General Information
- In the event of a major utility failure, Auxiliary Operations and Physical Plant (AOPP) and Campus Safety will contact employees and Building/Department coordinators.
- Evacuate the building if appropriate. Follow the instructions of the assigned Building/Department coordinator. Coordinators will direct personnel to the assigned staging area.
- Employees must not leave their group until the coordinator takes a head count.
- Assist those who need help, such as patients and the disabled.
- Do not return to the work area until informed that it is safe to do so by your coordinator.
Electrical Failure
If an electrical failure occurs during evening hours, use flashlights (or a flashlight cell phone application) to help guide your way in the dark if evacuation is necessary. Avoid using candles, as they are fire hazards. Move slowly and take extra precaution to avoid injury. Assist the disabled when possible and safe to do so. Report the event to Physical Plant at x505 or Joe Eggleston x 357.
Plumbing Failure/Flooding
During a flooding incident or major water leak, stop using all electrical equipment and vacate the area. Notify Campus Safety at x333 and Physical Plant at x 505.
Ventilation
If smoke or burning smells come from the ventilation system, report it to Physical Plant at x505 and Campus Safety at x333.
Gas Leak
Many buildings on campus use natural gas to provide heat and for laboratory work. In addition, underground natural gas lines run across campus. Natural gas does not have an odor, so a chemical that smells like rotten eggs is added to the gas. This chemical allows us to smell natural gas at levels well below explosive levels.
Gas Leak Outside
Call Campus Safety at x333 and/or Physical Plant at x505 to report the situation. Provide your name and contact information and as much information as possible.
Gas Leak Inside
If a natural gas smell is noticed in a building, immediately evacuate the building and call Campus Safety at x 333 and provide as much information as you can, such as:
- Your name, location, and contact information
- Location (s) of odors in the building
- A description of the nature of the odor (i.e., light/moderate/strong; static/increasing/dissipating, etc.)
- Symptoms, if any, that may be associated with the gas, such as light-headedness, nausea, etc.
- Known or suspected sources of the odor (i.e., laboratory valves, hot-water heaters, etc.)
Based on the information provided, Campus Safety will dispatch the appropriate personnel.
- Once outside, move away from any apparent source or at right angles to the prevailing wind. If wind direction is variable, try to move away from the source of the leak if known.
- Gather a safe distance from the building, preferably at your appropriate designated evacuation location.
- If you have knowledge that may assist in evaluating the source of the leak, give the information to emergency responders as they arrive on-site.
- Do not return to the building until instructed by emergency personnel.