Guiding Principles and Procedures

Managers are strongly  encouraged to implement controls outlined in the Guiding Principles.  At a minimum, Managers should

  • Ensure staff are trained regarding UCSF Health screening protocols, universal masking, maintaining >6' physical distancing, steps to prevent exposure when working within 6' of a patient, and when unmasked while eating or drinking in designated areas. (Go to LMS; search for COVID)
  • Evaluate local work environments and make economically  responsible adjustments to accommodate essential workers who must be onsite to provide direct patient care during their work shift.
  • Implement controls including but not limited to: 
    • staggering staff schedules, accommodating staff working from home
    • providing staff access to the UCSF Health Universal Masking Policy and UCSF Physical Distancing Protocol
    • posting maximum occupancy signage for staff areas with more than one person
    • posting 6' distancing signage where queues can form or as needed to maintain sufficient distancing
    • posting furniture clings encouraging people to select another seat
  • Request assistance when overlfow areas appear to be needed for:
    • essential staff who cannot be accommodated after alternate workflows are implemented
    • patients and visitors in waiting rooms

Monitoring and Addressing Hazards and Risks

UCSF Health continues to monitor the environment of care through safe and physical distancing assessments.  With a surveillance team from the Safety Office and our partners at Infection Prevention, Regulatory Affairs, Ambulatory Educators, Emergency Management, and EHS, over 150 patient-care areas have been assessed and about 700 locations evaluated.  Survey results are communicated to Managers for follow-up, and development and execution of corrective plans.

Two multi-disciplinary work groups with representation from both UCSF Health Support Services and Campus Facilities routinely meet to

  • Review outstanding, non-compliant findings and discuss how these can be timely addressed
  • Ensure barrier/sneeze guard/partitions meet the standard set by EHS prior to deployment
  • Prioritize work based on assessment of transmission risks and occupational exposure
  • Prioritize departments in need of overflow space for staff who cannot be accommodated in their home departments as essential workers but need to be on-site, and waiting room areas to support patients and visitors.

 

How to Request Overflow Space or General Safe and Physical Distancing Assessment

UCSF Health staff can request a "Safety Assessment" under the Safety Office menu from the MCSS Help Desk.  Please FIRST check with your unit manager if an Inspect survey was conducted in the unit to review and determine if corrective actions are already in process before opening a ticket.

Customers requesting barriers, sneeze guards, or partitions for staff communal areas must
1)  speak with their manager, then
2)  open a Safety Assessment MCSS Help Desk ticket
Opening a service ticket does not guarantee that any barrier, sneeze guard, or partition will be installed.

 

 

 

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