Environmental Health and Safety Information
IUPUI is committed to providing healthy living environments for all of our residents. Should a resident have concerns regarding the air or environmental quality of their unit, they should report these concerns to Housing and Residence Life. If evidence exists that there may be environmental issues, Housing and Residence Life may request that Environmental Health and Safety conduct an air and/or environmental quality test. If evidence does not warrant a test, but the resident still requests that a test be completed, the resident will be responsible for the costs associated with the test if the results do not indicate environmental quality issues.
Asbestos
OSHA Asbestos Standard Communication Hazard 29 CFR 1926.1101 (Sec K). An asbestos inspection was performed at the Ball Residence Hall and Ball Annex Buildings from December 1997 to January 1998 by the IUPUI Environmental Health and Safety Department. The purpose of the inspection was to be in compliance with the OSHA Communication of Hazards referenced above.
Environmental Health and Safety’s inspection encompassed all identifiable and accessible suspect asbestos containing material (ACM) throughout the Ball Residence Hall and Annex facility for purposes of determining location, friability, condition and where sampling was performed. A “friable” material is a material that when dry can be crushed, pulverized or reduced to a powder by hand pressure. The following materials were identified as friable or non friable ACM based on the inspection, sampling and analysis:
- Pipe insulation and fittings
- Floor tile and mastic
- Steam system pipe insulation and fittings
- Fire rated doors
- Roofing materials
The above listed materials are found in various rooms and corridors. Asbestos pipe insulation can be found in the rooms, above ceilings, behind walls and in pipe chases.
Recommendations
The condition of the material was determined at the time of the survey. ACM conditions are subject to change based on physical and natural deterioration. Contact the Residence Coordinator if damaged ACM is found. The Asbestos Inspection Survey Report for Ball Residence Hall and Ball Annex is maintained at IUPUI Environmental Health and Safety and at the Office of Housing and Residence Life.
Bed Bugs
Bed bug issues arise at universities from time to time. We take all bed bug reports seriously and take immediate action. We do treat rooms for bed bug issues when we become aware that an issue could exist.
Specific information about bed bugs and our treatment protocol is as follows:
- Bed bugs do not show up in a room location randomly. Bed bugs are hitch hikers and they can attach themselves to one’s clothing/personal items without detection. Bed bugs are spread when they attach themselves to the personal items of a person who is staying or visiting for an extended period of time in a location where bed bugs are present.
- Bed bugs are flat, reddish brown, oval in shape, and about 3/16-inch long. These insects are approximately the size of an apple seed and often appear swollen and reddish. A majority of bed bugs time is spent hiding in clusters in cracks and crevices where they are sure to be hidden from plain sight. Due to their size, bed bugs can hide in various locations. Some of these locations include mattresses, box springs, tiny cracks and crevices, carpets, and wall borders.
- Bed bugs are NOT known to cause any diseases. They do bite, which could cause bumps and skin irritation.
Treatment:
Please notify us immediately if you believe you may have bed bugs in your residence hall room and/or if you notice any bites. You may notice that you have small bites that are all in a row or in a group in a small area on your body along with small drops of blood on your sheets. Upon notification of a potential bed bug issue we will immediately do the following:
- Interview the resident reporting the issue and any additional students who that resident has visited.
- If no bed bug activity evidence is discovered, we will install climb up monitoring devices for up to two weeks.
- If bed bug activity evidence is discovered, we will proceed with a heat and chemical treatment administered by our pest control company.
- Students will be relocated during the heat treatment process, but not before that process begins.
- Students are expected to fully follow our directions and instructions in order to eliminate the issue and to prevent spreading the issue to other room locations.
Prevention:
While it is impossible to completely prevent exposure to bed bugs, these precautionary measures can help minimize exposure and help with early detection:
- Keep rooms clean, orderly, and difficult for a bed bug to hide easily by cleaning and vacuuming 1-2 times/week, throwing away trash/garbage twice a week and keeping food items in plastic bins that are sealed and not in paper bags or cardboard boxes.
- Ensure that your laundry, linens and towels are cleaned by washing/drying your sheets and clothes on high heat one time per week, washing/drying your comforter on high heat once a month, keeping your bed made each day and tucked in tight around the corners and edges, and keeping clothes in a hamper or basket at all times.
Financial Impact:
Bed bug remediation is expensive and costs a minimum of $1,000 per treatment to effectively eliminate them from a room.
- We work closely with students to eliminate the issue and to make sure that they do not reintroduce bed bugs back into their room after our treatment.
- Students who have multiple bed bug incidents that require bed bug remediation or students who do not follow our instructions for treatment will be billed for the cost of remediation treatment.
Lead-Based Paint
Pursuant to federal law (24 C.F.R. Part 35 and 40 C.F.R. Part 7450), beginning September 1996, the Office of Housing and Residence Life must disclose any known lead-based paint hazards when leasing non-exempt residential property built prior to 1978. Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards is listed below.
Lead Warning Statement: Housing built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Lead from paint, paint chips, and dust can pose health hazards if not managed properly. Lead exposure is especially harmful to young children and pregnant women. Before renting pre-1978 housing, leasers must disclose the presence of known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the dwelling. For more information about lead-based paint, please visit epa.gov/lead.
Storm Water Notice
Storm water runoff can accumulate pollutants such as oil and grease, chemicals, nutrients, metals, and bacteria as it travels and has the potential to carry contamination associated with construction activities, facilities maintenance, accidental spills and illegal dumping to nearby streams and rivers. Heavy precipitation or snow melt can also cause sewer overflows that may contaminate water sources with untreated human and industrial waste, toxic materials, and other debris. Never dump trash or chemical products, including waste engine oil, into storm drains! Many of the drains on campus lead directly to Fall Creek or White River. Report any signs of improper chemical disposal or storm water discharges by calling 317-274-7911. Campus safety officials will respond and investigate your concerns.