Research Reactivation at BSRB

WELCOME BACK! Below you'll find essential information related to occupancy of BSRB during the “Wave 1” ramp up, and you can CLICK HERE for more information about the overarching Medical School Research Reactivation Process and relevant FAQs.

Additionally, check out this testimonial from Renee Beardslee, a Research Lab Specialist who described her experience being among the first wave of personnel returning to BSRB.

Building Entry

BSRB

The designated Wave 1 lab entrance to BSRB will be the Northeast Lobby. This entrance is located at the corner of East Ann Street and Zina Pitcher Place. The entrance was chosen to accommodate accessibility, the staging of entrants for screening, and tracking of exits. All personnel approved for Wave 1 research and all essential research personnel must enter through this location.  Daily screening will be required before you can return to your lab. For more information regarding this process, please see below.

The initial two days of ramp up activity will be divided into two cohorts. Entry times will be staggered to minimize wait times through the screening process, and to allow for evaluation of the plan and for adjustments to be made.

LOBBY ENTRANCE HOURS OF OPERATION: 6:00am – 6:00pm

Entrance Times
6:00am-9:00am Floors A-D, 2, 4 
9:00am-12:00noon Floors 1, 3, 5
All floors open after noon

Building Entry Assumptions:

  1. Previously approved critical research and lab maintenance activities will continue and must enter at the Northeast lobby.
  2. Campus Facilities and Operations service providers will enter at the BSRB Dock entrance and follow their approved screening process.
  3. All other service and support vendors must enter at the Northeast Lobby location unless they have undergone a pre-approved screening process provided by their parent company or organization prior to arrival at BSRB.
BSRB Entrances

Access Control

Entry
Authorized persons are determined by your department and school approval is required to re-engage in laboratory work. All authorized persons have completed their laboratory safety and hygiene plan and required training. All persons will be validated against a list approved by the Medical School Office of Research. Anyone having questions regarding authorization for Wave 1 approved research should contact their Principal Investigator. All persons will be required to scan your Mcard for entry. Only authorized persons will be permitted to enter the building between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm. Access is available seven days a week Monday through Sunday.

Essential Personnel performing critical research and operations activities will continue to have 24/7 access to BSRB. Access will be restricted to the northeast lobby doors. During the hours of 6am-6pm you will be subject to the building entry screening process.  Mcard access will remain intact for after hours and weekend building access for critical and essential activities only through the northeast lobby doors. Mcard data will be audited.

BSRB Building Access

Exit
There is no time requirement to exit the building. All persons will be required to exit through a designated door in order to allow for monitoring of building capacity. Emergency exits are available for use in the event of a fire alarm or other DPSS communicated emergency alert.

Screening Process

All persons entering the building will be screened by Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS) staff using the following process:

  1. You will be required to participate in a screening that asks:
    1. Do you have symptoms of: fever (>100.4 °F), chills, cough, loss of sense of smell and/or taste, shortness of breath, sore throat, diarrhea?
    2. Have you had household contact in the last 14 days with someone diagnosed with COVID-19?
    3. Have you been maintaining the State of Michigan’s social distancing guidelines outside of work?
    4. Have you traveled internationally or outside of Michigan in the last 14 days, excluding commuting from a home location outside of Michigan?
  2. ITS has developed a new online tool (healthscreen.umich.edu) that features the four screening questions above, and research personnel can use a smart phone to complete the questions anonymously. If they receive a green checkmark on the screen at the end, they can show the greeter. If employees do not have a mobile device, greeters will continue to ask the necessary screening questions verbally. As with the verbal health screen questions, personnel will need to complete and show the green checkmark every day at initial entry to the building.
  3. Your temperature will be taken using a touchless thermometer.
  4. If your answers to the screening disallow you from being present at work (pursuant to an applicable Executive Order, University policy, or otherwise) or you are not listed among the approved personnel, you will not be allowed access into the building.
  5. Any employee who has a positive intake screen will be referred for follow-up with the Occupational Health Services Hotline. (734-764-8021).  
  6. Occupational Health Services (OHS) will conduct the initial triage for employees with a positive screen
  7. OHS employees are trained to determine the need for a COVID-19 test.
  8. There is a process in place for employee testing, either with off-site testing or at University Health Service.
  9. Employees will not be allowed to work until cleared by OHS.
Social Distance at BSRB

Queuing
All personnel entering the building will be offered visual cues to indicate the recommended safe social distance of 6’. Additional pavement markings will indicate social distancing outside of the building along the covered area.

Compliance

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) will perform walkthroughs to help maintain public health standards so that labs can remain open. Report lab safety issues, including personnel who are ill or not following safety protocols, via the U-M compliance hotline website. Report lab safety issues, including personnel who are ill or not following safety protocols, via the U-M compliance hotline website. You can also report concerns by calling 866-990-0111 or contacting EHS at 734-647-1143 or emailing EHS. OVPR and Occupational Health Services will track aggregate data on COVID-19 illness in labs with weekly reports.

EHS Checklist for Restarting Research Activities
All person returning to the labs should consult the link below and follow the recommendations to prepare for the restart of research activities.
https://ehs.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/EHS-Checklist-for-Resta...

Visitors/Vendors

Visitors are not permitted. Vendors arriving at the building for service, repair, or maintenance of equipment should be arranged in advance and coordinated with DPSS screening. You will be expected to meet your vendor at the screening location, ensure they comply with U-M’s mask and safe distancing guidelines, and exit the building when work is complete.

Personnel Protective Equipment

Requirements
The following link provides an interpretation by Environmental Health & Safety of the Governor’s Executive Order and guidance on the use of face coverings
https://ehs.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Face-Covering-Usage-for...

Distribution
Face coverings will be distributed at the BSRB lobby screening location by DPSS staff. All approved Wave 1 researchers will be issued one face covering/mask to use.  

Signage
Signage will be used to designate the approved entrance and exit doors. Signage may indicate directional flow where adequate social distancing cannot be maintained. Additional signage in common areas will indicate availability, capacity, or offer reminders of proper social distancing.
BSRB SignageBSRB Restrooms and Kitchens

Common Areas/Conference Rooms

Common areas will be restricted to the BSRB building atrium per Executive Order 2020-90.  No food or beverages are permitted in labs.  Kitchenettes on the upper floors should only be used for refrigeration of food and use of microwaves, with only one occupant permitted in the space at a time. It is recommended that each person using the kitchenette areas should clean and disinfect the surfaces they touch before and after each use. Custodial Services will perform daily cleaning using the standards identified in the link below along with disinfecting high touch areas in the building common areas such as elevator buttons, common area surfaces, and building door handles. Conference Rooms will be closed to comply with the Governor’s Executive Order 2020-90.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Cleaning Standards
Common equipment will be cleaned before and after use. Disinfection activities must be noted on a log that is easy for personnel to record and see, and accessible to EHS staff. CLICK HERE to download a cleaning log template. Learn more at http://ehs.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/General-Cleaning-and-Dis...

Sanitizer Stations
Hand sanitizer stations will be located in common areas as supplies are available. Departments can increase the number and manage additional locations within their space as needed.

Supply Chain
The following supplies will be available through Wave 1.

  • Hand sanitizer
  • Sanitizing spray
  • Sanitizing wipes
  • Gloves
  • Paper masks

Departments will be responsible for their procurement of supplies post-Wave 1.

Research IT Restart

If you are restarting your device after a long rest, you may experience slowness or issues connecting to the network. Contact HITS for assistance, call (734 93)6-8000 or click on https://hits.medicine.umich.edu/

  1. Managed Machines (Core Workstations/Flex)
    1. Turn on your computer and connect it to the network.
    2. Run maintenance https://wiki.med.umich.edu/x/wIcY
    3. Make sure you are on the latest version of Windows10 https://hits.medicine.umich.edu/projects/own-your-upgrade-self-serve-win...
  2. Sanitizing and cleaning keyboards and mice.
    1. Use recommended wipes or a gentle sanitizing solution. Do not spray cleaner directly on the device.
    2. Carefully clean all sides and allow time to dry.
    3. See the Infection Prevention and Epidemiology website for more disinfection information http://www.med.umich.edu/i/ice/disinfection/disinfection.html

Services

The services required to support research will be maintained through each approved Wave and be ramped up in alignment with research activity needs. Updates to services are available the Medical School Facilities FAQ page. This information will be updated if service levels change.  

  1. Research Services - 734-763-0773
    1. Glass wash
    2. Autoclave
    3. Biohazard waste pickup
    4. Dock services
    5. Courier services
    6. Mail
    7. Laundry services
    8. Biomedical Stores pickup/delivery
    9. Dry ice
    10. Laboratory gases
    11. M-ship
  2. Services provided by Campus partners
    1. Click on the following link for a full update of campus provided services. https://fo.umich.edu/pdf/COVID_Service_Notice_5-19-2020.pdf
    2. Facility Maintenance – Call 734-647-2059 to report building maintenance issues
      1. Custodial Services - Call 734-647-2059 to report cleaning issues
    3. Custodial services will follow the cleaning standards linked below. It is important to only use approved areas in the building where cleaning and disinfection will be focused.
    4. Hazardous waste pickup - Call HMM at (734) 763-4568 or complete the online Waste and Supply Request form.
    5. Logistics, Transportation, and Parking
      1. Parking enforcement will tentatively resume July 1, 2020
      2. Capacity is being reported in the following structures
        1. Palmer Commons Structure
        2. Wall Street Structure
        3. Glenn Street Structure
    6. Current services including Transportation/Bus Service can be found at the following link.  https://ltp.umich.edu/2020/03/17/covid-19-update/
  3. Services not provided in Wave 1
    1. Food service
    2. Property Disposition

ULAM / Vivarium

Vivaria Traffic and Re-Engagement Plans for Wave I Buildings (BSRB, Chemistry, Pharmacy, and LSI) should be reviewed prior to building re-entry at http://animalcare.umich.edu/phase1-plan. Please note that only personnel listed on active animal use protocols in the building(s) designated for re-activation in Wave 1 will have access to this protected link.
 
Vivarium re-engagement is dependent on the availability of all of the following:

  • Appropriate ULAM staffing levels
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required for entry to the facility as well as any additional protocol-specific PPE (i.e., for handling hazardous agents)
  • Disinfectants required for use on surfaces within the facilities

Both the Research Re-Engagement and COVID-19 Research Operations webpages on the U-M Office of Research website provide a more comprehensive list of research re-engagement guidelines, including those impacting animal-related projects.
 
If you have additional questions or concerns about ULAM operations or how your research projects may be impacted by Wave 1 of the research re-engagement plan, please contact ULAM at ulam-questions@umich.edu.

Biomedical Research Core Facilities (BRCF)

As part of the Research Reactivation Wave 1 ramp-up at the Biomedical Science Research Building (BSRB), a few of our cores will begin reopening on Tuesday, May 26th.
 
Biomedical Research Store – will reopen BSRB location only
Flow Cytometry Core – will reopen BSRB location only
Microscopy Core – will reopen BSRB location, only for trained users, on Monday, June 1st.
 
CLICK HERE for details about how these Cores will operate during Research Reactivation, and regular updates regarding the BRCF. Questions can be directed to brcf-umms@umich.edu.

Building Operation

Emergency Preparedness
Please see the following link for information regarding severe weather events:
https://news.dpss.umich.edu/2020/04/1971

Mechanical and Electrical Systems
The building mechanical and electrical systems for Wave 1 wet lab research are fully operational. Non-wet lab areas (office/dry research/common areas/amenities) are programmed at a reduced schedule to capture utility savings on behalf of the Medical School. These measures are essential to support the economic recovery plan. Per Executive Order 2020-90 all office work is required to be conducted remotely; therefore, office areas should not be occupied and you will not be able to adjust temperatures.

Water Flushing
Facility Maintenance and Custodial Services are flushing domestic water systems to move water through the building distribution piping. Staff approved for Wave 1 research should flush their faucets the first day of their return for 30 minutes.

High purity lab water systems are being checked and maintained by the lab water vendor. Polishing devices attached to the high purity lab water system should be flushed for 15 minutes.

Building Ventilation
Building ventilation is being reviewed and where applicable is being increased.

Other Information

AEC/Construction Services
Construction Services is offering a selection of plexi-glass shielding options (along with approximate pricing) that they can fabricate and install for specific applications. Requests can be made through the following link. https://requests.fo.umich.edu/Home/NonGeneralFund

Acrylic Shield 1Acrylic Shield 2Acrylic Shield 3
Edited By: accurtis@umich.edu
Last Updated: June 5, 2020