Return to Work: General Information

-Covid-19 Pandemic: Return to Working on Campus required for all employees, including those currently working on campus. 
-A review with your supervisor of your area’s worksite specific COVID-19 prevention Plan
-ATD training for high-risk groups (e.g. clinical dentistry, healthcare, research labs working with COVID-19 samples)

Can undergraduates return in this phase of the ramp-up?
Undergraduate researchers are not included in the current phase of research ramp up. They should not plan to return to campus.

Will there be additional access restrictions for lab buildings?
Many buildings are currently restricted to essential personnel only and will remain restricted to general access during the next phase of returning to work. If you cannot access your lab building, contact your building manager or supervisor.

If I require accommodations to return to work or have questions about accommodations, who do I contact?
Access UCLA’s employee COVID-19 Accommodation Request form. You will be contacted by a Disability Management Specialist.

For non-COVID-19-related accommodation requests and information regarding Employee Disability Management Services, please visit this website.

Campus approved signs and physical distancing markers are available from Facilities Management: https://www.facilities.ucla.edu/covid19/signage

What are the physical distancing guidelines?
-Maintain a six-foot distance from any person when it is possible.
    -Where work requires close contact site/procedure specific plans must be written to define other safety measures to limit COVID-19 spread.
-If a space is small, make these spaces single occupancy, for example, TC rooms, small practice rooms, kitchenettes, etc.
-Research is using 250 sq ft per person as a guide. One person per bay is also recommended with staggered schedules of workers who may share a bay.
-Common areas guidelines; hallways, kitchens, restrooms. — Develop a site-specific plan and coordinate with your floor/ department
    -Post signage for occupied/unoccupied if restrooms are small and designated as single-use.
    -Close off kitchens or set strict disinfection protocols for use of shared equipment.
-Elevators will be marked to limit riders to 4 or 2 depending on the size.

Can I install physical shielding like plexiglass barriers in my area?
Any physical barriers that are installed on campus must be approved by the Fire Marshall. There are safety concerns that unapproved installations will hinder fire and life safety equipment and ventilation in buildings. Any installed barriers must be installed by Facilities Management and requested by FSR.

What are the recommendations on how to safely work alone?
-Set up a check-in/out system to support the personal safety of your colleagues.
-Have emergency contact information and phone numbers programmed into personal cell phones.
-Consider remote monitoring options for high-hazard operations.

How do I report if a worker in my area tests positive for COVID-19?
Please follow this reporting SOP: https://ucla.app.box.com/s/lmnlrg4ruzjqjbujc7j4mwevkbjakze7.

If a worker from another area tests positive in my building am I at risk?
You are most at risk if you came into direct contact with that worker. The virus which causes COVID-19 does not travel long distances through the air effectively and is unlikely to be carried from room to room through the air ducts.

Is antibody testing necessary to go back to work?
No. Any person who works on campus will be required to fill out a symptom monitoring survey each morning before arriving.

Where can I get thermometers to monitor symptoms in my work area? What type should I get?
-Employer-administered temperature checks are not currently required under local, state, or federal orders. Certain high-risk job duties with a higher risk of exposure would justify performing temperature checks in addition to the Daily Symptom Monitoring Survey. More information: UCLA Requirements or COVID-19 Symptom Monitoring.
-Areas that want to set up temperature check stations must seek approval by contacting the UCLA Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at covid19@ucla.edu. The EOC will consult with UCLA Health to determine if such checks are warranted.

What kind of contact tracing is the university implementing in case of an outbreak?
Contact tracing is being implemented in alignment with LA County Department of Public Health Guidelines for Institutions of Higher Education, in coordination with medical and public health experts at UCLA Health, ASHE, and Fielding School of Public Health.

Is it safe to flush a toilet, wash my hands in a public sink, or use other public fixtures that create splashes?
Yes. There is no known or documented case of transmission through droplets generated by splashes from toilet flushes or handwashing. This aligns with our understanding of the mechanics of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which requires very direct person-to-person or surface transmission. Wash your hands and use a paper towel to turn off faucets and open the door as you exit the restroom.

Should I wear a face shield or goggles as well as a mask while for extra protection?
A face shield and goggles do not provide protection from respiratory droplets or infectious aerosols. These are only necessary in high-risk situations such as health care where a worker can encounter sick individuals with symptoms such as coughing and need additional splash and spray protection.

Should I wear gloves in the restroom or other public spaces?
EH&S strongly recommends that gloves not be worn in restrooms or public spaces. Gloves provide no added protection from hand-to-mouth transmission, can easily spread other kinds of contamination if they are worn between research and public spaces. Hand washing is still the most effective defense, wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and especially before touching your face.

How often should we disinfect our spaces?
Shared areas and high touch surfaces should be disinfected after each user is done with the equipment or working in the area. Regular spaces that aren’t as frequently used at least daily.

How are non-public but widely shared areas (e.g., dark rooms) being cleaned? Who is responsible, and at what frequency?
In non-public shared spaces plan to disinfect your work areas both before and after you use them. The general recommendation is to clean as you go in and clean before you come out. Shared space use and disinfection should be coordinated with all users and written into a site return to work specific plan.

Where can I get disinfection supplies?
Facilities Management is distributing disinfection kits for general use. These are available for order through FSR. Visit https://www.facilities.ucla.edu/covid19.

Is UCLA providing cloth face coverings for people working on campus?
Cloth face coverings are available free of charge for UCLA personnel approved to work onsite. Submit a request for face coverings here.

Will I be provided with gloves and face shield or goggles?
Only if those are appropriate PPE for your normal work areas. See FAQ questions above.

What are the recommendations for eye protection during COVID-19?
The CDC recommends that all mucosal surfaces be protected in areas of moderate to substantial community transmission and when physical distancing is not feasible. For more guidance on eye protection, see COVID-19 Eye Protection Recommendation. 

There’s a nationwide shortage on PPE how do I get what I need?
UCLA EHS has set up an Emergency PPE Store to assist return to work activities and employees in getting the protective equipment they need. Stock is limited and for work-related activities only. For questions about ordering personal protective equipment via recharge through the EH&S Central Store, email Alyssa Leiva at aleiva@ehs.ucla.edu.

What PPE should we wear to protect ourselves when working in the lab?
Your normal PPE is still appropriate for the work you are doing. In most labs, this will be a lab coat, eye protection, gloves, and waist to toe attire. Cloth masks are not PPE and absolutely should not be worn over, under, or in place of surgical masks or respirators in areas which require heightened respiratory PPE.

Cloth face coverings will not be allowed in DLAM facilities and laboratories that are BSL2+ or higher. Surgical masks or other protection are used in these spaces.

Does a Contractor need to take the UCLA symptom monitoring survey before reporting to campus?
Yes. Contractors must take the Symptom Monitoring Survey before reporting to campus. The Contractor's cell number should be used instead of the University ID.

Does a Contractor need to notify the University if they have infected workers?
Yes. If the Construction Contractor has an infected worker that has been or is on campus, he/she should immediately notify UC staff and the local public health authority.

Does a Contractor need to stop working if they have infected staff?
If a contractor has infected staff, the campus should evaluate the situation, and, if needed, and in coordination with campus counsel guidance, request an immediate construction site shutdown for further evaluation with counsel and EH&S staff.

Can a Contractor claim delays if we ask them to stop work or if they have to stop work due to infected staff?
Yes, a contractor can claim delay damages if either we ask them to stop work or if they stop work due to an infected worker. Each such claim will require evaluation by counsel.