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George Mason University

Research Continuity and Safety Plan

May 31, 2020

Introduction

George Mason University has adopted a phased approach to continuation of research, scholarship

and creative work (hereafter ‘research’) in university facilities, including on-campus, leased

facilities, and field and clinical settings. This approach will facilitate a controlled ramping-up or

ramping-down of research activities in response to changes in public health conditions during the

COVID-19 pandemic.

This document provides guidance to assist researchers with the creation of a safe research

environment in which sound public health practices are implemented, consistent with the

requirements outlined in Mason’s Safe Return to Campus Plan (forthcoming). The following

principles guide development and implementation of this plan:

▪

Our goal is to permit an increase in research activities outside the homewhile protecting the

health and safety of all of our faculty, staff and trainees (e.g. postdocs and students).

Priority will be given to time sensitive work that cannot be conducted from home.

Research activities that can be conducted at home and via telework will continue in that

manner.

▪

Researchers must comply with the Safe Return to Campus Plan (forthcoming).

▪

No Principal Investigator (PI) or research team member may begin university research

outside the home until they have received proper authorization. Each PI should work

closely with their Associate Dean or Director for Research to complete and submit a

Request to Resume Research in University Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings

(Appendix A), and obtain approval from the Department Chair/Center Director, Associate

Dean or Director for Research, Environmental Health & Safety, Dean and the University-

level Research Review Committee.

▪

Only authorized personnel with a legitimate need to access university facilities, field or

clinical sites should do so. Access should be limited to those activities that have approval

and cannot be conducted at home or via telework.

▪

Research activities that were approved by the Research Review Committee during Stage 1

(March 20 through June 10, 2020) and that continue to operate must meet the requirements

outlined in this plan, including submission by June 22, 2020 of a Request to Resume

Research in University Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings.

▪

Under no circumstances should safety be sacrificed due to the lack of adequate

supplies, such as the type and quantity of personal protective equipment. Academic

units must plan in advance for supply chain issues when research activities resume

outside the home and must communicate any issues to laboratory safety staff at

labsafe@gmu.edu and their Associate Dean or Director for Research.

▪

Failure to follow the requirements described and referenced herein will result in revocation

of approved research privileges.

On-Site Work Requirements:

• Resuming Research Operations:

o Each PI who wishes to resume research outside the home must complete a Request

to Resume Research in University Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings

(Appendix A) and complete the Research Reconstitution Checklist (Appendix B).

o When preparing the form, the PI should work closely with their Associate Dean or

Director for Research and obtain approval from the Department Chair/Center

Director, Associate Dean or Director for Research, Environmental Health &

Safety, Dean and the University-level Research Review Committee before

resuming research activities outside the home.

o Researchers approved for critical research in Stage 1 who wish to continue their

research must complete a Request to Resume Research in University Facilities or

in Field or Clinical Settings (Appendix A) by June 22, 2020. They will be required

to cease operations until these requirements are met.

• Training: Online training is required for all faculty, staff and students approved or

applying for approval for continuation of research outside the home. The COVID-19

Public Health and Safety Precautions training will be available after June 15, 2020. All

researchers already approved to conduct research prior to the training release date, must

complete training by June 30, 2020. Researchers requesting to resume research in

university facilities, both on-campus and in leased facilities, as well as in field and clinical

settings after June 15, 2020, must complete training prior to resuming those activities.

Upon completion of each training module, researchers will receive an email documenting

completion of the training requirement. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring their staff

have taken the training.

• Promoting and Enforcing COVID-19 Public Health & Safety Precautions: It is

expected that the Mason community will work together to create a safe and positive

research environment at all times, but particularly during this difficult time when personal

actions can have significant consequences for ourselves and others in the research

environment.

o PIs are expected to:

 Demonstrate safe behavior

 Encourage all researchers—faculty, staff, and students—to practice safe

behaviors and raise any questions or concerns about safety

 Enforce compliance with safety policies and procedures, including

COVID-19 public health and safety precautions

o Researchers must follow all pre-COVID-19 safety policies and procedures unless

they are in conflict with requirements outlined in Mason’s Safe Return to Campus

Plan (forthcoming) and the Research Continutity and Safety Plan.

o In addition to following requirements outlined in the plans, researchers are

expected to follow written and verbal instructions received through training and

from the Research Review Committee.

o A mechanism for reporting work place concerns is outlined in the Safe Return to

Campus Plan (forthcoming).

• Buddy System: Fewer people engaged in research means fewer people to respond in the

event of an incident or emergency.

o Each PI should conduct a risk assessment for procedures to determine which

require more than one person to be present and determine whether or not these

procedures can be done safely in accordance with required public health and safety

precautions. It may be prudent to delay highly hazardous research if possible until

normal staffing levels resume. If highly hazardous research cannot be delayed, PIs

must make provisions for teams to work safely and maintain physical distancing.

o Each PI should also implement a “text-in/text-out” system or similar system to

track the safety of personnel.

• Animal Research: Animal Care Resources is following its continuity of operations plan

to ensure that essential animal husbandry services are maintained. Researchers wishing to

conduct animal research during Stages 2-5 must contact the Assistant Vice President for

Research Integrity and Assurance, Mason’s Institutional Official (IO), to verify that

reasonable quantities of existing supplies and resources are available to support the

proposed work, and that the research they are proposing to carry out will be possible using

physical distancing procedures given the other activities in the animal care facility. The PI

must provide proof of approval from the IO when submitting a Request to Resume

Research in University Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings (Appendix A).

• Human Subjects Research: Human subjects research that has been approved by Mason’s

Institutional Review Board (IRB) to be carried out remotely may continue during Stage 2.

However, human subjects research that requires face-to-face interaction, or researcher

presence on-campus, will not be permitted to resume until Stage 3. Additional guidelines

will be issued.

• Research Conducted at Field Locations:

o Field research involving human subjects will not be permitted in Stage 2.

o Research teams conducting research at sites that are not George Mason University

sites must have written permission to proceed with their research from those that

control access to the site.

o A log of each day’s activities should be recorded. This log will include locations,

public or private venues accessed or visited, personnel in attendance and any

operations anomalies that may have occurred requiring assistance from persons

outside the research team.

o Use of vehicles should follow guidance outlined in Mason’s Safe Return to

Campus Plan (forthcoming). This includes only one occupant per vehicle and

limited stops for fuel and restroom use.

o The Request to Resume Research in University Facilities or in Field or Clinical

Settings must include a plan for maintaining hand hygiene while in the field,

provisions for physical distancing during field operations (including time spent on

vessels and water craft) and a description of disinfecting and cleaning protocols for

high touch surfaces and equipment.

o Research in remote locations will require additional considerations for long

distance travel, temporary housing conditions, emergency plans in the event a

research team member falls ill and approval from the University Travel Advisory

Committee if traveling outside of Virginia.

o Face coverings must be worn in accordance with physical distancing requirements

outlined in Mason’s Safe Return to Campus Plan (forthcoming).

o All research team members should bring ample water/liquids and food for

themselves in clearly labelled bottles and containers. No sharing of drinks or food

will be permitted.

o Upon completion of the research all equipment must be disinfected.

• Shared Equipment Locations and Open Research Spaces Shared by Multiple PIs

and Teams:

o Use of shared equipment spaces must be included in the Request to Resume

Research in University Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings (Appendix A),

and have the approval of the relevant Department Chairs/Center Directors,

Associate Deans or Directors for Research, Environmental Health & Safety, Deans

and the University-level Research Review Committee before reopening.

Scheduling, workflow and designated work areas for specific instruments will be

critical factors to consider with regard to physical distancing in these spaces.

o Open research spaces shared by multiple PIs and their teams will require

significant scheduling and coordination to maintain physical distancing

requirements. The Request to Resume Research in University Facilities or in Field

or Clinical Settings (Appendix A) should indicate that the space is shared by

multiple PIs and their teams.

• Limiting Access to the Research Space:

o Only authorized individuals may enter a university facility or research space.

o No family members, friends, pets or other unauthorized individuals are permitted

in any university facility or research space.

o Municipal trash (not biohazardous waste) should be placed in the corridor outside

the research space to reduce the number of spaces custodial staff must enter.

o Visits from contractors, vendors and delivery personnel should be limited to

essential activities such as supply delivery, equipment certifications, maintenance

and repairs. These individuals must follow work requirements described in

Mason’s Safe Return to Campus Plan (forthcoming). The host is responsible for

ensuring that Mason’s work requirements are followed.

• Ordering Supplies and Receiving Packages: In an effort to streamline essential

purchases of safety supplies and equipment, all academic units and other departments are

prohibited from ordering community health equipment such as plastic barriers, disposable

or reusable face coverings, hand sanitizer, hand sanitizer dispensers, disinfectant wipes and

non-latex disposable gloves. A full description of this policy is outline in the Safe Return to

Campus Plan (forthcoming).

This restriction does not apply to personal protective equipment and supplies that support

existing research activities and generally were used prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g.

safety glasses, laboratory coats, gloves used in wet labs, etc.).

o Due to difficulty in procuring supplies, each PI must provide ample time for orders

to be filled and shipped. Many supplies are back ordered four weeks or more. To

prevent running out of supplies, orders should be placed two to three months in

advance.

o Procedures for receiving packages are outlined in the Safe Return to Campus Plan

(forthcoming).

• Cleaning and Disinfection: High-touch surfaces are a particular concern for

COVID-19 transmission. The university has increased the cleaning frequency of

high-touch surfaces in common areas (e.g. elevator buttons) but cleaning and

disinfecting surfaces within a PI’s research space and office are the PI’s

responsibility.

o Before leaving the laboratory, disinfect any surfaces researchers may have

touched including door and drawer handles, light switches, faucets, phones

and equipment.

o Disinfect with an EPA-registered household disinfectant suggested for use

against SARS-CoV-2. A list can be found at:

https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-

sars-cov-2. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use including

concentration and contact time.

o Consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or spray for electronics which

may reduce risk of damage to sensitive machine components. Whenever

possible, consider the use of wipeable covers for electronics.

o When a PI is notified of a positive COVID-19 case among research personnel, all

research spaces associated with that individual should be immediately closed and

the PI should contact EHS for further guidance. Additional information for

managing positive COVID-19 cases is available in the Safe Return to Campus

Plan (forthcoming).

• Ramping-down or Cessation of Work: The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly

evolving situation. Researchers must be prepared either to ramp-down research

activities in response to public health recommendations, or for an immediate

cessation of work should a lab member become infected with the virus.

o Each PI must develop a plan for ramping down research activities. The

plan must be documented in the Request to Resume Research in University

Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings (Appendix A).

o To the extent possible, research spaces should be shut down at the end of

the day in a manner that will be safe for seven days, in the event that

access to the research space is suddenly restricted.

o Routinely back up critical research data.

o Consider installing remote monitoring devices for critical equipment (-

80⁰C freezers, liquid nitrogen dewars, incubators, etc.).

o Make sure large pieces of equipment (-80 ⁰C freezers, incubators, liquid

nitrogen tanks, etc.) are labeled with emergency contact information.

o If possible, make sure critical equipment is on backup power. Do not

connect nonessential equipment to back up power.

o Keep heat generating equipment such as hot plates and water baths

unplugged when not in use.

o Unhook and cap gas cylinders if they are not essential.

o Ensure gas and vacuum lines are turned off when not in use.

o Routinely dispose of odor causing waste.

o Routinely disinfect and empty aspiration flasks containing biological

waste.

o Ensure all hazardous waste containers are tightly closed and properly

stored. Contact EHS (labsafe@gmu.edu) to request a waste pickup.

o Personnel should take personal belongings home at the end of each day.

Principal Investigator Name:

Alternate Contact Name:

Email Address:

Unit/Department:

Unit/Department Chair Name:

Associate Dean or Director of Research:

Dean/Department Head :

Relevant Awards and Approvals:

IRB#:

IACUC #: IBC #:

OSP Award #:

Submission Date:

Request to Resume Research in University Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings

Researchers who wish to continue research activities that were ramped down in response to COVID-19 pandemic, must complete and submit this form.

Submissions will be reviewed by the Departmental Chair, Associated Dean or Director for Research, Environmental Health & Safety, and the Dean and

the University Research Review Committee. Priority will be given to time sensitive research that cannot be conducted from home or via telework. All

activities must adhere to strict public health and safety guidelines. Principal investigators should complete one form for all time sensitive activities they

wish to continue during Stage 2. The Research Continuity and Safety Plan, which is provided on the Research Continuity Guidelines webpage, provides

guidance on how to maintain public health and safety guidelines in the research setting.

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

Phone:

Email Address:

Phone:

Email Address:

Created June 3, 2020

Appendix A: Request to Resume Research in University

Facilities or in Field or Clinical Settings

An electronic version of this form is available on the Research Continuity Guidelines Website.

SUBMIT

Given the current COVID-19 crisis, provide a strong justification for resuming these activities specifically at this time

(versus a later stage), and why these activities cannot be conducted via telework (300 words or less):

What is the proposed duration of this work (ongoing versus limited duration):

II. DESCRIPTION AND JUSTIFICATION

Provide a description of the specific activities you wish to resume:

III. PERSONNEL

Including yourself, list each person you expect to engage in the proposed activity and their work schedule (frequency/duration of their

participation). Do not include those who will continue to telework full time.

Name G Number Position Work Schedule

IV. RESEARCH LOCATIONS

List all location(s) where proposed activities will occur and that faculty, staff, and students may utilize while on campus.

Building/Field/Clinical

Site

Room Description This is a shared space

(Yes/No)

(If yes, describe. Is it a

public space, shared by

multiple departments or by

multiple research teams?)

Schedule of activity

(days and times work will be

conducted in the listed

location)

Choose One

V. PHYSICAL DISTANCING PLAN

Describe the physical distancing plan for the research space. Consider the layout of the research space, location of equipment,

proposed work activities, work flow and entry/exit from the research space. The goal of physical distancing is to reduce the

opportunity for exposure among individuals by separating them spatially at a distance that is greater than the virus can effectively

travel from one person to another. This requires a minimum of 6ft separation between individuals and 10 feet separation between work

areas (desks, work stations, manned instruments).

ITEM YES/NO/NA DESCRIPTION

Maximum occupancy of the research space*

that supports physical distancing For an initial

estimate, divide the square footage of th

laboratory, machine shop, shared equipment

room, etc. by 225 sf/person. Use this number as a

basis for determining how many people may

operate in a space at a given time. See Mason’s

Space Database and Floor Plans site for total

square footage of university owned facilities

*NOTE: Do not use this calculation for office

spaces, conference rooms, or other meeting

spaces.

Total number of occupants permitted in the space at any one

time based on size, layout, and proposed space utilization:

______

Alternating workspaces: Where spaces have

researchers in close proximity with chair backs

facing each other, for exa

mple, close down

alternate workspace to create a staggered

workspace and increase distances between work

stations.

Place markers (colored tape*) on the floor to

identify separation; particularly in common

areas where multiple individuals may need to

access

shared equipment.

Choose One

Choose one

Choose One

For spaces with more than one entrance:

Consider designating one entrance for ingress

and one entrance for egress, and establish traffic

flow patterns to minimize close proximity to

others during entry and exit. Floor markings can

also be used to indicate traffic flow.

Consider assigning work areas such as a desk or

bench to specific individual staff. Each researcher

should use only their assigned work area.

Consider assigning work tasks. Change work

processes, assigning specific tasks to the same

person to restrict people movement in research

spaces and to minimize the number of users (and

contamination spread potential) of

specific

equipment, such as confocal microscopy, cell

culture, etc.

Implement staggered start times for different

teams to start and end work so as to minimize

contact time and avoid peak hours of arrival and

departure.

Choose One

Implement split team arrangements for space

usage. Identifying teams of researchers that work

at different times, alternating days or weeks for

example.

For equipment, consider implementing a

booking system with specific blocked periods for

use and include downtime between blocked

periods before the next person can use the

equipment to prevent

physical encounter of the

two persons. This also applies for activities or

equipment that are unable to be physically

separated for operational reasons.

Tasks Requiring Two or More Individuals:

Describe any high priority activities where

physical distancing cannot be guaranteed.

Postpone these activities whenever possible. If

these activities are critical and cannot be

postponed, describe your plan for conducting

these tasks in accordance with current health and

safety requirements.

Vehicles: Describe research related travel and

how physical distancing will be maintained while

in transit.

Choose One

Personal Offices: Personal offices are single

occupancy. In-person meetings are not permitted

unless physical distancing can be maintained.

Shared Offices (open or enclosed): Relocate

employees to individual offices or to meeting

spaces; implement telework, shift work, or alter

the configuration of the space. (In order to

maintain 6 feet of physical distancing between

individuals, plan for 10 foot separation between

desks, work stations, computer terminals,

individual study areas, etc.)

Meeting Spaces – Conference Room Are

meeting/conference rooms required for this

research? If yes, describe how conference rooms

will be used and how physical distancing

requirements will be maintained. (In order to

maintain 6 feet of physical distancing between

individuals, plan for 10 foot separation between

desks, work stations, computer terminals,

individual study areas, etc.)

Access: Restrict access to office suite if necessary

to a

void foot traffic or visitors.

Choose One

VI. ADDITIONAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Additional PPE: Will this work require use of

protective equipment (not including face coverings)

beyond what is normally required in your laboratory

(e.g., N95, solid front gown, face shields, etc.) If

yes, describe.

Routine Lab Supplies: Describe your plan for

maintaining stocks of research related materials

and personal protective equipment. Include any

supply chain concern and challenges that you may

encounter

Additional Precautions: Identify additional

precautions needed for your research space.

Face Coverings: Do all faculty, staff, and students

involved in the proposed work have a face covering

available for use when physical distancing cannot

be guaranteed?

Choose One

Once approved by your Research Dean, this plan must be submitted to Research Review Committee

Department Chair:

Associate Dean

f Research:

EHS Representative:

Dean:

Aurali Dade -Assoc. Vice

President for Research

and Innovation: