9-2: Physical Plant: Policies and Procedures

9-2: Physical Plant: Policies and Procedures

Issued: 1987
Revised: 07-11
 

Physical Plant Services is budgeted to address only routine operation and maintenance requirements of the College.  This definition is strictly limited to work required to operate and maintain existing facilities, utility systems, grounds and athletic fields and to provide support for specific special events.  Non-routine departmental service requests will be performed only if funding for labor and material is identified and provided by the requesting department.  Non-routine institutional service requests will be funded from institutional funds. 

Routine operation and maintenance of facilities includes:

• Maintenance and minor repair of buildings and building equipment.  (See definition and examples below.)
• Operation of facilities for normally scheduled activities including making necessary adjustments to building equipment and systems, scheduling the operation of equipment and systems, responding to improper temperature complaints, etc.
• Performing normal and periodic maintenance such as changing filters, lubricating, greasing, adjusting drive belts, cleaning strainers, testing and inspecting equipment, adding chemicals to cooling tower systems, replacing light bulbs, etc.
• Minor repairs such as packing valves, replacing drive belts, replacing bearings and seals replacement of a faulty light switch or wall outlet, repairing egress lights, repairing/replacing worn door hardware, replacing an irrigation head, etc.
• Seasonal maintenance such as cleaning chillers and cooling towers to prepare for summer operation or testing boilers prior to heating season.
• Resetting clocks and changing batteries in clocks in classrooms, student study areas and maintaining the master clock system.
• Providing custodial and grounds services for normal scheduled activities.
• Providing set-up and support for special events specifically identified in Physical Plant policy 9-11.
• Field preparation and support for regular season Fort Lewis College athletic events.

Non-routine departmental service requests include:

• Repairs to department equipment.  (See definition and examples below.)
• Set-up and support for events not specifically identified in Physical Plant policy 9-11 including grounds and custodial support.
• Resetting clocks and changing batteries in clocks in offices, conference rooms and department areas.
• Special projects, alterations or modifications of facilities.  (See Physical Plant policy 9-14.)
• Furniture and equipment moves or relocations.
• Field preparation and support for pre and post season athletic events and tournaments and for any non-Fort Lewis College athletic event.

Non-routine institutional service requests include:

• Repairs caused by abuse or vandalism (see below).
• Replacement of major building components such as boilers, water heaters, pumps, fans, lighting control systems, ADA door operators, auto equalizer door closers, etc.  Replacement of such items are beyond the scope of Physical Plantâ¿¿s budget and additional funding will be required from the General Fund budgets in the case of General Fund facilities and from Auxiliary budgets in the case of Auxiliary Fund facilities.

Building and Department Equipment:

Building equipment is defined as equipment that is permanently installed as a part of a building that would be required by any user of a different nature and would be left behind if the assigned department moved out.  Department equipment includes all movable equipment and furnishings, and any special equipment or systems, whether permanently installed or not, that would not be required by other users of a different nature.  Physical Plant Services is budgeted to maintain building equipment only.  It shall be the responsibility of the department or institution to provide funding for all maintenance and repairs to department equipment.

Examples of Building Equipment:

• General purpose lighting
• Exit lights
• General building HVAC systems
• Building exterior elements such as roofs, windows, doors, etc.
• General door hardware including door closers
• Building plumbing systems
• Water fountains
• Boilers
• Water heaters
• Restroom fixtures
• Fire alarm system
• Fire protection system
• Elevators
• Master clock system, bell tower and clocks in classrooms and student study areas
• General building electrical systems
• General building signage
• General classroom marker boards
• Air compressors for building pneumatic controls
• Building backflow preventers
• Street lights and side walk lights

Examples of Department Equipment:

• Special purpose lighting and lighting controls such as gallery lighting in CSWS; stage lighting in Concert Hall and Theatre, display cases, etc.
• Security systems
• Access systems
• Appliances
• Furniture
• Walk-in coolers and cold rooms
• Food service equipment including ovens, grills, hoods, dish returns, dish washing machines, etc.
• Window blinds or shades
• Department and non-classroom marker boards
• Department specific signage
• Display cases
• Specialized electrical circuits, equipment, controls, power conditioners, UPS, emergency generators, etc.
• Additional electrical outlets
• Stills, RO systems, deionization systems, water softeners
• Autoclaves, sterilizers, cage washers
• Kilns, firing ovens
• Dust collection systems
• Grease and sediment traps
• Bio-safety cabinets
• Cooling systems for IT closets or other specialized cooling systems
• Clocks in offices, conference rooms and department spaces
• Hanging mats (gym)
• Basketball goals, hanging curtains, climbing wall, exercise equipment, etc. â¿¿ Student Life Center
• Air compressors for lab or shop air
• Department equipment specific backflow prevents

Prioritization of Work Requests:

Physical Plant Services will make every effort to meet the needs of the College community with the resources available.  As funds and staff time are limited, not all requests will be able to be addressed.  Physical Plant Services will establish a work schedule based on the following priorities:

1. Safety requirements
2. Operational requirements
3. Essential maintenance
4. Departmental equipment maintenance and repair
5. Remodeling, department equipment installation and special services

Work Order Charges:

Physical Plant Services routine operation and maintenance activities are provided without cost to other departments of the College. The costs for non-routine services are not included in the Physical Plant budget.  Specific non-routine services with accepted billing procedures are identified hereafter:

Vandalism (All Cases):

1. Vandalism is defined as misuse or willful abuse of College property.
2. Physical Plant Services will utilize standard charges for the repair of damage caused by vandalism. The full cost of labor, material, equipment and contracted services will be charged.
3. Housing will be responsible for collecting for damages in housing facilities. Physical Plant Services will work with Campus Police to collect for repairs in non-housing facilities where specific responsibility for the damage can be identified.
4. In cases where responsibility for vandalism cannot be assigned, the repair costs, including labor, materials, equipment, and contracted services, will be charged to either the Auxiliary Vandalism Fund or to the General Vandalism Fund depending on the location of the damage.
5. Physical Plant Services will maintain a standing report on expenditures resulting from vandalism.

Remodeling, Department Equipment Installation and Maintenance, and Special Services:

1. Physical Plant Services will, upon request, provide estimates of work for other departments to use in preparing their budget requests. Departments shall identify funding and budget for the total cost of all labor, materials, equipment and contracted services.  (See Physical Plant policy 9-14 for more information on building alterations and modifications.)
2. In recognition of the fact that the Physical Plant will not be able to accomplish all of the work requested three alternate methods have been established to help departments meet their needs:
   1. If the department has funds available, Physical Plant Services will contract the required work using the departmentâ¿¿s funds.
   2. In special cases, Physical Plant Services will authorize another College department to perform the required work themselves.  In those cases, the following requirements shall be met:
   3. Proposed working drawings and/or specifications shall be submitted to Physical Plant Services for review and approval.
   4. All work will be inspected by Physical Plant Services during and after construction.
   5. Competent personnel who meet the qualification standards set by the Director of Physical Plant Services shall be employed to perform the work.
   6. Any work found by the Director of Physical Plant Services that does not conform with approved drawings and/or specifications, is not in compliance with approved standards and codes, or is of unacceptable workmanship, will be removed or repaired at the expense of the department that made the installation.
3. All contracts with private firms for design and/or construction services shall be administered by the Projects Office in Physical Plant Services following the applicable State purchasing rules.  This policy applies regardless of the source of funding. (See Physical Plant policy 9-14 for more information of building alterations and modifications.)
4. Furnishings that are a part of a building shall not be altered or removed without approval of the Director of Physical Plant Services.  This includes such items as laboratory benches, built-in benches, blackboards, projection screens, door hardware and building directories.

Special Event Set-Ups:

1. Set Ups for College functions identified in Physical Plant policy 9-11 will be accomplished on a routine basis without charge.  The cost of labor, materials, equipment and contracted services for all other events will be billed to the requesting department.
2. Set-ups for Student Government functions will be accomplished on a routine basis when possible.  The cost of materials, equipment, over-time labor and contracted serviced will be billed to the requesting department.
3. Set-ups for non-college functions will be billed at current rates for materials, equipment, labor and the cost of contracted services.
4. Chair and table rental will be charged for all non-college functions.  All receipts will be deposited in the table and chair replacement fund.  Arrangements for rental of tables and chairs shall be made through the Physical Plant.

Athletic Field Preparation:

1. Field preparation for regular season athletic events will be accomplished on a routine basis.  The reasonable cost of labor and materials will be included in the Physical Plant budget.
2. Field preparation for club and intramural events will be billed at the current rates for materials, equipment, labor and the cost of contracted services.
3. Field preparation for non-college functions will be billed at the current rates for materials, equipment, labor, and the cost of contracted services.
4. Practice field preparation will be based on the availability of labor and material after athletic field preparation.

Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to the Physical Plant Service Center at extension 7000.