UB employees are working tirelessly and collaboratively to keep our community safe and our operation running smoothly, while continuing to provide the best academic experience to our students in the safest way possible.
Employees are advised to check this page often for COVID-19 related protocols and practices that affect the UB workplace.
To keep you and all our employees safe, UB is requiring that every employee verify that they are free of COVID-19 symptoms each day before entering our campus.
We are taking measures to help our employees return to work, safely and confidently.
Source: University Facilities
If you wear a cultural or religious head covering, such as a hijab, niqab, or turban, you are required to wear a cloth face mask, too.
In general, most cultural or religious head coverings either do not cover the face or do not fit snugly enough around the face to provide sufficient protection against COVID-19. Additionally, most head coverings that extend over the face are made of fabric too light and porous to offer protection.
Wearers of hijabs, turbans, tichels and head coverings like them that do not cover the face, must also wear a cloth face mask.
A standard cloth face mask can be tucked inside your veil or turban, behind your ears.
If you prefer to wear your face mask outside your head covering, consider attaching face mask extensions or buttons so you can attach ear loops.
Niqabs (niqaabs) and headcoverings like it do not provide sufficient protection against COVID-19 because they are not worn snugly against the face, are not air tight and are usually made of chiffon or other lightweight fabrics. For these reasons they do not effectively block your own respiratory emissions.
The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings that are at least 2 plies thick.
For these reasons, wearers of niqabs and coverings like it are required to wear a face mask.
Source: University Facilities
Here are some simple ways to keep a safe physical distance (at least 6 feet) between you and others.
All members of the campus community are expected to keep 6 feet of physical distance between themselves and others in all areas of campus whether visual guidance is provided or not.
Outdoor Spaces
In outdoor spaces on UB’s campuses, it is required that you maintain 6 feet physical distancing between you and others. All members of the campus community, including visitors, are required to wear face masks on campus, indoors and outdoors, according to UB's face mask guidelines.
Waiting in Line
UB units and operations with high traffic will communicate their specific requirements for maintaining safe physical distance in queues. In general:
Hallways and Stairwell
Avoid Large Gatherings
You should avoid mass gatherings of more than 25 people for any reason.
Source: University Facilities
Practice social distancing during fire drills and evacuations to ensure your safety.
All campus visitors, including vendors and contractors, are required to abide by UB’s health and safety guidelines, including wearing face masks on UB campuses.
Hosting departments and units are responsible for informing their visitors of UB’s COVID-19 guidelines and for ensuring that they comply.
Visitors Must Wear Face Coverings at All Times
Face coverings must be worn at all times, according to UB’s face covering protocol.
Exception: Some construction or trade workers are bound by requirements (New York state or OSHA) that may differ somewhat from UB’s health and safety guidelines. Such work should always be taking place in areas fenced or cordoned off from the general campus population. Within those cordoned off areas, workers are required to abide by New York state and OSHA COVID-19 guidelines. As soon as those workers leave the restricted work area, however, they are required to follow UB health and safety guidelines, including wearing face masks at all times.
If you notice construction or trade workers who are not wearing face masks outside their restricted work area, please contact Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S).
Visitors in Campus Housing
Students may only enter the residence hall or apartment where they reside. Students will not be allowed to host anyone in their rooms, including other residents in their building that tdo not reside in their room or apartment. Off-campus guests, including non-resideitial univrsity students, are not permitted to enter residence halls.
Visitors and Daily Health Check
Visitors to campus are required to complete the Daily Health Check prior to theri visit and every day they are on campus.
UB Parking & Transportation has implemented several practices to ensure passengers of buses and shuttles can be safely spaced apart.
Rear-Door Boarding on the UB Stampede
Temporarily, all passengers riding the UB Stampede buses will enter and exit from the rear door for the safety of our drivers until such time as protective barriers can be installed on each bus.
Source: Parking and Transportation Services
If you feel sick or are concerned that you have COVID-19 symptoms, please do the following:
UB Human Resources
UB-HR@buffalo.edu
716-645-7777
Please do not come to campus until your doctor confirms you do not have COVID-19 or you are tested negative for the virus.
Source: Human Resources
All UB faculty, staff and volunteer faculty/staff who come to a UB or UBMD campus must omplete the Daily Health Check. If you are unable to use the text-based or web-based Daily Health Check, please complete the accessible form below every day you are on campus.
NOTE: All Visitors (e.g., invited guests, vendors) who are otherwise not affiliated with the university are required to complete the Daily Health Check prior to their arrival on campus. An accessible form for visitors is available here.
Please note that UB students, faculty and staff who are not required to complete the Daily Health Check are strongly encouraged to do so out of concern for their personal health and the health of the entire community.
For complete information on the required Daily Health Check, visit UB’s main COVID-19 page.
Source: Human Resources
Here are some tips for preventing the spread of COVID-19 from touching potentially contaminated surfaces.
1. Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
2. Use hand sanitizer when handwashing is not possible.
3. Be mindful of touching commonly touched surfaces or shared items such as:
Source: University Facilities
Handwashing is more effective than hand sanitizer for protecting against COVID-19, according to the CDC. But alcohol-based hand sanitizer will do in a pinch.
Below are some of the cleaning and disinfecting protocols currently in place at UB.
1. UB custodial staff conduct regular cleaning and disinfection of facilities and more frequent disinfection for high-traffic public areas for frequently touched surfaces.
2. UB custodial staff have been trained in specialized CDC-recommended sanitization and bio-safety procedures.
3. Cleaning products used at UB are certified by the EPA and CDC for the destruction of COVID-19.
4. Handwashing stations (restrooms) with warm water and hand soap, are provided throughout campus, as well as alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
5. Cleaning supplies (limited by availability) will be provided in centrally scheduled classrooms to enable faculty, staff and students to wipe down commonly used surfaces (e.g., keyboards, remote controls, desks).
Everyone at UB is asked to do their part to keep UB COVID-free by cleaning their own, personal work or living spaces.
We all need to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19. Here are some quick tips for keeping your personal spaces disinfected:
Car Sharing
Parking & Transportation staff disinfect Stampede buses and shuttles twice daily. High-touch surfaces such as handrails and seat backs are wiped down periodically throughout the day.
You can learn more about UB’s and New York State’s guidelines and protocols for COVID-19 from these resources: