Policy Portal

Administrative Policy: Operational

CAMPUS CLEANING POLICY

Policy Number: 3349-OP-500
Effective Date: 07/01/2020
Updated:
Reviewed:
Responsible Department: Office of the Provost and Sr. Vice President for Operations & Finance

A. Purpose

To establish a protocol for the cleaning and monitoring of campus to maintain a safe working and learning environment at NEOMED during periods of standard operations as well as during Public Health Emergencies.

B. Scope

This policy applies to all indoor spaces on the NEOMED Rootstown campus.

C. Definitions

  1. “Academic Space” refers to a shared space intended for academic instruction including but not limited to classrooms, lecture halls, and rooms used for academic assessments.
  2. “Common Space” refers to unstaffed, high-traffic spaces that are available for campus-wide use, including but not limited to restrooms, eating areas, lounges, waiting areas, personal study rooms, and conference rooms.
  3. “Personal Space” refers to a space that is intended for private use by a single person or a controlled group, primarily consisting of personal work areas.
  4. “Public Health Emergency” refers to a significant outbreak of an infectious disease resulting in a need for increased health precautions at the discretion of the University.
  5. “Shared Space” refers to a space that is not available for campus-wide use but utilized by multiple people throughout a given day, including but not limited to laboratories, shared departmental areas (e.g., copy room), and communal work areas.

D. BODY OF THE POLICY

  1. Cleaning Protocol
    1. All high-touch, high-volume areas and surfaces in Common Spaces and Academic Spaces will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized overnight for use the following business day.
    2. Employees of the University are responsible for the cleaning of their Personal Spaces and Shared Spaces with the exception of regular trash removal and floor cleaning. The campus cleaning staff is not responsible for daily cleanings of Personal Spaces, although they will wipe high-touch surfaces such as door handles.
    3. Employees and students are encouraged to bring sanitizing wipes to clean their work vicinity as needed in all campus spaces, especially spaces utilized by others throughout a given day.
    4. Employees and students are expected to remove all personal belongings and refuse from Common Spaces, Shared Spaces, and Academic Spaces.
    5. Concerns regarding the cleanliness of or damage to any campus space or a request for additional cleaning services should be submitted to Campus Operations through a work order request.
  2. Cleaning Protocol and Common Space Use during Public Health Emergencies
    The following cleaning and space use protocols may be employed during a Public Health Emergency in addition to existing cleaning protocols to maximize the safety and well-being of the community at the discretion of the University. Some of the following precautionary procedures may also be implemented during less severe public health concerns, such as flu season.
  1. Additional Cleaning & Sanitizing
    1. Cleaning procedures will comply with all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations or other available guidelines, including utilization of approved cleaning agents and methods for a virus or bacteria of concern.
    2. Academic Spaces that accommodate multiple group sessions in a single day will receive additional cleaning throughout the day between group sessions.
    3. Daily cleaning procedures during a Public Health Emergency include sanitizing all tables, chairs, and high-touch surfaces in Common Spaces and Academic Spaces.
    4. Hand sanitizing stations will be installed in high-volume, high-touch areas, near building entrances throughout campus, and will be checked routinely for supply adequacy.
    5. Laboratories, both research and instructional, and other Shared Spaces will have increased surface and equipment cleaning. More thorough cleaning may be requested through a campus work order.
    6. Employees are recommended to sanitize Personal Spaces and Shared Spaces daily with sanitizing wipes.
    7. Sanitizing wipes will be available to campus employees upon request from Campus Operations.
    8. Restrooms will be cleaned twice per day during business hours and monitored for cleanliness during evening hours.
  2. Physical Distancing and Common Space Reconfiguration
    1. Common Spaces may be closed or have furniture reconfigured/removed to create physical distance between room occupants. Common Space occupants are prohibited from rearranging furniture in a way that would decrease physical distance between other occupants. Additional signage may restrict maximum room occupancy.
    2. All doors that can be open should remain open to minimize frequent touching. All other doors will have handles cleaned on a frequent and regular basis.
  3. Campus Use & Signage
    1. When increased cleaning and safety measures have been enacted, informational signage will be posted around campus. All employees, students, and campus guests must abide by all posted safety guidelines, including but not limited to:
      1. Symptom monitoring requirements. All persons entering a campus building may be advised to perform a self-assessment of possible symptoms or signs of disease contraction.
      2. Face Coverings. All persons may be required to wear a face covering while occupying or moving about indoor campus spaces. Face coverings must meet the specified requirements of the University.
      3. Physical distancing requirements. All persons entering a campus building may be advised to maintain a physical distance from others to reduce disease transmission.
      4. Traffic flow. All persons entering or exiting a campus building or Common Space therein may be directed to walk on a prescribed path to limit close contact.
      5. “Out of service” restrictions. Certain machines, services, or spaces may be removed from use to prevent disease transmission in high-touch, high-traffic areas.
      6. Maximum room occupancy. To abide by physical distancing requirements, Common Spaces may be limited to a certain number of occupants at one time.
      7. Cleaning logs. A log of the dates and times of cleaning activities may be displayed outside of designated Common Space or Shared Space.
      8. Room sign-in logs. A sign-in log may be posted outside of Common Spaces to track room use. All persons occupying a room with such signage are expected to log their activity to assist cleaning staff in room cleaning prioritization.
  4. Safety Protocols for Campus Activity during a Public Health Emergency
    1. NEOMED employees and students are required to follow all direct exposure reporting requirements during a Public Health Emergency.
    2. To limit disease exposure and transmission during a Public Health Emergency, University and student events may be canceled or held virtually. Guidance on virtual event/meeting facilitation will be provided in advance of the event. In-person events held on-campus must be approved in advance by Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety or their designee.

CONTACT

Lisa Noland
Administrative Specialist
Phone: 330.325.6354
Email: lnoland@neomed.edu

Office of General Counsel

Northeast Ohio Medical University