Health and Safety

Physical distancing is a cornerstone of preparing for our Toro community's return to campus. Solutions may vary depending on building sizes and the amount of people on campus.

Facilities and Risk Management will assess shared spaces such as classrooms, laboratories, open offices, lounge areas, etc. to determine the new capacity. FRM will also identify any physical barriers or modified personal protective measures that may be necessary. Signage indicating the maximum number of people that can be in one space at a time will be posted.

Maintain Physical Distancing

• Provide for at least six feet of physical distance from one another at all times in the workplace.
• Avoid unnecessary meetings: use videoconferencing, telephone calls, and email to communicate.

When 6 Feet is Not Possible

Sometimes it will be impossible to achieve a full 6 feet of separation. This is especially true of hallways and stairways. In those cases, PPE and good hygiene are critically important.

To avoid confusion, please follow these general rules of thumb:

• Stay right in hallways and when ascending or descending stairs.
• No more than two people at a time in an elevator.
• Follow foot traffic signs in hallways and corridors.

To protect everyone in our university community, we must take these necessary precautions to limit exposure.

Face coverings are required for everyone both indoors and outdoors on the CSUDH campus, as they are essential to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Face Covering Requirements

• Face masks must cover both the nose and mouth.
• The covering must fit snugly against the sides of the face so there are no gaps.
• You shouldn't have any difficulty breathing while wearing the cloth face covering.
• The cloth face covering can be tied or otherwise secured to prevent slipping.
• If you forget to bring a face covering, contact Facilities Services to receive one before entering any buildings. These requests can be coordinated by phone at (310) 243-3804.
• The university expects the Toro community to behave responsibly with respect for others.

Face Covering Cleaning Practices

• Avoid touching your face as much as possible.
• Keep the covering clean.
• Wash hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. immediately, before putting on, after touching or adjusting, and after removing the cloth face covering.
• Do not share with anyone else unless it has been washed and dried first.
• You should be the only person handling your covering.
• Laundry instructions will depend on the cloth used to make the face covering. In general, cloth face coverings should be washed regularly (e.g., daily, and whenever soiled) using water and a mild detergent, dried completely in a hot dryer, and stored in a clean container or bag.
• Face coverings or masks are not a substitute for social distancing and should be used in addition to physical distance.

CSUDH is practicing heightened cleaning measures to ensure the health and well-being of our campus community, including:

• Sanitizing high traffic areas, such as entrances, elevators, and hallways.
• Providing hand sanitizer at entrances and high-traffic areas.
• Providing products that meet the EPA's criteria for use against COVID-19 and are appropriate for the surface.
• Ensuring that restrooms always stay operational and stocked.
• Custodial teams following CDC guidelines while cleaning classrooms, offices, and workspaces
• HVAC air filtration containing a MERV13 filter.
• Increasing outside air intake to reduce recycled air in buildings, when possible.

Every member of the campus community has responsibility for sanitation in their own work area and when using shared resources or spaces. Disinfectants will be provided in these areas so occupants can do their part to prevent surface transmission of pathogens.

• Wash hands frequently, particularly before and after eating.
• Frequently clean and sanitize tools used to perform work duties.
• Avoid sharing of personal protective equipment.
• Phones, including cell phones, should be cleaned regularly.
• Clean and sanitize shared equipment and surfaces between each use (e.g. copiers, printers, computers, A/V and other electrical equipment, coffee makers, desks and tables, light switches, doorknobs, etc.).

Hand Sanitizer Safety Warning

The main ingredient in all hand sanitizers is alcohol, which is highly flammable. To increase your at home safety when using hand sanitizer, always:

• Rub hand sanitizer into hands until hands are COMPLETELY dry.
• Do not use lighters, matches, candles, gas stoves, outlets, or heaters immediately after using hand sanitizer, as alcohol particles from the sanitizer may linger in the air after use and pose risk for spark/fire.
• Space the use of hand sanitizer and using these items by at least 5-10 minutes, if not more, or use the hand sanitizer in a different room/area from items that may cause risk for spark.
• When you have the option of either using hand sanitizer or hand-washing, always opt for hand washing, as this is the best practice for keeping hands clean and for decreasing transmission of disease.

Every employee must contribute to a safe and healthy work environment. Employees are responsible for the following:

• Complete COVID-19 Need to Know Training via CSU Learn
• Conduct symptom monitoring every day before coming to work. Employees must be completely symptom-free to come to campus.
• If faculty, staff, or students have been deemed a close contact with a confirmed case, or have tested positive, they must remain home and not come to campus.

CSUDH has newly installed signage throughout the campus to help remind the Toro community of safety protocols. Please be aware of the signage and adhere to the guidelines. Visit the signage page for more information.

Training on COVID-19 is provided by the department of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS). Employee training is required before returning to work and will include all applicable OSHA/CDPH guidelines as well as topics highlighted in this document. Topics include:

• Campus policies and procedures
• Signage standards
• Symptom recognition and reporting
• Social and physical distancing standards
• PPE and face covering expectations
• Hand washing techniques

Employees will receive an email from CSU Learn to complete the training. For any questions on this safety training, please email ehs@csudh.edu.

An interactive version of the campus map is now available. This interactive application allows users to zoom, pan, and search campus features. The map includes buildings, in-person classrooms for fall 2020, parking lots, hand sanitizer stations, and more. Data layers may be turned off or on by selecting the check box in the Layer Selection menu. Many of the map features have additional information that is accessible by clicking the individual item of interest.

All students, faculty, and staff should also watch the training video below.

Prior to any visit to campus, students, faculty, staff, contractors, and vendors are required to do a self-check each day to determine if they may be experiencing any of the symptoms below. Should symptoms be present, employees should seek medical attention, contact their supervisor, and do not report to work.

• Fever (100.4 or greater)
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste or smell, or change in taste
• Severe fatigue or muscle aches
• Headaches, sore throat or runny nose
• Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea)
• Cough
• Have had any recent close contact with a known positive COVID-19 case
• Have had a COVID-19 test that is positive and are within an isolation period
• Have had a COVID-19 test and are awaiting results

Please visit the CDC website for additional information on symptoms. 

To make the self-screening as convenient as possible, the university has added a screening tool to the iToros Mobile app (available on iOS and Android mobile devices). The self-screening module asks users to complete a series of health questions that help evaluate if the user has symptoms commonly identified with COVID-19 and whether the user may visit campus.

Download the iToros App

Weekly testing is now required for on-campus students and MPP, confidential employees, and CSUEU-represented employees. More details are available on the testing website.

CSUDH also maintains internal and external communications protocols to inform the campus community about positive COVID-19 cases. For more information about how the university issues notifications about positive cases, visit the Reporting website.