Physical Plant
Policy and Procedures

The Department of the Physical Plant is responsible for construction, renovation, maintenance, repair, and operation of facilities, including the buildings, grounds, utilities and installed systems at Lamar State College - Orange. Services necessary to achieve this responsibility are divided into two types: departmental and institutional.

Departmental Services

• Building maintenance is primarily the responsibility of the physical plant personnel resulting from requesting departmental or agency services. These include the maintenance and repair of equipment and furniture that are on a departmental inventory, office material for departmental use, fabrication of apparatus and equipment, and providing many of the other services requested by a department as the need arises.
• The staff services approximately 1,500 work orders each year. Generally, work orders are processed as received.
• Items that are acceptable as maintenance by the physical plant are redecoration, new floors, ceilings, lights, repair of windows, upkeep of central heating and air conditioning systems, cabinet-making, general carpentry, stone work, and electrical repair and wiring for lighting.

Institutional Services

• Services provided by the Physical Plant that need no requests and that are provided for the overall use of the institution are regarded as institutional services. Such services include the lighting of buildings, provision of drinking water, grounds maintenance and landscaping, custodial services, and maintaining the motor pool.
• Employees of the physical plant keep the institution's physical facilities and services under constant surveillance. They either rectify the faults that they find or eliminate the cause. Since the number of facilities and services that must be inspected is extensive, members of the university staff are asked to report problem areas that they observe so that prompt corrective action by the physical plant will minimize maintenance.

Services Budgeted by the Physical Plant

• Maintenance and repair of buildings and their installed heating and ventilation/air conditioning systems and electrical, plumbing, or other special systems and equipment installed as integral parts of the buildings.
• Painting of interior and exterior surfaces on a periodic, scheduled basis.
• Maintenance and repair of basic classroom furniture and furnishings, such as window shades and venetian blinds, seats, lecterns, and blackboards.
• Maintenance of walks, roads, and drainage and care of lawns, trees, and shrubs.
• Maintenance of utilities plants and distribution systems for heat, water, gas, compressed air, electric power, sewers, and street lighting.
• Basic, scheduled custodial and refuse collection services; setup support for major, college-wide special events.
• Staff design and project management for non-capital budget, general fund projects.

Work Orders and Interoffice Memoranda

• Requests for departmental services should be directed to the physical plant director by completing general work order form. The request must describe fully the services desired, and all blanks on the form must be completed.
• Emergency requests should be directed to the physical plant by calling extension 3367 or 3326. A general work order form should then be submitted to the appropriate supervisor.
• The general work order form is included on the web page.

Physical Plant Tools and Equipment

• Generally, tools and equipment placed at the disposal of physical plant employees are for in-house use only.
• Some tools, such as the rotohammer or an airless paint gun, require a specialized skill or knowledge of operation that must be handled by a physical plant operator.
• Physical plant tools and equipment are not to be used or taken off the college campus.

Departmental Equipment

• Departmental equipment is purchased, operated, and maintained by the departments.The physical plant has technically competent personnel to assist the departments in repair and maintenance of equipment in certain areas.

Locks and Keys

• As a general rule, all locks used in campus buildings must be keyed to the master key system so that all areas are available for emergency service and response by the physical plant.
• Exceptions to this rule include the Cashier's Office, Registrar's Office, hazardous chemical storage, and a few specialized storeroom areas on campus.
• All requests for outside door keys or master keys must be approved and signed by the director of the physical plant.
• All inside key permits must be approved and signed by the department head or administrator authorized to do so. Security can be seriously compromised by having several people in a department designated to approve key requests.

Pest Control

• Insect and rodent control is accomplished by a regular routine maintenance program performed by contractors. Specific problems dealing with pest control should be reported to the physical plant Office. The office will then refer the problem to the pest control operator for specific treatment. Exceptions are rare emergency problems with rodents and bird control.
• Some locations on campus are excluded from pest control treatment. In fact, any area can be excluded from treatment upon request from the department head to the physical plant director.

Fire Safety

• Regardless of whether a fire is a large one or a very small one, the fire department should be notified. The Orange City Fire Department is reached through a central switchboard at 911. When reporting a fire, one should stay on the line until someone acknowledges the location of the fire.
• Fire prevention is everyone's job. Unfortunately, a responsibility that must be assumed universally is rarely taken seriously by every person affected.
• An effective fire safety plan can be implemented without spending a great deal of money if each person acts responsibly. The rules to be followed are simple:

  1. Make certain that personal habits do not create a condition that could cause a fire. On a college campus more fires arise from carelessness in the use and disposal of cigarettes than from any other cause.
  2. If flammable, toxic and/or explosive materials or materials otherwise dangerous are used, they should be handled in an approved manner by observing all safety precautions.
  3. Provide at least two ways of escape from all areas where hazardous materials, machines, or processes are involved. Keep exits free from obstruction at all times.
  4. Be familiar with the location and operation of fire extinguishers in the work area. If instruction is needed, call the director of the physical plant for assistance.
  5. Report every fire, and be prepared to protect other people by appropriate warning.
  6. Remain calm; do not panic. Remember, the saving of lives and valuable property may well depend upon responsible action.

• The physical plant adheres to the National Electrical Code, Orange Fire Statutes, Orange Fire Marshall Regulations, and the National Building Code. PSU is inspected annually by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
• For more information, direct questions to the physical plant.

Fire Extinguishers

• The physical plant furnishes appropriate extinguishers as an institutional service. All fire extinguishers, except those of Auxiliary Services, are serviced without charge.
• Service includes recharging as required, annual inspection, and testing according to the requirements of the individual extinguishers. Complete records are maintained.

Underground Utilities

• Most utilities on the college campus are underground. These include electricity, natural gas lines, telephone lines, water lines, sewer lines, and steam tunnels
• Under no circumstances should anyone drive a stake, rod, or pointed object into the ground on campus. The danger of hitting a buried utility line is always present.

Manholes on Campus

• Manholes are located throughout the campus, serving a variety of uses. Only authorized and trained personnel are allowed to enter manholes.