mask use is an additional layer of protection since COVID-19 vaccines are not perfect. Some masks work better than others to help stop the spread of COVID-19. UB recommends following CDC guidance on proper face masks.

Visit UB's health and safety guidelines page for the latest information on masking requirements. 

The following recommendations are for non-health care workers:

• UB strongly recommends all students, faculty and staff wear a tight-fitting, high-filtration mask such as a N95, KN95 or KF94 mask, that fits well and you are comfortable wearing for a long period of time. 
• A surgical mask that fits correctly without gaps.
• A cloth mask, a surgical mask should be worn underneath it. 
• A cloth mask that consists of a filter, sanwiched between two layers of dense fabric, that fits correctly. 
• If you wear glasses, wear a mask that fits tightly over your nose (e.g., with nose wires) to limit fogging.
• If you wear a head covering, wear a mask that ties behind your head.

• Masks that do not fit tightly over nose and mouth
• Cloth masks that do not consist of a filter, sandwiched between two layers of dense fabric. 
• Masks made of non-breathable materials (e.g., leather, plastic)
• Masks made of loosely woven fabric (i.e., fabric that lets light pass through)
• Neck Gaiters
• Face Shields 

• Masks with exhalation valves or vents, including N95 respirators with exhaust valves
• Masks containing slits, valves, or punctures
• Scarves, ski masks, balaclavas, or bandanas (if these need to be worn for warmth, they should be worn over the mask, not in lieu of one.)
• Turtleneck collars pulled up over the mouth and nose

If you want to wear a cloth mask, it is strongly recommended that you wear a surgical mask underneath it. When choosing a mask, look at how well it fits and how well it filters the air. Make sure your mask completely covers your nose and mouth and fits snugly against your face. Gaps can let air with respiratory droplets leak in and out around the edges of the mask. Pick a mask with layers to keep your respiratory droplets in and others’ out. A mask with layers will stop more respiratory droplets getting inside your mask or escaping from your mask if you are sick. 

• If you are wearing a surgical mask but there are gaps on the sides of your face, use of a second well-fitting cloth mask on top of it may improve protection.
• A single N95, KN95 or KF94 mask, should be sufficient to protect against the transmission of coronavirus. 

Up-to-date information on COVID-19 can be found here:

• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) – Coronavirus Update
• UB COVID-19 Website
• Employee Return to Campus webpage

The Center for Disease control has found that people at risk for serious illness from COVID-19 include the following:

• Older adults
• People who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease

It is important to consider not only the risk of exposure to UB students and employees, but also those they come into regular contact with due to living or caregiving arrangements.

Please contact your supervisor or UB Human Resources’ Service Center at (716) 645-7777 for specific guidance regarding your personal work situation.