The Custodian/Laborer is responsible for performing a variety of manual and semiskilled janitorial, facilities and grounds services for the Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA), to ensure orderly, functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing appearances of assigned areas. Duties include cleaning walls, windows, cabinets, appliances, plumbing fixtures, etc.; vacuuming, dusting, mopping; waxing floors, glass cleaning; clean and service restrooms, including stocking of paper products; kitchen cleaning; using cleaning solutions to clean surfaces, clean up spills and remove stains; carpet cleaning as necessary; emptying trash containers from interior and exterior of facilities; monitoring grounds, facilities and sites to remove bulk trash and report unsafe conditions; providing proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, planters or other ground features and proposing and implementing regularly scheduled deep cleaning activities.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The position duties and responsibilities listed below describe the general nature and scope of work. Other responsibilities, duties and skills may be required and assigned, as needed. These essential functions require presence in the workplace on a regular basis and regular attendance must be maintained.
- Provides a variety of cleaning, custodial and maintenance services to ensure buildings, facilities and property are clean, orderly, and safe.
- Performs custodial work, including removal of garbage from interior and exterior of facilities, cleaning floors, walls, windows, cabinets, appliances, and plumbing fixtures. Cleans office buildings, bathrooms, hallways, common areas, community rooms, and other assigned areas in accordance with PBCHA standards. Restores building interiors damaged by former occupants, smoke, water, or storms using commercial cleaning equipment.
- Cleans and maintains PBCHA offices, break rooms, customer areas and conference/training rooms to ensure they are kept clean and free of dirt, debris garbage, etc. Ensure cleaning equipment and supplies are well maintained and performs preventive maintenance and/or changing out parts to ensure proper functioning and longevity.
- Implements weekly heavy cleaning programs for assigned areas. This includes scheduling deep cleaning activities during appropriate times of year, providing proposed work plan to upper management and following it; ensuring all deep cleaning is completed acceptably (e.g., floors and carpets are free of dirt and stains, walls are cleaned, painted and free of holes or defects; exteriors and windows are clean, etc.); exterior site cleaning; all garbage and debris picked up and removed, etc.
- Maintains assigned restrooms in clean, orderly, and sanitary condition. Cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes lavatories, urinals, and toilet bowls. Cleans mirrors, sinks, faucet knobs and scrubs and cleans enameled and ceramic walls and toilet partitions in restrooms. Keeps tissue, towels and soap dispensers supplied. Mops and sanitizes floors of each assigned restroom.
- Monitors grounds to identify, gather and remove debris including garbage, leaves, branches, and anything else that doesn’t belong. Takes debris to garbage stations; ensures that garbage areas are neat and safe; and ensures garbage is removed as scheduled.
- Monitors facilities and grounds to identify any unsafe conditions and reports them to management. Conducts inspections for various purposes as assigned. Supports the Maintenance Staff in their repair and maintenance activities when directed. This involves following instructions form project leaders and performing work in an efficient and effective manner.
- Provides proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, planters, or other grounds features. May assist with painting of fire lanes, parking dividers, etc.
- Identifies and reports building maintenance needs in assigned buildings and facilities to management. Performs minor repair and maintenance work, including repair and replacement of such items as window shades, curtain rods, door and window hardware, screens, stove and refrigerator parts, electrical receptacle covers, bath accessories, light bulbs and covers, scraping minor patching, sanding, and painting, and other necessary maintenance
- Fills out and/or completes work orders, reports, inspections, inventories, requisitions, and other written documents.
- Maintains and repairs tools, equipment, or structures, such as buildings, picnic tables, fences, or benches, using hand or power tools. Performs hurricane preparedness and removes any debris, hazards or structural damage resulting from storms.
- Performs preventive maintenance as assigned such as checking smoke detectors, emergency lights, replacing light bulbs, changing furnace/air conditioner filters, cleaning gutters, etc.
- Assists in transporting, loading, and unloading of furniture, supplies, material, etc. as assigned.
- Reports supply needs to the supervisor. Reports all unusual circumstances such as vandalism, missing light bulbs or fixtures, missing smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, etc. to the supervisor.
- Maintains PBCHA-owned materials in a neat and orderly manner a all times. Maintains a neat and organized work area free of clutter and debris, upon completion of tasks, all equipment and supplies are cleaned and stored appropriately.
- Notifies management immediately of any necessary major repairs beyond the abilities of the incumbent or suspected toxic substances and/or health and safety hazards encountered in the course of duties.
- Performs other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance workload.
- Practices safety precautions and be always safety conscious.
Behavioral Competencies
This position requires the incumbent to exhibit the following behavioral skills:
Job Knowledge: Exhibits requisite knowledge of materials, methods and equipment used in building and grounds maintenance. Includes knowledge of chemicals and cleaning products; and use and care of maintenance and building tools, and light motorized equipment to perform the position effectively. Demonstrates appropriate judgment & decision making in accordance with level of responsibility.
Communication and Teamwork: Customer service and working with others, including ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with all those contacted in the course of the work. Includes fellow department team members, residents, and management.
Responsiveness and Accountability:Demonstrates a high level of conscientiousness. Holds oneself personally responsible for one's own work and does fair share of work.
Efficiency and Effectiveness: To plan, organize, prioritize, and coordinate workflow; work independently and meet multiple deadlines; attention to detail and accuracy.
Self-development: Including continual learning of new methods, and materials. Anticipating possible problems and needs and solve problems independently.
Safety: Including following safety protocols and precautions at all times (e.g., use of protective equipment, safely using tools and equipment, observing precautions related to pathogens or contagious disease, etc.
Job Competencies
- Ability and willingness to practice and enforce applicable safety rules and regulations of the assigned areas to include wearing safety equipment such as back braces, gloves, goggles, and safety shoes as needed to ensure compliance with safety policies.
- Ability to utilize all electrical and hand tools as needed to perform maintenance/custodial activities.
- Knowledge of standard practices of one or more building trades, including the use of materials and tools.
- Ability to determine actions necessary to correct problems or errors encountered during maintenance activities.
- Knowledge of department policies, procedures, and common practices regarding maintenance activities to include repairs and replacements.
- Knowledge of accepted building methods and techniques used during maintenance activities. Knowledge of proper pesticide application to include composition, appropriate uses, and safety issues as needed to spray or release chemical solution or toxic gases used to eliminate and control rodents, insects, and snakes.
- Ability to operate trucks and light tractors safely and according to traffic laws and regulations.
- Ability to perform moderately heavy manual work for prolonged periods and in all types of weather conditions and perform cleaning task.
- Knowledge of the safe operation and general maintenance of power equipment, mechanical, hand and electrical tools.
- Ability to perform
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, vendors, consultants, contractors, residents, HUD, community partners, and local, state, and federal officials; Ability to communicate with people from a broad range of socio-economic backgrounds.
Education and/or Experience
- Must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent. One (1) year of experience in the groundskeeping, maintenance, and /or janitorial field or an equivalent combination of education
- Must possess a valid driver’s license and be insurable under the Authority’s plan.
Special Requirements
Must have and maintain a valid Florida driver's license and an insurable driving record for the last three (3) years. Must be bondable and insurable by the insurance carrier of the Palm Beach County Housing Authority. Employees who are required to apply pesticides must have a commercial pesticide applicator permit.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
To perform this job successfully, the employee is frequently required to perform manual and semi-manual labor requiring the range of full body movement. Custodian/Laborer must be able to work form a ladder or from heights, to follow oral instructions, lift 100 pounds, stand, walk, sit, bend, twist, kneel, crawl, push, pull, grasp, and ride. Hand-eye coordination is a must, as is the ability to talk and hear in person, by telephone and two-way radio. Must be able to see and read instructions and safety information.
Work Environment
Work is generally performed in a field setting in all types of weather conditions with exposure to outdoor elements, often involving bending, stooping, crawling, and working at heights. Work frequently involves moving from one physical location to another throughout the workday, and involves exposure to hazardous chemical, dust, dirt, solvents, cleaners, and lubricants related to work assignments with safety precautions.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $14.00 - $17.00 per hour
Experience:
- maintenance: 1 year (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- Florida Driver's License (Required)
Work Location: In person
