Hello Voiland College Pullman Campus,
As we approach the winter holiday season, the university moves into a state of reduced operations. The reduced operations schedule is at the bottom of this email for your quick reference. While building operations will not look much different than our current operations because of Covid 19, there are a few items you may want to be aware of.
Prepare Your Area For Lower Staffing Levels & Workday Implementation Delays
Some suppliers will be raising prices in the coming new year, Workday may create delays in procurement of items, and staff that may normally handle procurement may be out of the office on holiday. You may want to review your available lab supplies and plan your purchases accordingly.
Before Leaving For Break Perform A Few Checks
Close exterior building windows. Empty your trash into hallway garbage receptacles. Make sure window blinds into the hallway are open so passersby can quickly spot potential issues (such as a leak). Check waste container tops are venting and are located inside of hoods. Ensure hood sashes are down. Turn equipment off as possible. Make sure the door is locked when you leave.
Limited Snow & Ice Removal
In event of poor weather, the university is not providing full snow removal or ice removal during the holidays and period of reduced operations. Please be careful as you navigate university roads, sidewalks, and exterior areas.
Please Be Prepared In Event of Power Loss
A power failure is one of the most likely emergency situations at WSU. Depending on what you are operating, an outage can create a high-risk situation quickly. Please exercise caution in your emergency preparation planning around a power failure.
Note: VCEA has no buildings with backup power. When the power goes out power outlets do not work, hoods do not work, the air systems shut down, and elevators halt. (For PACCAR toilets will not flush – the building’s water reclamation system provides the toilets with water but does not operate in a power outage.) The only systems that consistently work in a power failure are emergency lights, fire alarms, and emergency fire sprinklers. WSU does have generators, but they are only used for an extended power loss, and only certain areas of campus may be brought online with the generators.
Safety In Buildings – Please Do Not Prop Doors Open
If you are in a building over the holiday, please do not prop exterior doors open. If you see a building exterior door propped open, please close it. If something in the building seems wrong, please don’t hesitate to contact the WSU Police at 911 or the non-emergency number at 509-335-1380.
Accidentally Locked Out
If you are locked out of your area or a building you can call the non-emergency number for WSU Safety Services (aka WSU Police). You will need to have ID with you. The non-emergency number is 509-335-1380.
If You Want To Continue Working And Are In Hazardous Environments
If you plan to work in a hazardous environment over the holiday, please do not work alone (this practice applies anytime work takes place in a hazardous environment). Make sure you have a colleague working in the area with you (wearing a mask and maintaining 6’ apart), and best practice is to also tell someone (not working in the lab at the same time with you) where you will be and how long you plan to be there.
Emergency Contacts
In event of a life-threatening emergency please call 911.
In event of a security or safety concern please contact the WSU Safety Services office at 509-335-1380.
In event of a facility issue (such as a water leak) please call Facilities Services at 509-335-9000.
In event of a lab safety issue please contact Environmental Health & Safety at 509-335-3041 or as appropriate the Office of Radiation Safety at 509-335-8916.
For any concern, please feel free to contact the VCEA Director of Facilities Operations and Safety Services directly at 509-335-3783 or 509-432-1649.
2020-2021 WSU Reduced Operations Schedule
| Date | Type of Day |
|---|---|
| December 24, 2020 (Thursday) | WSU Holiday |
| December 25, 2020 (Friday) | WSU Holiday |
| December 26, 2020 (Saturday) | Non-business Day |
| December 27, 2020 (Sunday) | Non-business Day |
| December 28, 2020 (Monday) | Reduced Operations |
| December 29, 2020 (Tuesday) | Reduced Operations |
| December 30, 2020 (Wednesday) | Reduced Operations |
| December 31, 2020 (Thursday) | Reduced Operations |
| January 1, 2021 (Friday) | WSU Holiday |
| January 4, 2021 (Monday) | Normal Business Day |
| January 5, 2021 (Tuesday) | Normal Business Day |
Wishing you and your families a happy and safe holiday season!
Dar
Darlene Russell-Neunherz, MBA
Director Facility, Operations & Safety Services
Dean’s Office
Voiland College of Engineering & Architecture
Washington State University
Phone: 509-335-3783
drussell@wsu.edu