1.0 PURPOSE
Campus, premises, and worksite safety are of paramount importance to Teachers College (“the College”). The primary goal of the College is to ensure the safety of its students, employees, visitors, and those performing work on College property. To that end, Contractors performing construction, renovation, or repair work at the College must take full responsibility for establishing safe working practices, fully complying with all OSHA and other applicable safety standards, and policing themselves and their own employees and sub-contractors to ensure such compliance. The College is not a General Contractor nor Construction Manager and is not in the business of any type of contracting, construction, or renovation. The College relies on its Contractors and their staff to assume and enforce safety responsibilities.
Contractors and their staff are responsible to follow safe procedures, taking all necessary precautions, providing and requiring the proper use of adequate and safe equipment and safety devices, correcting any unsafe conditions, investigating accidents, and enforcing safety rules. The College expressly does not assume any duty to supervise any specific means and methods of Contractor work, to inspect for or correct unsafe conditions, to investigate accidents, or enforce safety rules. The College entirely relies on Contractors to perform these functions and only assumes duties and responsibilities that are expressly and specifically set forth and agreed upon in writing.
2.0 DEFINITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITY
a) Contract Representative – The Teachers College Employee responsible for the administration of a particular project.
b) Contractor – Any individual or company hired by the College to perform construction, renovation, maintenance, repair, or specialty work for a specific project, as well as any sub-contractors or their employees. Nothing herein shall be construed as having any bearing on whether any particular work or project is or is not “routine maintenance” work as set forth under the New York State Labor Law.
c) Contractor Staff Members – Any persons who are working at the College as employees or agents on behalf of a Contractor, sub-contractor, or sub-sub-contractor, including without limitation, principals, supervisors, foremen, laborers, helpers, or any other staff members or workers.
d) Contractor Supervisor – The person or persons responsible to supervise and oversee the operations of a Contractor and/or the work of Contractor Staff Members for any work at the College. This person shall be the primary point of contact with the College.
3.0 GENERAL SAFETY PROCEDURES
a) The Contractor, Contractor Supervisor, and Contractor Staff Members are responsible for compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and City rules and regulations.
b) During the course of the contract, the Contractor Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that all necessary information is conveyed to the College via the Contract Representative.
c) The Contractor Supervisor is responsible to inform the College Contract Representative prior to performing any work at the College that may present unique hazards.
d) Only trained and authorized Contract Staff Members are permitted on work sites. NO SPOUSES, VISITORS, OR CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED. All Contractor Staff Members must be trained and authorized by the Contractor prior to working at the College.
e) ‘Consent to search’ is a condition of Contractor engagement at the College (See Section 15.0 f)). Refusal to consent to a search may result in immediate removal from the premises and other possible disciplinary or legal action.
f) Equipment owned by the College cannot be operated or used by the contractor without express written permission from the Contract Representative.
g) Contractors and Contract Staff Members must adhere to all posted warnings and instructions while on College property.
h) Blocking eyewash/safety showers, elevators, fire extinguishers, exit access ways, electrical service panels, aisle ways, or other emergency equipment is expressly prohibited at all times.
i) New York State motor vehicle and New York City traffic laws apply onCollege premises.
j) Although the College does not assume any duty to conduct formal safety orientation training, such training may be offered by the College as may be deemed beneficial for any project. If such training is offered, the Contractor shall attend.
k) The Contractor and all Contractor Staff Members will adhere to the General Regulations set forth in the Appendix hereto.
4.0 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN
Contractors shall make Contractor Staff Members aware of the following emergency procedures for work at the College:
a) To report an emergency:
1. Dial extension 3333 or from a cellphone dial (212) 678-3333, or 911 for an emergency. (Please contact Public Safety and 911 for an emergency requiring police, fire, or EMS.)
2. Give your name and your company name.
3. Give the exact location of the emergency.
4. Give the nature of the emergency: fire, chemical spill, etc.
5. Remain on the telephone until the contact has the opportunity to ask any questions that may be required.
b) Periodically, institution-wide or partial emergency alarm testing will be conducted with notice given prior to each test. The on-site Contractor Supervisor should use this opportunity to review with the Contractor Staff Members the proper steps they should perform upon notification of an emergency situation:
1. Shut down all hot work, engines, and equipment.
2. Calmly exit the site from the nearest exit and assemble at the pre-determined assembly area.
3. Perform a head count of personnel. Remain in the assembly area and wait for Public Safety to provide further details.
4. All work permits are canceled when an alarm is activated.
5.0 SAFE WORK PRACTICES
a) Contractors are responsible to implement and enforce all safe work
practices.
b) Contractors are responsible for identifying and obtaining any and all
necessary or legally required permits and following all OSHA-required Compliance guidelines where applicable.
c) Contractors should develop, follow and enforce their own policies and guidelines in full compliance with OSHA regulations with regard to the foregoing procedures.
d) Contractors are not to remove or alter machine guards on machinery owned by the College.
6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL
a) Do not allow any oils, grease, fuels, paints, solvents, chemicals, or
contaminated wastewater to be discharged into drains or onto the ground. Notify the Contract Representative immediately if a spill of chemicals or other materials occurs.
b) All chemical and chemical waste containers must be properly labeled and stored in designated areas. Only Contractors who have provided Hazard Communication training to their Contractor Staff Members are permitted to work with and around hazardous chemicals. Only Contractors who have trained their Contractor Staff Members in Hazardous Waste Management are permitted to work with and around hazardous waste. Do not drain equipment, pour, bury, or dispose of any chemical waste including oil, lubricant, solvent, fuel, or any waste materials on Teachers College premises. All waste materials must be placed in an appropriate container and labeled. The Contractor is responsible for the appropriate disposal of all waste materials unless other arrangements are made with the Contract Representative prior to the commencement of work.
c) All storage, loading, and unloading of chemicals, fuels, and other bulk materials must be done in a curbed or diked area. There shall be no open burning of materials. Contact cleaning, washing, and hydro-blasting equipment that has been exposed to chemicals shall be performed in runoff containment areas. Washing and maintenance of the Contractor vehicles are prohibited on Teachers College premises. Contact the Office of Environmental Health and Safety with any questions or for additional guidance.
7.0 CAMPUS ACCESS AND SECURITY
a) General Access/Security Issues
1. No parts, supplies, or tools may be brought through the Zankel
main entrance. All parts, supplies, and tools must be brought through the loading dock located at 502 West 121 st Street. Other areas of entry may be agreed upon only by Facilities Management and the Office of Public Safety for certain circumstances deemed appropriate.
2. Contractors will be assigned restrooms to use while working on campus.
3. Only trained and authorized Contract Staff Members are permitted on work sites. NO VISITORS, SPOUSES, OR CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED. All Contractor Staff Members must be trained and authorized by the Contractor prior to working at the College.
4. ‘Consent to search’ is a condition of Contractor engagement at Teachers College. Refusal to consent to a search may result in immediate removal from the premises and other possible disciplinary or legal action.
5. Firearms and ammunition are not allowed on Teachers College premises. Improper conduct such as ‘horseplay’, gambling, practical jokes, lewd, lascivious, inappropriate or suggestive language, etc. on Teachers College premises is also forbidden. Appropriate work attire is required. Cameras and video equipment are not allowed on-site without prior written permission from the Contract Representative.
6. All contractor supervisors and contractor staff must follow the direction of Public Safety officers at all times.
b) Setting up access to Campus for Contractor Supervisors:
1. Contractor Supervisors may enter through the Zankel (entrance without tools or equipment). Contractor Supervisors are required
to sign in prior to being permitted to enter the work area. All Contractor Supervisors will go directly from the Zankel entrance to room 28 Zankel to meet the Teachers College Contract representative. The College Contract representative will escort the Contractor Supervisor to obtain a Teachers College Contractor Access Badge. The badge shall specify the duration the Contractor is allowed to work at the specified site without an escort or appropriate security clearance under their current safety rules and
regulations. To obtain a badge the Contractor Supervisor must present a Government-issued photo ID.
c) Setting up access for Contractor Staff Members:
1. A list of all Contract Staff Members will be provided by the Contractor Supervisor to the Teachers College Contract Representative. Only those who appear on the list will be provided access to the Campus.
2. Each Contractor Staff Member is required to sign in and receive a Contractor pass for the day prior to being permitted to enter the work area. All contractors will be required to enter the main door of Zankel, present a Government-issued photo ID, be signed in, verified as authorized to be on-site by the Desk Officer checking the Authorized Contractor Access Notification book, and receive a visitor pass, prior to going to the job site. A contractor representative (supervisor, superintendent, project manager, senior person on the job site) is required to go first to Zankel 28 to sign their company in via the contractor logbook before going to the Job.
d) Contractors shall be required to have a company or government-issued photo ID on their person anytime they are on campus the ID will be required at sign-in. Contractors are required to have a uniform and/or the company logo on their outermost garment. The TC visitor pass must be displayed at all times.
e) Contractor Staff Members are not permitted to remove any property of Teachers College from the premises.
f) Each Contractor Staff Member and any items that are brought onto work sites (vehicles, tools, toolboxes, briefcases, raw material containers, food articles, good containers, etc.) may be subject to inspection by Teachers College Public Safety when exiting work sites.
g) Cameras are prohibited without prior written authorization.
h) Contractor Staff Members are restricted to the specific areas they are working in unless authorized to enter other areas.
i) No hard keys or key card access shall be provided to contractors without pre-approval from the Office of Public Safety. Key card access for contractors shall comply with key card access protocols for vendors/contractors (expiration dates/timelines) established by the Director of the TC ID Unit.
j) For significant capital projects lasting more than one day in duration, contractors must provide the Office of Public Safety with a contact person and telephone number reachable 24/7. Contractor staff must follow the direction of the Office of Public Safety.
APPENDIX
TEACHERS COLLEGE GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR CONTRACTORS
This list is not intended to cover every situation. A full list of rules and regulations is included in the Contract between the Contractor and the College. It does provide a guide for Trade Contractors bidding work in the College. It must be remembered, always, that you are “guests” in the College and must adhere to College policies. Teachers College Public Safety can, and will, ask people to leave the College if the rules contained herein are not complied with. These rules may be amended at the reasonable discretion of the College.
1. There is no provision for parking any Contractor’s vehicles in any College areas. They will be permitted on campus only for the purpose of making deliveries or removing material and MUST leave the area as soon as this task is completed.
2. Smoking is prohibited in the College including roofs, basements, and work areas.
3. Litter from lunches, etc., must be cleaned up and disposed of immediately.
4. No alcoholic beverage, including beer and wine, may be brought into the College. Drinking alcoholic beverages is PROHIBITED on College premises.
5. Contractors’ employees shall not use any College toilets or washrooms other than those facilities specifically designated for their use by the Project Manager. These facilities must be maintained properly, or any cost incurred by the College will be charged to the Contractor.
6. Materials for the work delivered to the College must be received by an employee of the Contractor. College personnel will not accept any delivery for any reason.
7. No gasoline-engine-powered equipment shall be brought onto the premises without the approval of the Contract Representative.
8. No more than one day’s supply of oil paint or other combustible liquids which have been unsealed is permitted at the work site.
9. No burning, welding, or gas-fired equipment shall be used without the proper fire watch continually available at the scene of the work. Only personnel with valid licenses or certifications shall be allowed to operate such equipment. The College must be notified of any and all burning or welding 24 hours in advance. All welding must be shielded for eye protection for the public.
10. Contractors may not use College rubbish containers; they must supply their own.
11. The Contractor is totally responsible for the behavior of their employees and MUST make sure they abide by all the College’s rules and regulations.
12. The College has the right to permanently evict from the campus any of the Contractors’ Staff or Supervisory Staff without prior notification.
Owner: Office of Public Safety
Last Updated: February 10, 2023
Last Edited: April 4, 2023