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COVID Safety Planning for Use of Campus Space
In effort to maintain a healthy and safe environment for staff, faculty and students returning to campus, Risk Management is requiring that you complete these forms outlining the precautionary steps your department will take to ensure the safety of others.
- Campus Entry Safety Protocol:
This form initiates a safety protocol process only. Your proposed activity must be approved by your department and campus administration before returning to campus. Completion of this form does not automatically result in an approved safety protocol. - Return to Work Protocols for COVID-19:
These supplemental protocols remain in place until further notice. Questions should be directed to the manager for your work area.
Revised: 6/18/2020
Face Covering Requirements
- Face Covering Requirements: On June 18, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order requiring everyone, with limited exceptions, to wear a face covering in all public areas, including common areas, indoor spaces, and outdoors when six (6) feet of distancing is not possible. Read more.
- Face Covering Videos: "What face masks actually do... Part 1 & 2"; "No-sew face mask"; and "Social Distancing: Flatten The Curve."
Face Covering Requirements
To Our Hornet Community
On June 18, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order requiring everyone, with limited exceptions, to wear a face covering in all public areas, including common areas, indoor spaces, and outdoors when six (6) feet of distancing is not possible.
Our campus is a public area, and the expectation is that our Hornet Family will abide by this public health mandate and keep one another as safe as possible. That means wearing a face covering when you are on campus.
A face covering that covers the nose and mouth helps reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), especially when combined with physical distancing and frequent hand washing. The use of a face covering limits the release of infected droplets when talking, coughing, or sneezing.
Our University is an extended community of caring individuals, and wearing a face covering when on campus is an expression of care for your fellow Hornets and says you will do what it takes to keep everyone as safe as possible during these unusual and difficult times.
Below are answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ), meant to clarify this new requirement and offer details about the limited exceptions.
FAQ
Does this mandate apply to the entire campus?
Yes, with limited exceptions, everyone is asked to wear a face covering anywhere on campus that is considered public.
What are the exceptions to the governor’s mandate for face coverings?
Exceptions include maintaining more than six (6) feet from other people outdoors and working in private offices. Wearing a face covering is strongly recommended unless you are absolutely sure you can stay distant from others.
Are there other exemptions to wearing a face covering for people who have physical or other limitations?
Yes, if you have a limitation that prevents you from wearing a face covering safely, there are alternatives. Individuals who are exempted from wearing a face covering due to physical or other limitations and who work in regular contact with others should wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits. Faculty and staff who require an accommodation should discuss this with Human Resources (HR) at the earliest opportunity.
Students are asked to submit an application to Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) and meet with an Access Coordinator to discuss their disability and inability to wear a face covering.
There are also exemptions for religious and specific safety reasons. If you have a religious reason for not wearing a face covering, please check with HR. If you believe you have a non-COVID-19 safety reason for not wearing a face covering, please check with the Office of Environment Health and Safety (EHS) at 8-2020.
Is there a specific type or brand of face covering required?
Almost any type of face covering, from a cloth bandana to a surgical mask, is acceptable as long as the mouth and nose are covered. Multi-layered cloth face coverings with ear loops are recommended, as these are easy to put on and take off, and are washable and reusable.
What about N-95 masks?
Consistent with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), N-95 masks should be used only for work activities that present a known risk of exposure, such as medical services. EHS will provide N-95 masks only for those activities where there is a known risk, or where the mask has been identified as a required control measure in the employee's safety protocol. Employees requiring an N-95 respirator to prevent exposure to other airborne hazards (e.g., silica dust) will continue to be provided appropriate respiratory protection.
Are any face coverings prohibited?
Face coverings that have a built-in plastic exhalation valve do not meet the requirement for a safe face covering and are prohibited. They may protect you from some pathogens in the air, but they do not protect nearby people from your exhalation.
Designs on face coverings should be professional. Please avoid graphic designs or wording that could be potentially offensive to others.
Do I have to wear a face covering while I work in my office?
If you work in a setting where you are alone in an office or cubicle, you do not need to wear a face covering. If you leave your workspace and move into a common area, where others may be present, you will need to wear one.
If I need to communicate with others who must see my face or mouth, do I need to wear a face covering?
If face-to-face communication is a requirement of any in-person situation, where it is important for people to see each other’s faces, alternatives such as a face covering with a clear window, or a clear plastic face shield, are available on request from EHS.
If I do not have a face covering or know where to get one, will the University provide one?
Yes, contact the Office of Environment Health and Safety (EHS) at 8-2020, and they will provide a face covering.