UB Employee Safe Return to Campus

• Members of the UB community and campus visitors must wear face coverings at all times, including (but not limited to) when inside UB buildings, classrooms, labs, facilities, and buses and shuttles and in outdoor campus spaces. 
  • When inside UB buildings, classrooms, labs, facilities, and buses and shuttles and in outdoor campus spaces.
• UB provided one reusable face covering to each student, faculty and staff member at no cost. 
• You may use your own face covering, provided it:
  • Is snug but comfortable against the sides of the face.
  • Covers your mouth and nose.
  • Is secured with ties or ear loops.
  • Is made with multiple layers of material.
  • Allows you to breathe without restriction.
  • Will not be damaged or change shape with washing and drying
• Do not wear face coverings (masks) with plastic valves. These are one-way valves that do not filter air you expel and are therefore unsafe to others if you are infectious.
• Face shields will be provided if there is a medical reason a person cannot wear a face covering.
• Do not share face coverings.
  • Label your face mask with your name to reduce risk of mixing masks with coworkers.
• Wash or sanitize your hands after removing your mask.

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.

Here are some simple ways to keep a safe physical distance (at least 6 feet) between you and others.

• In hallways and stairwells, walk to the far right in a single file.
• Travel outdoors when possible.
• Limit elevator occupancy to 2 people. 
• Limit restroom occupancy to the number of fixtures available in each restroom.
• Avoid gatherings of 25 people or more.
• Seek less crowded routes.

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. 

Waiting in Line

UB units and operations with high traffic will communicate their specific requirements for maintaining safe physical distance in queues. In general, try to keep safe distance (6 feet) between you and the next person in line. Listen carefully for instructions from those operating the queue.

Hallways and Stairwell

Stay to the right and walk in single file when traveling through hallways, walkways and staircases. When possible, judge the density and either wait until an area is less crowded, or seek alternate routes. Travel outdoors if possible.

Limit elevator occupancy to 2 people (or occupancy stated on posted signs). Stand in each corner to maintain safe distance and face away from other occupants. Please consider giving up your elevator spot to those who need it, especially those with physical disabilities.

Leave adequate space between you and others while exiting building. Remember to hold the handrails on stairs and to disinfect your hands once you are able.

• Temporarily, all passengers will enter and exit from the rear door of buses for the safety of our drivers
• Stay 6 feet away from other passengers while waiting for, boarding or disembarking the bus or shuttle
• Choose a seat that will put physical distance between you and other passengers.
  • Some seats may be blocked off to create safe distances between passengers. When necessary, we may need to limit the number of passengers on buses or shuttles.
• Swiping of UB ID cards at boarding has been suspended until further notice.
• Follow guidance and direction provided by bus/shuttle drivers or UB Parking & Transportation.
• Use hand sanitizer before and after touching surfaces. Wash hands thoroughly before and after riding.
• Open windows (when feasible) to improve ventilation.

Face masks are required on all UB buses and shuttles.

If you feel sick or are concerned that you have COVID-19 symptoms, please do the following:

1. Stay home. Please do not come to campus until your doctor confirms you do not have COVID-19 or you are tested negative for the virus.
2. Contact your healthcare provider. They will advise you on next steps. (Be sure to make an appointment before contacting them in-person.)
3. Notify your supervisor. Employees, if you will be absent, notify your supervisor and follow your unit's normal call-in procedures. 
4. Notify Human Resources. Employees, if you are diagnosed with COVID-19, notify UB Human Resources as soon as possible. 

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.

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.

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:

• Elevator buttons
• Door handles
• Restroom fixtures
• Faucets
• Printers, copiers
• Bus, shuttle fixtures
• Credit card readers

• Wash your hands (or use hand sanitizer) immediately after touching commonly shared items, and  before and after getting to your destination.
• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly (20 seconds) using soap and warm water.
• Avoid touching your face, especially after removing your face mask or after touching commonly shared items.

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.

• High-traffic areas are cleaned daily (usually at night), including (but not limited to):
  • Hallways, lobbies, entrances
  • Elevators
  • Meeting rooms
  • Classrooms
  • Libraries
  • Clinical and Counseling spaces
• Commonly touched public surfaces are disinfected daily, including (but not limited to):
  • Doors (doorknobs, handles, opening bars and activators)
  • Copy machines
  • Handrails
  • Elevator buttons
  • Light switches and push plates
  • Water fountains
• Public restrooms are cleaned several times daily, including toilet seats, flush mechanisms, handrails, stall locks, faucet activators, paper towel dispensers and soap dispensers.
• In the event that an individual is confirmed to have COVID-19, UB will follow specific procedures, which include cleaning and disinfecting exposed areas in line with CDC guidelines.

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).

• Individual departments are responsible for procuring cleaning supplies for their areas.

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:

• Wipe down surfaces in your room or office with disinfectant wipes or sprays at the start and end of every day, including:
  • Computers, keyboards, mouse
  • Coffee pots, water spigots, water fountains
  • Lab equipment
  • Remote controls (clickers) in shared meeting spaces
  • Workshop tools
  • Copier keyboards
  • Phone dials and panels
  • Entry keypads
• Wash your hands frequently, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.

• UB Parking & Transportation disinfects Stampede buses and UB shuttles twice daily.
• High-touch surfaces such as handrails and seat backs are wiped down periodically throughout the day.
• Transit team members have been trained to use disinfecting fog to thoroughly sanitize campus shuttles.
• Wash hands thoroughly and frequently, and use hand sanitizer before and after touching surfaces.
• Open windows (when feasible) to improve ventilation.

Car Sharing

• Zipcar has upgraded its car-cleaning procedure with antiviral and antimicrobial solutions and has deployed periodic sanitizing procedures. 
• Treat shared vehicle like other shared workstations. Clean and disinfect commonly touched spaces (e.g., steering wheels, handle bars, seats, door handles) before and after use.