Safety & Security Resources

The University of Michigan DPSS makes the safety and security of their students, patients, visitors, faculty, staff and researchers a high priority. We appreciate the important work you do and thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. If you have any security concerns, please contact NCRC Security at 734-764-9000 and request to speak to a Security Officer. For further information about DPSS, you can also visit our website at http://www.dpss.umich.edu/.

Emergencies: Dial 911
Non-emergencies:
Dial 734-936-7890 for The Division of Public Safety and Security

For all police, fire and medical needs dial 911. No need to dial 9 before 911 from a desk phone. Dialing 911 from your cell phone will connect you to the county, inform them you are at the University of Michigan, they will then dispatch you to the Division of Public Safety & Security (DPSS).

Services DPSS Provides:

• Personal escorts to and from your vehicle
• Jump start dead car batteries
• Car unlocks
• Various reports, such as criminal incidents, noncriminal incidents, and misconduct
• Well being checks
• Community outreach for gun control, suspicious activity, and workplace violence
• 24/7 Police and Security Service, contact: Division of Public Safety and Security at 734-936-7890 or 734-763-1131 (either number will get the same response)

U-M Emergency Alerts / Breaking News

Lab Safety Guidelines

OEP’s New Severe Weather Response Video
The following are all ways to stay informed of weather conditions threatening campus:

• Radio/Internet: NOAA Weather Radio or www.weather.gov/dtx, 89.1 FM, 102.9 FM, 107.1 FM, 1050 AM, or 1290 AM.
• Television/Internet: WJBK Fox Detroit or www.fox2detroit.com, WDIV Detroit or www.clickondetroit.com, WXYZ Detroit or www.wxyz.com, or local cable channel.
• The U-M Police Department (UMPD) will provide regular updates via www.dpss.umich.edu

 

Nearly all buildings are divided into fire compartments to limit the spread of smoke or fire. You will find them in laboratories, mechanical rooms, stairways, and at other building fire separations.
Fire doors serve an important function in helping to maintain the integrity of the compartments and should remain closed and latched at all times. Unlatched fire doors can be blown open by heat and smoke contributing to the spread of fire and increased damage to property. 

There are several ways you can determine if a door is rated fire door:

• All fire doors have self-closing hardware. 
• All fire doors have labels on the inner leaf indicating their listing and fire rating.
• Fire doors may have a wire-glass vision panel no larger than 100 square inches.

Fire doors help protect life safety and valuable research and should never be propped open. Any questions regarding fire doors can be directed to Fire Inspector med.school.facilities@umich.edu.

When using a fire extinguisher remember to use the PASS Technique: Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep the fire from side to side until it's extinguished. Remember that all fires MUST be reported to the University Police Department and NCRC Operations, no matter how small.

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are lightweight, battery-operated, portable devices that untrained bystanders can use to save the life of someone having sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). An alarm will sound when an AED cabinet is opened. Each cabinet also contains a First Aid Kit.
NCRC AED Locations

1. B10 First floor lobby
2. B14 First floor south stair outside room 171
3. B16 Basement wellness center
4. B16 Ground floor elevator lobby
5. B16 First floor elevator lobby
6. B18 Lobby entrance
7. B18 Dining hall (includes infant/child pads
8. B18 First floor outside room 122
9. B20 First floor center corridor
10. B20 Third floor center corridor
11. B26 First floor north elector lobby
12. B26 Third floor north elevator lobby
13. B32 Lobby entrance
14. B35 Ground floor outside room G491
15. B80 First floor (Power plant)
16. B90 Room 104 (Security Post 90)
17. B100 Lobby entrance
18. B300 Ground floor elevator lobby
19. B520 First floor east elevator lobby (includes infant/child pads
20. B520 Third floor east elevator lobby

Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

How to Use an Automated External Defibrillator  
The image shows a typical setup using an automated external defibrillator (AED). The AED has step-by-step instructions and voice prompts that enable an untrained bystander to correctly use the machine.

AED Training Resources

A list of MSF maintained AEDs available at the Medical School can be found on the MSA website.

In recent years, the University of Michigan has received several notices of violation of hazardous
materials shipping regulations from the US Department of Transportation - Federal Aviation
Administration (DOT-FAA). The most recent notice was received in the last two weeks; this recent
incident was similar to those previous events. A package containing dry ice was found during a random
inspection at the UPS sorting facility without the required identity of contents and proper labeling. Dry
ice is regulated as a hazardous material when offered for shipment by air and as such has specific
declaration, packaging, and labeling requirements to ensure it is moved safely. Dry ice presents hazards
due to pressure buildup as it sublimates to carbon dioxide gas and it will displace oxygen in an area -
both present a problem within a closed aircraft. We are sure you agree it is not acceptable for UM
research operations to create a potentially hazardous condition for others in our community.
In earlier incidents the researchers who prepared the non-compliant packages for shipment were
untrained and unaware of shipping requirements and associated paperwork. Since those earlier
violations, the university has undertaken extensive outreach and training efforts to the campus
community on issues of DOT-FAA compliance on packages and shipments of dry ice. We will continue
those outreach and training efforts, and are currently vetting some possible service enhancements to
assist with this problem, but it is imperative that everyone who may be shipping hazardous materials
take responsibility for ensuring regulatory compliance. Financial penalties for failure to comply with
hazardous materials shipping regulations have been severe in some cases, and the responsible units will
be held liable.
Any campus employee, who intends to ship hazardous materials, including biological specimens with or
without dry ice, must be trained on the appropriate methods of preparing packages, labeling, marking,
and manifesting. This includes those who prepare paperwork for hazardous materials shipments and
those who pack the parcels for shipment. Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) offers
certification training for shippers of hazardous materials, including dry ice. For questions or to sign up
for training please contact EHS at 647-1143 or www.ehs.umich.edu\.
We urge you to share this message with all of your principal investigators, key staff members, research
fellows and student research assistants who might ship regulated hazardous materials to help make
them aware of this regulatory risk.

Winter weather is quickly approaching which leads to questions and concerns about snow removal. Below is a summary of services in place at NCRC to accommodate inclement weather.

The sidewalks and driveways at NCRC are serviced by U-M Grounds. Walks are cleared when accumulation reaches approximately 1/2". The crews will return if accumulation continues depending on the forecast and anticipated snowfall.

The priority entrances for snow removal are Building 75 (Childcare), and approaches to lobbies in Buildings 10, 16, 18, 32, and 520, including bus stops. The next priority are other entrances such as those in Buildings 14, 22, 100, 200/300 and 520 South. The crews move to emergency exits to ensure they are cleared. Beginning January 2018 buildings being activated for the Pathology renovation will be added to the service. All driveway and walkway snow and ice issues should be reported to the Facilities Service Center (FSC) at 734-647-2059 immediately.

Courtyards at NCRC are closed once inclement weather begins. Access will be restricted to these areas with the use of signage and temporary barriers. Occupants are discouraged from bypassing the barriers for their own safety.

Parking lots, structures, and docks are maintained by U-M Logistics, Transportation & Parking. These areas are usually plowed when accumulation reaches 2". Stockpiled snow may not be removed immediately and may take up parking spaces until it is removed or it melts. Any issues in the lots should be reported to Parking Maintenance 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday at (734) 764-1225. For detailed information click here.

Remember not to park over the sidewalks in the winter. This allows for a more thorough clearing of snow and reduces the risk of damage to vehicles.

• Wear proper footwear. Proper footwear should place the entire foot on the surface of the ground and have visible treads. Avoid a smooth sole and opt for a heavy treaded shoe with a flat bottom.
• Plan ahead. While walking on snow or ice on sidewalks or in parking lots, walk consciously. Instead of looking down, look up and see where your feet will move next to anticipate ice or an uneven surface. Occasionally scan from left to right to ensure you are not in the way of vehicles or other hazards.
• Use your eyes and ears. While seeing the environment is important, you also want to be sure you can hear approaching traffic and other noises. Avoid listening to music or engaging in conversation that may prevent you from hearing oncoming traffic or snow removal equipment.
• Anticipate ice. Be weary of thin sheets of ice that may appear as wet pavement (black ice). Often ice will appear in the morning, in shady spots or where the sun shines during the day and melted snow refreezes at night.
• Walk steps slowly. When walking down steps, be sure to grip handrails firmly and plant your feet securely on each step.
• Enter a building carefully. When you get to your destination such as school, work, shopping center, etc., be sure to look at the floor as you enter the building. The floor may be wet with melted snow and ice.
• Be careful when you shift your weight. When stepping off a curb or getting into a car, be careful since shifting your weight may cause an imbalance and result in a fall.
• Avoid taking shortcuts. Shortcuts are a good idea if you are in a hurry, but may be a bad idea if there is snow and ice on the ground. A shortcut path may be treacherous because it is likely to be located where snow and ice removal is not possible.
• Look up. Be careful about what you walk under. Injuries also can result from falling snow/ice as it blows, melts, or breaks away from awnings, buildings, etc. 

Automatic sprinklers are always on duty to save lives and protect valuable research. Nearly all buildings at NCRC have automatic sprinkler protection. Sprinklers are designed to activate directly over a fire when the heat at the ceiling exceeds a pre-determined temperature. The liquid in the glass bulb expands, breaks the bulb, and water begins to flow. Contrary to popular belief, sprinklers do not turn on when you activate a fire alarm pull station. The following tips will help to ensure the fire sprinklers in your area are ready to respond in the event of a fire:

• Items should never be hung from a sprinkler head or sprinkler piping to prevent accidental activation.
• Items should never be stacked closer than 18 inches below the sprinkler heads so that the water can properly spray.
• Missing ceiling tiles can delay the activation of automatic sprinklers in the event of a fire and should always be reported and reinstalled right away.

Remember that all fires MUST be reported to the Division of Public Safety and Security, no matter how small.

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• Smoke Alarm Safety @ Home
• The Great Multitasking Lie
• May is National Electrical Safety Month
• Sign-up or verify your phone number for UM Emergency Alerts
• Does you have a family communication plan?
• NCRC Fire Sprinkler Safety Tips
• Step by Step Guide to Adjusting Your Workstation

For non-emergency situations in which the elevators are not functioning and a person is presently unable to take the stairs as needed to leave the building:
Please contact Plant Operations Call Center (734) 647-2059 for immediate repair, or at least to verify that they are aware of the situation. Do let them know folks are stranded. Please ensure you differentiate if there is a person trapped in a elevator car versus simply unable to leave from an upper floor. They will treat this as a high priority, but the repair may take some time. We ask that occupants try to wait for one hour, or until the repair has been completed. If after one hour the repair is still ongoing or unable to be completed, then it would be appropriate for a stranded occupant to contact call 911. UMPD will contact Huron Valley Ambulance (HVA), who is equipped and trained for such moves. To be clear, HVA will bill the person requesting assistance. Also of note, if the person requesting assistance has extremely heavy equipment to accommodate, the equipment may be left in place, and the person needing assistance may be transported to their residence or hospital without it.

Simple Steps: Prevent Injuries, Save Lives

Stand Up to Falls

Waking Up to a Safe Productive Workplace

Recharge to be in Charge

Active Shooter

Prepare for Active Shooters

On-The-Job Injuries

Work Ergonomically