June 14, 2022

TOP 10 FUN FACTS ABOUT THE CUSTODIAL MAINTENANCE TEAM

  1. More than just full-time team members The Custodial Maintenance team is comprised of more than just full-time team members. Currently, RHS employs 40-60 student employees who work seven days a week between 3-11 p.m. More than 30 full-time managers lead student and on-call team members in day-to-day operations.|
     
  2. Cleaning every corner The Custodial Maintenance team is responsible for cleaning and maintaining more than 7 million square feet of space, including 27 residence halls, 429 apartments in 1855 Place and 345 apartments in Spartan Village.
     
  3. Green cleaning Custodial Maintenance makes every effort to use cutting-edge technology to sanitize spaces while protecting the health of building occupants and the environment. Recently, the team started using 100% ozonated water. The crews no longer spray bathrooms down with chemicals but instead use chemical-free floor cleaner and sealant. This leads to a reduced amount of chemicals washed down campus drains and an overall lower water consumption across campus.
     
  4. Long-term sustainability Similar to how recycling is a priority in the residence halls, the Custodial Maintenance team makes recycling a top priority and is ramping up their recycling efforts.
     
  5. The portal September 2018 saw the launch of the new Live On website where students are now able to access a new and improved portal for submitting maintenance requests. Students living on campus can simply select their residence hall or apartment and enter their contact information and a brief description of the issue they’ve encountered. The request is then quickly routed to an available team member.
     
  6. Energy saving innovations The Custodial Maintenance team is also responsible for replacing outdated light fixtures, some of them over 50 years old. One residence hall got an extreme makeover during winter break and fully transitioned to using only LED lightbulbs. This saves costs on energy expenses and further shows commitment to sustainable practices.
     
  7. Time-saving initiatives During carpet extractions, it used to take Custodial Maintenance crew members two days to sufficiently clean a 12-floor residence hall. With the addition of new ridable extractors, crew members like to call “chariots,” it takes team members only 45 minutes to clean the same residence hall. The chariots weigh more than 500 pounds and are used every day by full-time staff.
     
  8. Crew cred A residence hall Custodial Maintenance crew consists of two building service workers, two sanitation workers and one maintenance worker. These crews work collaboratively to respond to maintenance and service requests. Sanitation workers also clean the community halls daily.
     
  9. Award-winning cleaning REHS was awarded with two high levels of achievement attained in the cleaning industry — the ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standards (CIMS) and the Green Building (GB) certification. There are approximately 100,000 cleaning organizations in North America, and only 250 have received this designation. The recertification with honors is the second time the REHS Facilities team has been awarded this distinction.
     
  10. Student and team interactions With the far-reaching day-to-day impact of their work, positive interactions with Custodial Maintenance team members can help make all the difference in a student’s Spartan experience.
     

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