COVID-19 Workplace Safety Policy
POL 01.90.01
Effective Date: June 11, 2020
Updated: November 30, 2022
1.0 Policy Purpose
The purpose of the MBL COVID-19 Workplace Safety Policy is to ensure all activity including work, research, and training that is authorized to occur on campus is done so as safely as possible.
2.0 To Whom the Policy Applies
This policy applies to all full or part-time employees, students, visiting faculty and researchers, interns, and visitors, approved to be on campus. Where the policy refers to “staff,” “employees,” or “individuals” it encompasses all individuals who are approved to be on campus. “Campus” means all MBL-owned facilities and grounds, and other locations where MBL functions, programs, and activities are conducted.
3.0 Policy Statement
This policy is subject to modification as new regulations, information, and guidance becomes available from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and medical/public health experts at the University of Chicago.
4.0 Principles Governing Work, Research, and Educational Activities on MBL Campus
- Ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals at MBL.
- Minimize health risks by following all current MBL guidance.
- Provide clear and consistent guidance that employees, students, faculty, interns, and visitors on campus can easily and effectively follow.
- Ensure accessible reporting mechanisms for individuals with health and safety concerns and enforce appropriate consequences for lack of compliance.
5.0 General Policy Requirements
All individuals must periodically review information provided by the MBL to keep abreast of current information on continued preparedness, action, and response to COVID-19. Policies provided by the MBL are determined by weighing recommendations from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), and the University of Chicago.
5.1 Vaccination Requirements
All individuals approved to be on campus must review the current COVID vaccination requirements, exemption details, and information on requirements for unvaccinated individuals on the MBL Go Forward Vaccination Requirement website.
Upon reviewing the requirements all individuals must upload proof of COVID-19 vaccination onto the MBL’s secure registry portal prior to arriving on campus.
5.2 Face Coverings
All individuals must follow masking requirements should there be any in effect at the MBL.
Please contact safety@mbl.edu with questions or concerns about face masks and coverings.
5.3 Self-Monitoring
All individuals must conduct a Mandatory Daily Health Screening for COVID-19 symptoms every day before arriving on campus or accessing any MBL buildings, and they must monitor their health for new symptoms throughout the day. If any individual experiences any symptoms associated with COVID-19, they must immediately inform their supervisor, MBL point of contact, and Human Resources, and they must not enter any MBL facilities until criteria is met on the Protocol for Addressing Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 Exposures.
5.4 Contact Tracing
All individuals must fully cooperate in MBL’s Contact Tracing Program and in any contact tracing program for local or state public health authorities.
5.5 Close Contacts
CDC guidelines define close contact as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic persons, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
Contact tracing will be conducted and those in close contact with a positive individual, per CDC guidelines will be contacted directly. It is important to note that you will not be notified if you have not been deemed a close contact.
5.6 Hygiene
All individuals are responsible for promoting safe hygiene practices, including vigilant hand washing and cleaning of workstations and other lab/office areas, especially common work areas, surfaces, and equipment such as shared printers and copiers.
6.0 Visitors
MBL employees and other registered visitors must not give their MBL ID Card to access any MBL facilities and they must not let unregistered MBL visitors into an MBL facility.
Non-residential visitors to the MBL facilities must abide by the MBL’s Health Policies and Protocols for visitors.
7.0 Communication Protocol
In efforts to make others aware of coronavirus symptoms, it is critical to be mindful of protocols for communicating confidential health information to others. The identity of anyone testing positive will be kept confidential. No personal identifying information can be shared. It is unlawful to disclose the names of individuals and their health conditions in any written documents including emails or texts.
Individuals should immediately inform their supervisor and Human Resources via a phone call, text, or email stating that there is urgent information to be discussed. The individual can contact Human Resources at covid@mbl.edu or Courtney Buckley, Director of Human Resources at cbuckley@mbl.edu. Informing a manager and Human Resources can be done during the evening or on a weekend. The sooner Human Resources is aware of the situation the sooner appropriate safety precautions can be taken particularly as it relates to contact tracing.
MBL will notify the MBL community of confirmed positive cases via the COVID-19 Dashboard.
8.0 Responsibilities
All individuals to whom this policy applies are responsible for becoming familiar with and following this policy. All individuals are responsible for promoting the understanding of this policy and for taking appropriate steps to ensure compliance.
8.1 Manager Responsibilities
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- Remind individuals that they are required to abide by all general policy requirements outlined above
- Remind individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms that they must immediately leave the campus and follow the Protocol for Addressing Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 Exposures.
- Remind individuals they must report confirmed COVID-19 or potential exposure to COVID-19 to their supervisor and Human Resources and no identifying information should be shared in writing.
9.0 MBL Human Resources Department
The MBL will distribute an Attestation Form to all employees and individuals approved to participate in any activity on the MBL campus. All approved individuals must electronically acknowledge that they have read, understand, and will comply with the COVID-19 Workplace Safety Policy.
Human Resources will provide individuals with updated information regarding their responsibilities should they test positive for COVID- 19, become symptomatic for COVID- 19, or become exposed to someone with COVID-19 as outlined in the Protocol for Addressing Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 Exposures.
10.0 Consequences for Violating this Policy
All individuals must follow and take this MBL COVID-19 Workplace Safety Policy seriously. Corrective action will be taken for any individual on campus who does not comply with the MBL COVID-19 Workplace Safety and related policies up to and including dismissal from campus.
11.0 Related Information
This policy is subject to modification as new regulations, information and guidance becomes available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the University of Chicago.
Anyone who would like to report behaviors inconsistent with or in violation of this policy should contact their MBL point of contact Human Resources, Environmental Health & Safety Manager, or any member of MBL leadership.
12.0 Policy Owner and Contact
12.1 Policy Owner: Chief Operating Officer
Paul Speer, Chief Operating Officer Email: pspeer@mbl.edu
12.2 Subject Matter Contacts:
Overall Policy Questions and Concerns
Human Resources Director, Courtney Buckley; Email: cbuckley@mbl.edu
Health and Safety Workplace Guidance
Environmental Health and Safety Manager, Eric Jensen; Email: ejensen@mbl.edu