Building Coordinator Program

Policy on Building CoordinatorsPolicy Statement The University of California at Berkeley is committed to supporting the welfare of its students, faculty, staff and visitors. Preparing a campus emergency response plan and allocating resources to respond to possible emergencies/disasters is one way in which the campus offers this support. The plan is fashioned in accordance with appropriate laws, regulations and policies that govern emergency/disaster preparedness and reflects the best and most current thinking in this area. The Chancellor has assigned responsibility for emergency/disaster planning and implementation to the campus Vice Chancellors and Provosts, who will act through their department/unit management (Deans, Directors, Chairs, and Administrative Officers).

The Role of Building Coordinators Building Coordinators (BCs) have a defined role in campus emergency/disaster preparedness: they prepare building response plans and coordinate education and planning in this area for all building occupants. In addition, they serve as the communication liaison between campus service agencies and building occupants under specific circumstances enumerated in the Campus Building Coordinator Position Description. Building Coordinator duties should incorporate appropriate existing practices within campus buildings. The Office of Emergency Preparedness is responsible for the coordination of the BC program and will provide assistance to BCs.

Structure Every building housing Berkeley campus students, faculty and staff will have a Building Coordinator appointed or elected by a Building Committee to act as a liaison between the Building Committee and the occupants on issues of emergency preparedness. At the request of the Chancellor, Building Committees are formed initially by senior academic and/or administrative managers (or their representatives), in a building. All departments/units in the building should be represented on the Building Committee. For the purpose of appointing a BC, the Building Committee may need to be temporarily augmented by department heads who may be located in other buildings, but have management responsibility for occupants in the facility in question. Members of the Committee act as liaison between the BC and the departments/units they represent. In multi-occupant facilities, the BC will be appointed by one of the following methods:

1. The largest unit, per assigned square feet (ASF), may volunteer a person with the approval of the Building Committee. If this unit stores or uses hazardous materials and/or engages in hazardous operations a person knowledgeable in these areas should be chosen.
2. Each unit may rotate the responsibility every two years, without prejudice to the reappointment of past BCs.

Selection The BC should be selected from the PSS program or an equivalent classification level, or the highest personnel level available in the facility. He or she should assume the responsibilities of the Coordinator in addition to other assigned duties. Due consideration must be given to ensure equal opportunity. Where applicable under policy, the campus supports the use of release time or the provision of compensatory time for BCs in the performance of duties beyond scheduled work hours.

Classification Departments/units should review the position held by an employee assigned Building Coordinator responsibilities if it is believed these duties could cause the position to be reclassified. If a classification changes due to Building Coordinator duties, it will revert when those duties are reassigned to another individual. The Office of Emergency Preparedness will offer advice to Building Committees when there are difficulties in the appointment of a BC.

Evaluation BCs are evaluated by their home departments with respect to their duties based on the position description and with input from the Building Committee. The Office of Emergency Preparedness will provide a performance checklist for supervisors to use in the evaluation process BCs must attend all training activities, and information updates will also be mailed to them regarding their duties and assignments.

Building Coordinator Position DescriptionIntroduction
The role of the Building Coordinator is defined in the overall campus Emergency Preparedness plan. It is comprised of duties assigned to an individual in each campus building and includes serving as the day-to-day communication liaison between campus services/ agencies and building occupants. The roles of emergency/ disaster coordinator and building communication liaison can be assigned to separate individuals at the discretion of the Building Committee.

Duties and Responsibilities

A. Emergency Disaster/Preparedness

• The following duties are assigned to the BC in the role of building emergency preparedness coordinator:
• chairs or staffs the Building Committee, documents its policies and procedures, posts notices, and disseminates information about building preparations, activities, and campus program
• coordinates the development of, and submits annually, a building emergency response plan
• acts as coordinator for building occupants in implementing a building emergency response plan with the Building Committee, coordinates "self-help"* preparations and activities including two evacuation drills each year
• works as building liaison to other campus departments and units (e.g. Environment, Health, and Safety; Physical Plant; Campus Police; Human Resources; Office of Emergency Preparedness; etc.) that provide support, assistance and input to emergency preparedness planning
• trains an alternate (chosen in the same manner as the BC) to assume duties when the BC is on vacation, absent, or not available
• attends all training workshops /activities specifically organized for BCs. While the BC acts for the facility during designated work hours, the Building Response Plan must include a 24-hour telephone contact number for the administrator (Dean or highest level manager) responsible for the building, or a designee.
• If emergencies or disasters occur during designated work hours, the BC has the following assignments:
• becomes building contact between occupants, essential service providers and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
• coordinates use of any building emergency supplies
• acts as "self-help" captain* of the building at the Emergency Assembly Area (EAA) and building liaison at the Emergency Management Area (EMA) according to written instructions and duties detailed in the building response plan. The BC has no role other than communication and coordination at either site.

B. Communication Liaison
BCs are primarily appointed to serve as a well trained corps of individuals to ensure emergency/ disaster preparedness. In addition, the following is a list of duties assigned to the BC as liaison between administrative units and building occupants (along with unit Physical Plant contacts) for routine services. The BC:

• notifies occupants of impending access interruption to public areas / utilities in the building
• posts notices of construction work in the building that could affect occupants in other than department space
• coordinates occupants' response and serves as building interface regarding the appropriate use and maintenance of public areas within buildings, e.g., security safety modifications to public areas, signage/posting of notices and procedures for facility use and operation
• chairs a committee within the building which represents all user/ occupants on the issues listed above. The committee will meet at least quarterly. This committee may be the Building Committee, and should include Physical Plant contacts from respective departments in the building. Physical Plant contacts are responsible for issues involving physical improvements, maintenance, or corrections in departmental space and funding authorizations associated with them.
• "Self-help" refers to the building emergency response plan concept of prepared activities designed to assist occupants to survive a catastrophic disaster for a minimum of 72 hours after the event.

Building Coordinator Performance Checklist

A. Emergency Preparedness

• has convened the Building Committee to confirm the building emergency response plan (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has submitted annual revision of building emergency response plan in a timely manner (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has planned/conducted building evacuation drills each year (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has included appropriate campus agencies in the building emergency response plan, and met with them annually to confirm their role (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has attended all training meetings for BCs scheduled by the Office of Emergency Preparedness (or sent alternate) (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has trained alternate BC(s) to assume duties when BC is on vacation, absent, or not available (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has distributed to Building Committee members information disseminated by OEP through the BC (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has conducted an annual inventory of any emergency supplies/ equipment placed under the jurisdiction of the Building/BC (yes/ no/ needs improvement)

Building Committees may recommend, with approval of BC's home department, additional duties or modify those listed above to conform with their building emergency response plan/program.

B. Communication Liaison

• has disseminated information to department representatives on the Building Committee, or to Physical Plant contacts, on access interruption or construction that affects public areas in the building (yes/ no/ needs improvement)
• has distributed/posted flyers and news bulletins for the building in appropriate pubfic areas and to appropriate contacts (yes/no/ needs improvement)
• serves as liaison to appropriate campus agencies to notify them of building concems in public areas about security, safety, construction, signage/ posting, facility use and operation (yes/ no/ needs improvement)

In some buildings a person other than the BC may be appointed to handle the duties of Communication Liaison, but must work closely with the BC to coordinate their respective duties. Additional duties may be added or those listed above modified, with approval of the appointee's home department(s), to conform with existing practices.

Building Coordinator Advisory CouncilAn advisory council of BCs may be established to advise the Emergency Preparedness Officer regarding changes in emergency procedures which affect the BCs’ role. The council will represent the diverse facility use and building types on the campus (including rental and spectator facilities), and will not exceed ten BCs in number.

Training for Building CoordinatorsBuilding Coordinators are expected to keep current with the changing safety/security situation on campus. To assist them, the Office of Emergency Preparedness holds mandatory semi-annual update meetings. New Building Coordinators are encouraged to attend the semi-annual training called “Building Coordinator 101”.

Buidling Coordinator 101 Every populated building on campus has a staff volunteer whose responsibilities include being the designated Building Coordinator (BC). The BC, Alternate BC, and Building Safety Committees play a critical role in the campus Disaster Response Plan by developing building emergency plans and evacuation procedures. This class is for new and experienced Building Coordinators, Alternate BCs, and Berkeley campus employees interested in becoming BCs. Participants will receive a great deal of information, including: an overview of the campus Disaster Response Plan, and the BC’s role within this plan; a detailed BC job description; information on developing Building Emergency Plans and evacuation signage; and information on fire safety and fire extinguisher classes. Class includes an informal panel discussion with experienced Building Coordinators. Attendees will leave with a detailed resource manual. (Co-sponsored by UC Police, Safety and Security Division (formerly Community Outreach and Emergency Services); and the Office of Environment, Health and Safety)

Instructors This training is team-taught by staff from the following departments:

• UC Police, Office of Emergency Preparedness
• Environment, Health and Safety, Emergency Services
• UC Police, Crime Prevention Unit
• Environment, Health and Safety, Fire Marshal’s office

Registration:
To register for this and other training sessions, go to the Interactive Course Enrollment (ICE) system.