Maintenance Priorities

The An order of priority for all repairs is established by the Manager of Building Services, or his staff, giving highest priority to items that affect the health and safety of the occupants of the building. In 2004, an After Hours Call-Out/Emergency Policy was developed for all County-maintained facilities, and the Adult Detention Center. The following levels were also adopted in 2004: Priority 1-Emergency; Priority II-Urgent; Priority III-Routine; and Priority IV-Minor; and Priority V-Other. All work orders will be prioritized by the Building Services Division according to the nature of the problem, as follows:

Priority I - Emergency

Emergency Work Orders take priority over all other work and require immediate action to usually address situations that present imminent or immediate danger to life, health, safety, security, or operational damage to buildings, equipment or property. Evaluation and response time during working hours is within 2 hours and within 8 hours during non-duty hours, with completion normally within 24 hours. Work not completed during normal working hours, which requires overtime or night shift to complete, may also be considered Priority 1. Priority I emergencies include, but are not limited to the following:

• Smoke or natural gas smell in facility (Control Center should be contacted first);
• A serious and obvious threat to an employee’s health, welfare or safety;
• A serious and obvious threat to the operation of a County-maintained facility;
• Loss of power throughout entire facility;
• Loss of water throughout entire facility;
• Fire or burglar alarm sounding;
• Elevator breakdown, particularly if there is an individual trapped;
• Security issues such as unable to secure facility (i.e., facility cannot be locked, windows broken etc.)
• Air conditioning problems if temperature inside exceeds 78 degrees (holiday setback);
• Heating problems if temperature inside is below 65 degrees, except for senior centers;
• Hazardous material spills or leaks;
• Major water leaks that cannot be contained by placing a container under the leak for a 24 hour period;
• Sewer/drainage problems: Overflowing toilets, ruptured pipes, and sewer backups;
• Exposed electrical wires;
• Stopped-up toilets when there is only one toilet in the facility;
• Fire sprinkler problems;
• Runway lighting;
• Custodial “emergencies”;
• Icy sidewalks, entrances, etc.; and
• Passengers trapped in elevators

Priority II - Urgent

Urgent Work Orders are unscheduled and reactive, and considered to pose a threat of personal injury, equipment damage, or serious disruption of service, but are not considered emergencies. Urgent Work Orders may also include responses to safety deficiency and regulatory violations. These will be completed within one (1) week, or 5-7 days, conditions permitting. Priority II Work Orders include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Water running continuously;
• Stopped up toilet/sink (when there is more than one facility available);
• Shower repairs (when more than one shower is available);
• Minor roof leaks;
• Heating when inside temperature is below 69 degrees (normal thermostat setting);
• Air conditioning concerns when inside temperature is above 76 degrees (normal thermostat setting);
• Bulbs burned out;
• Drinking fountain repair;
• Insect / rodent control;
• Nuisance conditions that do not require extensive work, but which, if not remedied, would reflect poorly on the facility (i.e., paint, graffiti, etc.);
• Conditions that could become a safety or health hazard with more use or stress (loose handrail, loose door knob, damaged stair tread, cracked door glass)

Priority III - Routine

Routine, preventive or scheduled maintenance-related, Work Orders are for tasks that do not pose a threat to life, property or a serious disruption to the operation of County facilities and do not require immediate corrective action. These requests are entered into the H.T.E. system and processed based on the priority given them by Building Services, and in the order in which they are received. Small repairs are normally done within 30-45 days after being entered into H.T.E. or received by Building Services; however, availability of materials, budget constraints and unforeseen problems (snow, ice, manpower, or HVAC issues) could delay completion. Jobs related to special events (i.e. setting up chairs, tables, etc.) require a minimum of five (5) working days advanced notice (which is strictly enforced) prior to the event date so that manpower can be scheduled accordingly. Priority III Work Orders take precedence over Priority IV Work Orders and include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Hanging bulletin boards, pictures, bookshelves, blinds, key cabinets etc.;
• Moving furniture, boxes, etc.;
• Windows not functioning;
• Replacement/repair of ceiling tiles;
• Work/Repair Equipment and Supplies Running cable;
• Sound system repairs;
• Exterior bulb/ballast replacement;
• Carpet, tile repairs;
• Furniture repairs;
• Installation of soap, paper towel dispensers;
• Custodial issues (window cleaning, picture hanging, wall cleaning, etc.);
• Change lock.

Priority IV - Minor

Other Work Order requests are requests that are of such magnitude and complexity that is more effective to develop a scope of work for the job, procure materials, schedule the work in advance, and coordinate personnel and/or outside contractors/vendors. Priority IV Work Orders may not be accomplished due to manpower and/or funding limit actions, but may normally be expected to be completed within 45-60 days. Deferred or seasonally programmed work is often considered Priority IV. Priority IV Work Orders must be included in the approved or current Fiscal Year Operating Budget request for the Building Services Division.

Priority V - Other

Minor construction work beyond maintenance and repair includes space and efficiency enhancements, installation of shelving, interior partitions, new lighting, painting, etc. that is not budgeted, but generally within the capabilities of the maintenance staff. For larger projects, scheduling will occur following funding approval by the administration, or following the identification of funds by the requesting Department or Agency. If directed to re-prioritize with existing operational monies, the respective project is considered a Priority V Work Order.