Buildings get ‘distancing makeovers’ as they prep for return of staff, students

Take note: To protect occupants and meet fire and building codes, furniture and equipment may not be used or stored in hallways. Need an exception? How do you dispose of unneeded equipment? Read on.

UAB employees and students can now request transportation from UAB Safety Escort and Blaze Ride using the TransLoc app, available for download on iOS and Android devices.

Daryl Green, Ph.D., chief of UAB Police and AVP of Public Safety, has been on campus for 20 months — here is how the force has changed under his watch and what he wants to share with all UAB employees.

UAB Transportation’s Motorist Assistance Roadside Service program, known as MARS, provides great service to help you resolve for car trouble such as a dead battery, a flat tire or locked-in car keys fast and for free when you are on campus.

Micromobility vehicles like rentable electric scooters and bikes make getting across campus quickly a breeze. But parking them improperly can prevent Blazers from accessing sidewalks, ramps, accessible doorways and more, according to Disability Support Services.

Radio Paging now is offering a variety of portable and stationary two-way radios, all of which comply with UAB’s security standards and can help employees communicate more effectively across campus during emergency events such as fire or inclement weather.

Before you hop on that bike to commute to work or head across campus, make sure you, your bicycle and your knowledge of the road are ready.

From choosing crosswalks over jaywalks to choosing smart clothing options for nighttime walking, it's simple to safely commute by foot on campus.

UAB has several resources that, when coupled with personal initiatives, can help keep employees safe during severe weather — including a new collection of weather radios currently being distributed to building administrators by UAB Emergency Management.

Follow these tips to reduce the risk of stolen personal items, and alert UAB Police or UAB’s Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management team if someone in a public area is behaving suspiciously.

Training and other resources can help protect against campus violence and prepare students and employees for an active-shooter event.

The 2022 UAB Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available on the UAB Police Department website, uab.edu/police, or in a downloadable PDF. For a print copy of the report, call 205-934-4649. The report contains resources, procedures, criminal statistics, a fire safety report and more.

UAB is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all Blazers. From mobile apps to bus escort services to B-Alerts and more, make sure you’re up to date on all the ways to stay safer on campus.

The UAB Cares Suicide Prevention Initiative aims to support and assist the entire UAB community — no matter who they are — in finding the help they need and ensuring they know they are important and matter.

Faculty, staff or students who perceive a threat to the campus community can file an anonymous report with UAB’s Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management team.

Experts continue to support mask-optional policy as cases in the UAB community remain steady despite Jefferson County’s ORANGE (high community level) CDC classification.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID Data Tracker, Jefferson County is now in the yellow category (medium community level). UAB public health and infectious disease experts continue to support the university’s mask-optional policy in non-clinical buildings due to several factors, including low hospitalization numbers, the UAB community's high vaccination rate compared to the community at large, and the wide availability and effectiveness of COVID vaccines and treatments.

Individuals interested in enhanced safety should consider extra personal precautions.

Universities nationwide are beginning to move to mask-optional policies as the surge from the omicron variant wanes, and UAB leaders and health experts monitoring COVID cases are expressing optimism while still urging caution. As a result, masks are still required indoors on campus while health and safety protocols — including masking policies — are reviewed for non-clinical facilities.

Parking micromobility vehicles like scooters and bikes improperly can prevent Blazers from accessing sidewalks, ramps, doorways and more. New informal violation tags from DSS enable Blazers to educate riders on better parking practices.

UAB’s safety protocols are proving largely effective, and the university plans to continue to require masking indoors until the end of the calendar year while it monitors changes in viral transmission.

Incentive reporting helped UAB get a more accurate view of its vaccinated employees — and students — and the numbers are encouraging.

The network of prominently displayed signage and murals aims to reach people in moments of struggle and is part of a larger initiative focused on supporting and assisting the entire UAB community.

Why have we changed our safety strategies in the past year? In one word: data. We didn’t know then what we know now. Here are five things to consider.

The 2021 UAB Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available on the UAB Police Department website or in a downloadable PDF. For a print copy of the report, call 205-934-4649. The report contains resources, procedures, criminal statistics, a fire safety report and more.

Located in the UAB Police and Public Safety building parking lot, the zone has video surveillance, a UAB Help Phone and is well lit. The parking spot is designated with a sign and bright green paint on the asphalt.

UAB has its own police department, 490-plus Help Phones and about 3,700 video cameras in buildings and parking decks. But campus' biggest secret weapon? A student's or employee’s intuition and observation. If you notice concerning behavior in a colleague, student or even yourself or are worried about a potential threat to the campus community, file a report with UAB’s Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management team.

Before you hop on that bike to commute to work or head across campus, make sure you, your bicycle and your knowledge of the road are ready.

Big things come from UAB research — but the best work takes place when researchers work with UAB’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety and adhere to best practices for lab safety.

Worried that expensive piece of tech or favorite jacket might be stolen? Follow these tips to reduce the risk, and alert UAB Police if someone in a public area is behaving suspiciously.

UAB has several resources that, when coupled with personal initiatives, can help keep you safe during bad weather.

The holiday season is called the most wonderful time of the year — but it also can be one of the most dangerous. Learn the best ways to protect yourself, your home and your family from fires during the holidays.