Australia's Science Forum

Just a query. Since I started here we have had issues with the gas supply to one of the benches in one of our labs. Now the teacher asked me about the problem and well im not a plumber or a gas fitter so im not going there. WHo's job is it to report these things to maintenance? It has been an ongoing problem , a teacher will tell me there is an issue but not tell me if they want me to organise getting it fixed. So im just wondering what others do? we have a maintenece reporting thingi on our school portal for this stuff, so is it my job to report or the teachers job?

I always report it, whether I notice it or someone else, I assume if they mention it to me they want it fixed. I email maintenance, mind you they always take their time, and if they have to get someone from outside they organise it

Cheers
Lisa

Mr Filch here has a maintenance book - saves interpersonal human interaction for the communicationally challenged. I write it in the book. It usually gets done. If it doesn't, I aske the HNIC, and THEN it gets done.

I've just gone through the same problems with our gas lines over at our middle campus. I file all the reports for maintenance on our portal site for anything in the labs or prep room becasue I'm the one who knows where everything is (most of the time). The problem is getting the teachers to let me know when there is a problem. Teachers (eventually) tell me when somethings wrong or needs to be moved or fixed and I log the report after checking it out myself in case I'm able to fix it.
I figure that the teachers deal with their form rooms but I consider the Labs mine, so I look after them.
And somethimes if you want a job done properly you've just got to do it yourself anyway
works for me.

Good Luck
Kel

I usually report maintenance problems if they are brought to my attention. If it an issue with the gas system I will fill out a form but I also report it immediately to the person who oversees the maintenance of the school, or the business manager of the school. Because it is usually a safety issue the response is fairly quick. In the meantime check the gas tap to see if some charming young soul has found the need to deposit paper?, the remains of a pen?, or any other object of indeterminate description into the opening of said gas tap. Don't remove the object yourself that is the plumbers job and while he is there he can check all your other gas taps in all your labs just as a precaution. You also might be able to get him to fix any leaking taps or sinks, replace any missing tap handles (removal of which is a favourite pastime indulged in by some cherubs), glue taps back on with a special plumbers glue (Loktite), etc and if possible have it all done on the same job order.
Lyn.

thanks guys! that pretty much what I thought. I do usually report it throught the maintenence request log if I know about an issue, I think it just takes forever for them to get to it and then they forge and I get asked again whats going on. Hmmmm

In the past, each teacher had their own lab (mostly), so they were responsible to write the problem in the maitenance guys book. If they told me there was a problem, I would tell them to write it in themselves explaining to new teachers where to find the book etc. In that way they were responsible for their rooms (labs). Only occassionally would I write it in for them, saying that I was going past the book anyway.

With the new labs, when they are finished, it will be a roster system of using them so everyone gets a go, but I will still tell them so go write any problems in the book, as it is only laziness stopping them from walking to the front office to do it. I like the electronic reporting that some schools are using; I'm sure that would be easier to use. Don't know that the maitenance guy would agree though.

We have maintenance request forms to fill in. If a teacher notices something and tells me about it i usually tell them I'll put in a request when I am next at the office (unless it is urgent in which case we just ring them on their mobiles) and I also suggest they do the same in case I forget. I don't think the maintenance people would mind getting 2 slips for the same job. They can just throw one out, or sign off on both and feel like they've done 2 jobs at once! Better to have 2 requests than none, and also if all the teachers note that, for example, a blind is broken, then the maintenance people realise - ok, so this is something that gets used a lot because it has been reported 5 times in 2 days by 5 different people and they may give it a little more priority. I don't know really how they prioritise their jobs but, hey, as long as the job gets done everyone is happy

This talk about maintenance has prompted me to write about something our General Assistant (maintenance man) has talked about on several occasions.

It seems that the GA position in Department schools will be made redundant from July next year.
Some thing about the amount of work that is on their "Statement of duties" and that showing that they don't do that much in the school when we all know they are invaluable and most of what they do isn't in the "statement of Duties". Has anyone else heard of this?

I know our school couldn't function without the GA, and that if he wasn't there some of the stuff he does would get lumbered with me.

Incedentally we have an electronic system whereby we put on "Job Card" what needs attention and he accessesthat multiple times a day and then goes and does it. In much quicker time then the old GA.

I'm usually the one that does the Job Card reporting, as like many others of you, the teachers come to me with the problems instead of sitting down at the computer them selves and reporting.

WEndy

How could a school function without the GA's?

That is really awful news. We could not function at all without a GA. Gosh I do hope that is not true.

Being a GA (or even a Lab Tech somedays) is lke being the kidneys. No-one notices until they stop functioning!

Off track a bit, just curious does anyone else out there, have Yr7 students taken out of class after lunch to pick up papers and empty bins? Small group of kids for average 20mins a day for a week.

Can't say much about our GA, I've been waiting since the beginning of November for extra hooks in labs!!!!!

PS I do the reporting, even get told when they think the verandah needs hosing down

With regards to the GA's positions I know there was talk of this last year about bringing in contractors but the union stepped in and as far as I knew it had been sorted.

How do they honestly expect a school to run without a GA. Its hard enough keeping the maintainence of older schools (like mine) under control with our wonderful overworked underpaid GA - He is a wonder - always smiling, joking and singing and getting every little thing you ask for done sometimes before you even ask lol.

Its like when they cut GA's hours when the school numbers drop - makes no sense - the grass still grows the same, the buioldings still fall apart the same etc etc.

Don't get me started on the decision makers sitting on their leather chairs in their air conditioned offices, on mega $'s trying to cut the hours and increase the workload of those at the bottom. Get them into a school to do a day of GA duties and see if their tune changes....

haha Smiley so true. i'm always the last one to know. They even call me the mushroom.


Luckily i have a good friend in the front office and she now keeps me up to date with everything including whether the lockdown is real or a drill. NO-ONE elso tells me anything. Is anyone else constantly left in the dark???

Yep! but thats because I dont go to the morning meetings with the teaching staff (most of it is irrelevant i.e. which student is on detention/suspension, when reports are due etc) and i rarely venture down to the front office.

The maintenance man just came to se me and had informed me that the tap was fixed two weeks ago and wanted to know if anyone had bothered to check it, hmmm we shall see at recess if it works or not. Hmmm would have been nice o have been told that it had been looked at , comunication break down much?

Hey Nicky,

In recent times, I have frequently walked in on a union meeting half over, because no-one told me it was on! If a lab technician falls in the prep room, and no-one hears her, did it really happen?

Yesterday, I was told that the tours of the school, usually an out of hours experience, would begin at 2pm! Oh and would I please tidy up the Bio Lab. That would be the one that looks like a mini forest, from all the Yr12's doing EEI's. Bits of leaves, slides, transpiration expts everywhere! Yep, that's what I wanted to do yesterday.

Seems we are all in the same boat!