University Policies, George Mason University

General Policies

University Policy Number 1403

Subject: Building Coordinator Program

Responsible Parties: University Safety Office

Procedures: Not Applicable

Related University Policies: None

I. SCOPE

This policy applies to all University faculty, staff and students.

II. POLICY STATEMENT

Each building on any George Mason University campus shall have a building coordinator appointed. The Provost and Senior Vice President shall jointly identify an administrator in each campus building who represents the majority of the building’s occupants. (See Appendix I.) The administrator shall then designate an individual (and alternate) to serve as Building Coordinator. In certain multifunctional buildings, without a primary occupant, the Director of the Physical Plant shall designate a member of his staff to serve as the building coordinator. The Safety Office will maintain a list of Building Coordinators for use by university officials.

The building coordinator shall be willing and able to assume the position and all associated responsibilities. The appointee shall be a full-time member of the faculty, professional or administrative staff of the university. He/she shall serve for a minimum period of one year, the appointment to be made at the beginning of the fall semester and will be renewable each year thereafter. There is no limit to the number of consecutive, or nonconsecutive, terms a coordinator may serve.

III. DEFINITIONS

Building Coordinator: A University employee who has a defined role in campus emergency/disaster preparedness and building maintenance. He or she serves as the primary communication liaison between campus support agencies and building occupants for the actions described in this policy.

Emergency Assembly Area: A pre-designated safe location near a building where building occupants assemble and report to the Roll Taker(s) after evacuating their building.

Emergency Responder(s): Individual(s) who provide assistance in an emergency (or potential emergency) situation in a building. They are not building occupants and may be from the University Police, local fire departments, Physical Plant, the Safety Office, etc. In critical situations they may take charge of the building and have full authority over activities in and around the building.

Roll Taker: A building occupant assigned to take roll at the emergency assembly area (EAA) after a building evacuation.

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

Policy Administrator: The University Safety Officer (USO) is responsible for administering this policy. The USO will review suggested changes to the policy and make recommendations to the Provost and Senior Vice President regarding revisions to the policy.

Department Heads: Department Heads are responsible for ensuring that building coordinators are appointed for each building for which they have responsibility. Department Heads will provide information pertaining to designated building coordinators to the Safety Office, to include changes in assignment, in a timely fashion.

Building Coordinators: Each building coordinator is responsible for the well being of his/her facility. The building coordinator will have the authority to make decisions, and carry out those duties that affect comfort, convenience, safety and energy conservation. In exercising these duties the building coordinator will work closely with the Physical Plant, University Police and the University Safety Office. The building coordinator's name, office, telephone numbers, and official building hours shall be prominently posted in the main lobby of his/her building.

Specifically, the building coordinator shall:

· Attend an initial training session on the role of the building coordinator. Members of the Safety Office will conduct the training along with representatives from the Physical Plant and University Police Department.

· Act as coordinator for building occupants in implementing building emergency response and evacuation plans.

· Work as building liaison to other campus departments and units that provide support, assistance and input to emergency preparedness planning. This includes working with other units in the building to coordinate emergency evacuation plans and emergency assembly areas.

· Serve as building contact between occupants, essential service providers and emergency responders if an emergency occurs during duty hours.

· Train an alternate to assume duties when the primary coordinator is on leave, absent, or otherwise not available.

· Make regular tours of his/her building making sure that all equipment and facilities essential to good work/study practices are in proper working order. All irregularities that cannot be taken care of by the regular building custodians shall be referred to the Physical Plant Work Order Section using the work order process. The work request can either be initiated in a hard copy format or accessed on-line at:

http://www.gmu.edu/departments/facilities/physicalplant/workrequest.html

· Accompany University Safety Office personnel, Physical Plant representatives and state inspectors on scheduled safety and fire prevention tours.

· Report conditions that affect disabled individuals to the Equity Office (993-8730) for assistance in resolving the issue.

· Notify occupants of impending access interruption to public areas or utilities in the building.

· Post notices of construction work in the building that could affect occupants.

· Coordinate occupants’ use and maintenance of public areas within the building.

· Building Coordinators located on the Arlington and Prince William Campuses shall work closely with the respective Directors of Operations at those campuses in carrying out the duties as set forth in this policy.

· Serve as a member of a group of all building coordinators (Council of Building Coordinators) to be convened at least annually by the Senior Vice President and/or the Provost, or their designated representatives.

Building Occupant: Each building occupant is responsible for knowing who the building coordinator is and how to contact that individual; knowing the evacuation routes, exit points and emergency assembly areas for the building; knowing when and how to evacuate the building, locations of emergency supplies, and pull alarms. In addition, each building occupant shall be alert to fire hazards or other dangerous situations and report them to the building coordinator.

V. OTHER INFORMATION

The Physical Plant will inform the building coordinator in advance of all structural modification, scheduled pesticide spraying and other activities that might affect building usage or the building’s occupants, so notice can be provided to building occupants. The building coordinator shall assist in establishing the date and time period for any disruption by identifying any special arrangements required to protect research projects or events that would be adversely affected by the planned action.

VI. COMPLIANCE

Department Heads will exercise managerial oversight of individuals designated as Building Coordinators to assure that appointed personnel follow the intent of this policy. Failure to properly perform the duties associated with the position could reflect adversely on the individual’s performance evaluation.

VII. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPROVAL

This policy is effective June 1, 2003. This policy shall be reviewed and revised, if necessary, annually to become effective at the beginning of the University’s fiscal year unless otherwise noted.

Approved:

_______________________
Maurice W. Scherrens
Senior Vice President

________________________
Peter N. Stearns
Provost

Date approved: July 7, 2003