Develop the Return-to-Work-Plan for Your Office
Supervisors must develop safety-oriented return-to-work plans for the Buffalo State offices or departments they oversee. These plans are critical to ensuring that Buffalo State has done its utmost to prepare faculty and staff for a safe return.
Please use the Buffalo State Forward Safety Plan template as the basis for your return-to-work plan. The plan should be consistent with key health and safety guidance provided to faculty and staff.
Questions to consider in developing your return-to-work plan:
1. Guiding principles: As you prepare for reintegration, what information do you want to share with your staff that supports the mission and vision and strategic goals of the institution?
2. Which employees are returning to work, and when?
3. Are the employees categorized as essential or non-essential? What arrangements need to be made for their building access?
5. Have employees been able to complete work effectively from their alternative work locations?
4. What is the reason for the return to campus at this time? Are employees supporting operational needs for fall 2020? Can the work not be accomplished remotely?
6. What work can employees continue to perform remotely or virtually -- supporting decreased density and social distancing -- even if they are reporting to campus?
7. How will you return employees to campus while limiting density? Can you employ a reduced schedule, a staggered schedule or work shifts?
Before return-to-work commences in your office, your completed plan must be approved by:
You must complete a plan even if your office has essential status and/or your have worked throughout the COVID-19 health emergency.
Consider These Actions to Support Your Plan:
1. Use signage and posters to create visual reminders of social distancing and hand washing guidelines, and to remind workers to wear masks to protect their colleagues and themselves.
2. To reinforce social distancing requirements, use directional arrows to encourage one-way foot traffic in your area.
3. Complete an Environmental Health and Safety Office assessment form if you think you may need sneeze guards (safety shields), floor markings or other PPE in your area.
4. Maintain a continuous log of every person, including workers and visitors, who has close contact with employees in your area.
