3.13| Visitors in the Workplace

A. Purpose
The University workplace is a diverse environment of classrooms, offices, and laboratories where many different activities are performed. Visitors to the workplace are generally welcome, and in some settings even encouraged. However, appropriate precautions and limitations on visitations are necessary to protect health and safety and to maintain productivity and regulatory compliance.

 

B. Scope
This policy applies to all SU employees.

 

C. Policy Statement

1. Employee guests will be allowed in the workplace, as long as the employee has received prior approval from their supervisor, and for a short visit that does not impede the work of the employee or others.
2. Sampoerna University discourages employees from being accompanied by friends, family, or children while working; including leaving children on campus in office areas while they are at work. This does not eliminate infrequent, short visits from friends, family, and children. Anything other than short visits is not permitted due to safety and other workplace concerns.
3. Sampoerna University desires to be a family-friendly place of business for all employees as well as students, however, the workplace is not an appropriate place for children. Even during short, infrequent visits, children 15 years of age or younger must not be left unattended and must be closely supervised by an adult at all times.
4. If an employee is faced with unusual circumstances regarding visitors at work, the employee should speak with their immediate supervisor.

 

D. Hazardous Workplaces
There are many workplace areas where hazardous materials or equipment are located or where hazardous operations are conducted. These primarily include laboratory facilities and mechanical rooms. It is, therefore, necessary to restrict access to “Hazardous Areas” for visitors. Visiting adults who are not students or employees (visiting lecturers, etc.) who work for two weeks or more in laboratories or other hazardous areas must receive safety training as required for work in that environment. Documentation of training received from other employers or institutions may be accepted if approved by the Vice Rector for Administration, Resources and Operations.

Host units are responsible for providing all visitors with specific safety instruction for local conditions and procedures, and for providing all necessary personal protective equipment. All safety training must be properly documented by the host unit and kept on file in that unit.

Visiting adults who are not students or employees (visiting lecturers, lab assistants, etc.) who visit or work for two weeks or less in laboratories or other hazardous areas must at a minimum have local safety measures and emergency procedures explained to them and must be provided with personal protective equipment appropriate to the environment being visited. Short-term visitors must be escorted and/or always supervised by the host during their visit.

 

E. Children in the Workplace
In general, the workplace is not an appropriate for minor children on a frequent or continuing basis, as children in the workplace create an atmosphere that may not be conducive to achievement of the University’s goals and objectives.

Special occasions that are employer-sanctioned and at which attendance by children is encouraged should be coordinated with and approved by the University. The employee’s schedule for that day should take the child’s presence into consideration to eliminate potential hazards.

Children may be brought to workplaces by parent employees for brief visits or other times when common sense would dictate that it is more efficient for the employee to bring the child into an office (following or before a physician’s appointment, for example). The parent employee must supervise the child(ren) on such visits. It is generally not appropriate for children of any age to be in the workplace on a regular basis, such as after school each school day or on regularly scheduled school holidays.

The University recognizes that occasionally situations may arise that leave an employee with no acceptable alternative but to bring his or her child(ren) to work. In the event of an emergency, or if there are no other alternatives, parent employees may have children present in the workplace provided the parent secures prior approval from their supervisor. Such arrangements may be granted only in circumstances where safety issues (such as stairs and stairwells, automatically closing doors, office machines, etc.) have been satisfactorily addressed. This exception is not applicable to Hazardous Areas. Parent employees may not leave child(ren) in the custody of another University employee, even for brief periods of time.

Minor children are not permitted as regular visitors in any Hazardous Area, as defined above. Short-term visits may be authorized for approved guided tours or other reasons if appropriate precautionary measures are taken and hazards have been fully controlled or removed during the visit. Direct adult supervision of children is required at all times in hazardous areas. Heads of Units may require additional safety measures prior to such visits and may wish to require written parental consent authorizing the site visit.