Work Priorities

Work is scheduled on a first come first served basis, taking the priority into consideration.

• If a specific date is requested, we will do our best to meet your request, depending on staff and material availability. Special events are scheduled as requested. Keep in mind that holidays and summer, spring and winter breaks are coordinated and scheduled months in advance. (As much advance notice as possible is appreciated if you have a specific timeline.)
• If no specific date is requested, the project will be scheduled as soon as time permits, based upon date of receipt and priority.
• If the Service request has been submitted first for an estimate, the work will be scheduled following approval of the estimate and receipt of materials as soon as time permits, based upon date of receipt and priority.

Service Requests are reviewed at Facilities Service Desk and by the Shops and assigned a priority, from 1-4:

1. Emergency (Required by Code):

Response time: 15 minutes

Emergencies are situations which pose an immediate threat to personal health or safety, or of major damage to buildings, equipment, or other property.
The Facilities Service Desk handles emergencies immediately. Emergency calls are assigned to the most qualified shop to address the problem and take priority over any other work including work in progress. Emergency work proceeds until the situation is corrected or stabilized.
Emergencies include fire, flooding from plumbing failures, roof leaks, electrical hazards, elevator malfunctions, security-related problems and research equipment failure that either presents a safety or health hazard or seriously interferes with ongoing research.

• Fire, electrical spark, smoke or smell of smoke
• Downed electrical lines
• Broken gas line
• Gas leaks or smell of gas leaks
• Heavy flood, broken pipes, water lines
• Broken windows, doors, locks in barracks
• Overflowing toilets
• No air conditioning or heat in rooms with sensitive equipment or research
• No lights, power or water
• Elevator "stuck" with someone on board
• Inoperable exterior locks, interior locks on sensitive space,
• Major equipment breakdown

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2. Urgent Work:

Response time: 2-3 hours

Completion Time: 1 day

Urgent situations pose a threat of personal injury, equipment damage, loss of research, or a serious disruption of University operations.
Conditions that if not immediately attended to could further damage the item in question.
Whenever possible, urgent work orders are handled on the day they are received.
Work which should be completed within eight (8) hours.
Conditions which must be attended to during the day (or night) they are reported.
Work which requires overtime or night shift, if not completed during normal work hours.

• Broken glass
• Lights out, inoperative switches or lights
• HVAC temperature adjustments, loss of refrigerated storage space
• Pipe drip, ceiling drips
• Toilets/urinals running constantly
• Clogged sink/toilet/shower/tub
• Toilets stopped up
• Elevator repairs
• Windows stuck/jammed
• Garbage disposal, and/or lock core changes
• Insects in rooms
• ADA compliance issues, e.g. inoperative door opener
• Fire Marshal or code compliance corrective actions.
• Items that need to be corrected as soon as possible to remedy fire marshal inspection discrepancies, code inspector or safety findings, etc.

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3. Rush Work:

Max. completion time: 5-6 days

Work that will support the mission of the institution.
Primary lecture halls, classrooms, research facilities, performing art centers, student center programs and activities, specialized laboratories, computer laboratories, research sites, libraries.

• Work which can be worked into existing schedules
• Student Damage Work Orders
• Debris or garbage accumulations
• Conditions that do not require extensive work, but which, if not remedied, failure of which to remedy would reflect poorly on Physical Plant

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4. Routine Work:

Max. Response time: 3 days

Completion Time: 10-14 days or Scheduled

Work orders for immediate tasks that do not pose a threat to life, property, research or of serious disruption to the operation of the University.

Service requests to correct or update items that do not require immediate attention, including lighting, mechanical, heating, cooling or electrical repairs and cleaning services. Routine work can be scheduled within the capability of the Physical Plant Department to minimize the need for emergency and urgent calls.
Large-scale work orders are treated as projects; they may require several months to complete. Small repairs are normally done within 10 days of being put into the job queue, but availability of materials and unforeseen problems could delay completion.

Advance notice from the customer is required to allow scheduling of personnel and receipt of materials.

• Other scheduled work, event
• Painting
• Furniture/office/surplus property moves
• Set up for special events
• Cracked glass replacement

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