Return to Laboratories - Cleaning and User Expectations The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has presented us with many challenges, but we remain encouraged as the university begins to grant select exemptions to return, including research's staged reactivation that moved to a new stage on June 1. Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) will support user needs by offering a tailored approach to clean and disinfect facilities. FOD follows CDC best practices for higher education institutions and uses proper disinfectant and cleaning supplies, but we all need to do our part to promote health and safety. To protect others, we all need to wear facemasks in any indoor space other than a private office. Building occupants should wash their hands regularly and practice physical distancing. FOD will clean bathrooms and disinfect high touch point areas at least twice a day, including door handles, faucets, handrails and other commonly touched surfaces in high traffic areas. Specific cleaning protocols will continue to evolve in alignment with central guidance from the university's Transition Task Force. Everyone should review the current guidelines for specific building spaces to determine which areas they are responsible for disinfecting: - Individual Offices - Individuals will continue to be responsible for cleaning and disinfecting their own workstations. For employees who occupy single offices, we ask you to please empty your own deskside trash and recycling bins into centrally located containers. This will limit foot traffic in and out of your office.
- Research Labs - Lab benches and sinks will remain the responsibility of the lab employees. Shared spaces and high touch surfaces will require more frequent disinfection and cleaning. Individuals should clean and disinfect shared workspaces before and after use.
- Kitchen and Break Areas - Building occupants utilizing break rooms or kitchens should wipe down surfaces after each use, including handles and buttons on water coolers, microwaves and refrigerators.
- Conference Rooms - Virtual meetings are a preferred alternative. If in-person meetings must be held, users are responsible for wiping down conference room high touch surfaces after each use.
Disposable facemasks can be discarded in waste baskets. Cleaning supplies for all the above areas are the responsibility of building occupants or may be provided by your college or unit. In limited circumstances, FOD may provide cleaning supplies, when available. Guidance for studios will be coming soon. Please contact your zone leader with any questions. Thank you in advance for working with us to prioritize the health and wellness of your fellow Buckeyes. Peter Calamari
Assistant Vice President
Facilities Operations and Development | 