Environmental Health and Safety
EHS Would Like To Remind You . . .
Proper Use of N95 Respirator Mask and Disposable Gloves
Filtering facepiece respirators are air‐purifying respirators (N95) certified by NIOSH to have filter efficiency levels of 95% to filter contaminants such as dust, fumes, mists, and microbial agents. If you are wearing a N95 filter facepiece voluntarily for COVID-19 protection, please review Proper Use of N‐95 Respirators (PDF).
Proper Use of Disposable Gloves (PDF) will help you use gloves properly, understanding when to use them, how to avoid cross-contamination when wearing gloves, and how to take them off. To protect yourself, use these steps on How to Remove Gloves (PDF).
Setup a Healthy Workspace
As faculty and staff begin telecommuting from home, it is more important than ever to consider how work spaces are set-up ergonomically to maximize comfort and productivity. Essential ergonomics are important for keeping healthy at home. Check out these how-to-guides from the Mayo Clinic and desk set-up video from the Wall Street Journal. We encourage employees to take the 20-minute “Computer Ergonomics” training in CSULearn. At the end of the training, there's a checklist that can help you evaluate your workspace.
Practicing good ergonomics at home can help you stay healthy with this extra tip Your Body at Work: Make Yourself Comfortable (PDF).
If you need help setting up your home workplace, please e-mail Kathy Kinch at kkinch@csuchico.edu to set-up a short 10-minute virtual Q&A session with our ergonomic professional.
Social Distancing in Offices, Reception Areas, and Other Work Settings
As the University continues to respond to the changing world which COVID-19 has created, one of the terms that has now become common is “Social Distancing”. Outlined below are steps which employees can use to establish social distancing in their work spaces. Keep in mind that social distancing guidelines are based on a 6-foot separation of individuals, but physical barriers are also appropriate.
- Consider the physical barriers which are in place such as doorways or cubicle walls.
- Consider establishing temporary barriers such as a rolling white boards, sealing openings between cubicles*.
- Where there are no barriers, but the appropriate distance exists, consider placing a visual reminder to maintain social distance.
- With campus buildings largely unoccupied, consider moving some staff to alternative rooms.
- In reception areas, limit the number of seats. Organize seats in such a manner so there is at least 6-feet between seats.
- Increase distance in waiting lines. Using tape on the ground to indicate “line starts here” concept and placing tape marker at 6-feet intervals.
- Use phones, videos, or video conferencing to reduce the need for meetings and other close personal contact.
- Breakrooms should be managed to reduce communal use. If safe distances cannot be maintained, consider finding alternative areas to take breaks.
- Keep in mind social distancing also applies in other areas such as vehicles, carts, and non-traditional work settings.
Please keep in mind when creating temporary barriers or workstations that you do not block or inhibit emergency egress, corridors, aisles, or safe paths of travel. In addition, consider the flammable nature of materials so you do not create a fire hazard.
EHS and Cal/OSHA Remind You To:
Environmental Health & Safety Continuity Plan
Business and Finance (B&F) is committed to continuing operations as efficiently as possible to serve student, faculty, and staff during campus impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, we have created business continuity plans for each B&F department that outlines how each unit has adjusted hours and processes to function remotely, how staff can be contacted, and what services have been modified or suspended.
What We Do
We provide guidance and services to the campus community to promote the integration of health, safety, and environmental stewardship into all University activities.
Our Areas of Expertise
Health and Safety Training
We offer a variety of training programs to the campus community, including: injury and illness prevention, ergonomics, fall protection, fire prevention, general safety, and hazard communication. For more information, staff and faculty should visit the CSU Learn website to sign up for current training classes.
Emergency Preparedness
We oversee the Emergency Preparedness Program which includes, Chico State Alerts, and the Emergency Action Plan (PDF). Please review the information on the Emergency Preparedness website.