Building Custodian 

 

Department: School Building Maintenance 

Reports to: SBM Facility Manager & Site-Based Building Administrator 

Qualifications:   

 

Civil Service Occupational Code Information:  Series 1642 (Municipal Class Book 1974) 

 

This series includes positions that provide, supervise, or administer the custodial and minor maintenance functions for schools and other municipal public buildings and their appurtenances (grounds, walks, lawns, shrubbery). Primary duties are cleaning, housekeeping, and operating and maintaining low-pressure heating, lighting, and ventilating systems. Maintenance duties are semiskilled and do not require journeyman trade or craft knowledge. Also included are positions that are responsible for maintaining order and safeguarding occupants in addition to custodial and housekeeping when the latter are primary. 

 

Typical duties performed are cleaning, dusting, sweeping, washing, buffing, and waxing floors, washing windows, changing light bulbs, policing grounds, sweeping walks, cutting laws, removing snow and ice, caring for custodial equipment, emptying wastebaskets, removing trash, operating low-pressure heating and ventilating systems, ordering custodial supplies, and making minor repairs to buildings, equipment, heating, lighting, ventilating, and plumbing systems. 

 

Job Summary:  Under the direction of the Senior Custodian the Building Custodian is responsible for the overall cleanliness, sanitation, security, safety, and maintenance of the assigned facilities, buildings, grounds, and equipment.  

 

Chain of Command: The employee works under the general supervision of the site-based Building Administrator and the School Building Maintenance Facilities Manager.  Receives direction from the Senior Custodian 

 

Supervisory Responsibilities: None 

 

Employment Environment: Working conditions may involve occasional exposure to loud noises or a combination of unpleasant elements such as odors, chemical fumes, dust, smoke, heat, cold, oil, dirt, or grease.  Duties include working under conditions when outdoor weather conditions are poor. Work may involve general cleaning, occasional work at heights or in confined or cramped quarters, or work around machinery and its moving parts. Work may also involve completing several unrelated tasks within a relatively short period of time. 

 

Occupational Personnel Risks: Essential job functions regularly present the potential risk for injuries, which could result in loss of time from work. Examples of injury include burns from chemicals, fire, severe muscular strains from working with heavy materials and/or cleaning equipment, falls from heights in excess of three feet, and illness from exposure to communicable diseases. Special safety precautions, training, or protective clothing such as gowns, coats, gloves, glasses, hard hats, or safety boots are required. 

 

Duties / Job Functions:  The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only for illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. 

  1. Responsible for the opening and closing of the school and associated buildings.  Including but not limited to unlocking/locking doors, turning off/on alarms, raising and lowering flags,  operating required lighting, and conducting opening walkthroughs to ensure building safety and functionality prior to student occupancy.  Closing – ensure for the security of buildings, close and locks windows and doors. 
  2.  Performs custodial cleaning of an assigned route and assists in general cleaning throughout the school as directed.  
  3. Perform cleaning and monitor the bathrooms throughout the day to ensure health and safety standards are upheld. Follow Universal Precautions and sanitation procedures when handling the cleanup of bodily fluid spills. Unclog plumbing and waste traps (toilets, urinals, and sinks) as needed. 
  4. Performs restoration and maintenance of flooring. 
  5. Maintains custodial equipment and reports broken equipment to the Senior Custodian.
  6. Maintains and may make minor repairs to school fixtures as well as furniture
  7. Moves and assembles furniture within the assigned building. Setup and breakdown for games, events, and meetings. 
  8. Assists in the removal of snow and ice by operating snow blowers, shovels, spreaders for the clearing of walkways and stairs to maintain safe entry into buildings. Employees may be required to report to work before, during, and after serious inclement weather. 
  9. Maintains communication with the Senior Custodian. Submits issues to the Senior Custodian for work order submission
  10. Completes building based work orders and assignments issued by the Senior Custodians to include cleaning area assignments, minor repairs, and special assignments. 
  11. Ensures building-wide cleaning operations are carried out. 
  12. Informs Senior Custodian of needed custodial supplies.
  13. Performs daily checks of all mechanical spaces, sprinkler control rooms, and boiler rooms within assigned areas and reports any unusual condition 
  14. Take immediate reasonable action (if safe to do so) to control and limit damage by fire or flood. 
  15. Replace needed lightbulbs, remove and replace non-asbestos ceiling tiles 
  16. Replace classroom air filters as directed 
  17. Be familiar with and utilize AHERA reports when carrying out duties throughout the building
  18. Attend and complete department-required training. 
  19. May be required to operate lawnmowers, string trimmers, and hedge trimmers to maintain building appearances. 
  20.  Responds to security and fire alarm calls appropriately 
  21. Carries a radio while on duty for communication within the building. 
  22. Member may be directed to perform other custodial duties, as required to meet the needs of the school district. 

 

The responsibilities and duties listed are illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties may be assigned as required.

 

This series includes positions that provide, supervise, or administer the custodial staff and minor maintenance functions for schools and other municipal public buildings and their appurtenances (grounds, walks, lawns, and shrubbery). Primary duties are cleaning, housekeeping, and operation and maintenance of low-pressure heating, lighting, and ventilating systems. Maintenance duties are semiskilled and do not require journeyman trade or craft knowledge. Also included are positions that are responsible for maintaining order and safeguarding occupants in addition to the custodial and housekeeping duties when the latter are primary.

 

The aforementioned job title is authorized for use in the Building Maintenance Series. The title definitions include illustrative duties and are not all-inclusive.

 

Terms of Employment/Salary/Work Year: 

As negotiated by the Fitchburg School Committee and the Fitchburg Education Association (FEA).

 

HOURS: 2 pm - 10 pm

 

Competitive and comprehensive health benefits are offered through the City of Fitchburg; www.fitchburgma.gov/benefits

 

An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of NCBC (fingerprinting) and CORI prior to your start of employment. 

 

Notice of Non-Discrimination
The School Committee’s policy of nondiscrimination extends to students, employees, and the general public with whom it does business. Fitchburg Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability in admission to, access to, employment in, or equal treatment in its programs and/or activities in compliance with state and federal law.
Questions related to this policy must be addressed to: The Office of Human Resources, 376 South Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420, HR@Fitchburg.k12.ma.us