Workers in this industry require a high degree of knowledge if they are to succeed in keeping the facilities clean and on budget.

Today’s school custodian is expected to know a lot of science and math while being able to perform a multitude of tasks that require ongoing training. Today, more than ever before, it is essential that direct labor (hands on work) be minimized without negatively impacting outcomes. This means that today’s school custodian is able to match the most productive systems to the work area.

For instance, schools today have many different floor surfaces that require full background knowledge in order to avoid damaging them. Some surfaces today, while claiming to be better for the environment, do not recommend or even allow for traditional floor finishes be used on them. Although this sounds easy, it can be challenging when a teacher or board member demands the floor be “shiny” and starts micromanaging the work.

A knowledgeable school custodian can usually educate them to understand that if the floor surface has floor finish applied it could possibly damage the floor, void the warranty and result in increased labor resulting in budget issues. The only way, the school custodian can know such information is that they either interviewed the installers or researched the product on the Internet. Either way, they must become SME (subject matter experts) on the type floor was installed as well as proper treatment. This may include NOT using traditional floor finishes and avoiding the use of high pH (over 10) cleaners that can damage the product.

The best investment most schools can make in the health of their buildings is a knowledgeable custodial staff that are supported and empowered to maintain the facility.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net


posted on 12/15/2015