Return to Campus protocols
As always, your health and well-being are our primary concern. The guidance below applies to all employees who perform duties on campus or UC leased or affiliated properties, unless the facility has expressly provided different instructions. For those who are approved to return, we are instituting new protocols designed to protect yourself and others. We expect all on-campus workers to abide by the guidelines and directives described below.
For All Returning Employees
COVID-19 Prevention Plan Campus Guidance
The campus has developed general guidance, which all employees should review.
You can also view the Return to Campus Working Group webinars on You Tube.
Training
COVID-19 PREVENTION
All employees who plan to be on-site are required to view a training video, "COVID-19 prevention training" as required by CDPH/CalOSHA before returning to campus. Even if you will continue to work remotely, but may need to come to campus occasionally, you must complete this training. This course is accessible in the UC Learning Center.
COVID-19 Screening Check
UC Riverside students, employees, and visitors are required to fill out the COVID Screening Check to report:
- A positive COVID-19 test result.
- COVID-19 symptoms (symptoms from a known or chronic condition such as allergies, asthma, etc. are not considered COVID-19 symptoms for this report)
- Exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 (exposure is defined as close contact with a known positive person for more than 15 minutes in a 24-hour period)
- Reporting from an outbreak on campus.
Accessing the COVID Screening Check
Employee report positive cases below:
Students will be reporting into Point and Click (PnC) Please navigate to Point and Click.
PNC SOP REPORTING COVID-19 CASE
Face covering
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Face Covering Guidelines
Effective May 11, 2023 the CDC will no longer calculate the COVID-19 Community Levels as a result of the sunsetting of the federal public health emergency. As a result, CDPH is sunsetting its Guidance for the Use of Face Masks and is recommending all Californians consider the following:
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Wear a mask around others if you have respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, runny nose, and/or sore throat),
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If you've had a significant exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, wear a mask for 10 days.
- When choosing to wear a mask, ensure your mask provides the best fit and filtration (respirators like N95, KN95 and KF94 are best).
Hygiene
Disinfectant and sanitizers
Order a disinfectant kit from Facilities services (includes disinfectant, painter’s tape, shop towels, and other items).
Facilities Services is providing a disinfecting kit and alcohol-based hand sanitizer for use in campus facilities. There is no charge. This kit will provide an EPA approved, one-step surface disinfectant spray that does not require you to wear PPE and is effective in killing the virus left on a variety of surface. To request your disinfectant kits, visit the Facilities Services website.
Handwashing
All employees must practice good hygiene by frequently washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or longer. When possible, use soap and water instead of hand sanitizer. Watch this short video on proper handwashing.
Custodial
Facilities Services is cleaning and disinfecting common areas more frequently and will continue to provide services to campus buildings. For information on cleaning frequency, click here.
Campus restroom facilities and other plumbing systems are not designed to handle disinfectant wipes. Cleaning wipes do not break down or dissolve and should not be flushed down toilets. Doing so can lead to significant building floods and could ultimately require closure of buildings and interruption of operations. This type of material should be discarded in the trash only.
Learn more at Facilities Services Campus Return Support Information view details on cleaning schedule.
EH&S HEPA Air Purifier Guidance
EH&S has pre-approved the following Medify Air portable air purifiers: MA-14, MA-15, MA-18, MA-25, MA-35 (wall-mounted), MA-40, and MA-112. Medify Air offers a discount to UCR purchasers. Request pricing by calling or using the online form on the Medify Air webpage linked here. Air purifiers should be positioned near potential pollutant sources, several feet above the floor, in a centralized location, and away from any obstructions (e.g., avoid placing in room corners, away from objects that could limit air circulation). Note: improperly positioned air purifiers may disrupt airflow patterns, negatively impacting HVAC system function. For further guidance on air purifier positioning, contact ehsih@ucr.edu.
When selecting the appropriate EH&S pre-approved Medify air purifier, carefully consider the following factors (reference the Medify air purifier specifications sheet for this information):
Room Size/Purifier Capacity: Ensure that the air purifier to be purchased is sufficient for the intended workspace, e.g., the MA-18, which cleans an area of 400 square feet every 30 minutes, will not be sufficient for a 2,000 square foot room.
- Noise: Consider the noise output of the air purifier and how quiet the workplace needs to be, e.g., an MA-112, which has a maximum noise output of 70 dB, may be too loud for a quiet classroom. Reference this noise level chart.
- Filter Replacement: Air purifier filters should be routinely replaced. Reference the Medify Air purifier specifications sheet for filter life timeframes.
*Note: For the purposes of COVID-19, air purifiers should relied on as a secondary control measure to complement other controls, such as vaccinations, physical distancing, face coverings, adequate room ventilation (e.g., opening windows, increasing the room’s volume flow rate), and frequent hand washing.
EH&S HEPA Air Purifier Rental Program
EH&S is lending the below-listed portable High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers at no charge to UCR workplaces (e.g., classrooms, offices). To determine if your UCR workplace is eligible to borrow a portable HEPA air purifier unit, select the below Air Purifier Request Form. Portable HEPA purifier supply may fluctuate depending on demand.
• MA-25 (Capacity: 500 square feet/30minutes, Max Noise: 51 dB, Filter Life: 2,500 hours)
• MA-40 (Capacity: 840 square feet/30minutes, Max Noise: 60 dB, Filter Life: 3,000 hours)
• MA-112 (Capacity: 2,500 square feet/30minutes, Max Noise: 70 dB, Filter Life: 3,000 hours)
Air Purifier Qualtrics Request Form
Ventilation
We are continuously monitoring the recommendations and guidance from the WHO, CDC, and American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Based on the recommendations, Facilities is taking the following steps:
- Maximizing outside air to increase air circulation +1 hour before and after normal operating hours so more fresh air is being brought in the buildings
- Continuing to update HVAC air filters to the maximum allowed rating for each building system in occupied buildings
We remind you that the most effective way to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus is vaccination. For those that are unable to be vaccinated, the use of a mask, hand washing and physical distancing greatly reduce the potential for infection.
Filtration
Facilities Management maintains air conditioning and ventilation systems and replaces air filters on a schedule throughout the year. Filtration further mitigates risk of transmission in buildings with recirculated air. As air moves through a building's HVAC system, air filters trap and collect large and small particles such as dust, allergens and microorganisms.
For more information on Facilities Services HVAC and Ventilation information, visit the Facilities Services HVAC FAQs.
Transmission Reduction Efforts
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the COVID-19 virus appears to spread human-to-human through respiratory droplets coming from an infected person. Based on public health guidance, the key transmission reduction factors include:
- social distancing,
- limiting occupancy,
- practicing good personal hygiene, and
- utilizing face coverings
As part of the public health guidance, Facilities Services will disinfect high-touch areas including elevators, door handles, common areas and restrooms. We have made disinfecting kits available to departments and hand sanitizing stations are located at the entrance of each building. A map locating sanitizing stations can be viewed by clicking here.
Resources and SOPs
Signage
The campus has developed standard signage and postings for building entrances, exits, stairs, elevators and more. Download and post signage through your work areas.
The following posters are installed throughout campus:
- Keep yourself healthy
- Face covering
To obtain additional signs complete the COVID-19 signage request.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
- General Areas: Office Space
General Area/Office Space Disinfection SOP - Laboratories
Laboratory/Research Space Disinfection SOP
Facilities
Disinfection response plan SOP
Shared Vehicle
To reduce the spread of COVID-19, avoid sharing UCR vehicles whenever possible and should wear a face covering at all times. Review this Shared Vehicle Guidance for details.
Non-UCR Affiliates, Visitors, and Vendors
We recognize that visitors, contractors, vendors and other non-UCR personnel may need to come to campus. Non-UCR affiliated individuals coming to campus for essential work must abide by visitor guidelines.
Non-UCR AffiliateS/VISITORS/VENDORS
information
Parking
Transportation and Parking Services offers several permit options based on frequency and length of time for individuals needing to park on campus. Each permit type has different parking options and costs vary. Individuals can buy by the hour, day, week, or month based on their individual needs. For more information, visit Return to Work Parking Information.