Administrative Statement
The Physical Plant building is located at the south edge of the main campus at 300 East Lindburg Street. The office of the Physical Plant Director is in the building, as well as the administrative offices, central boiler room, automotive garage, and main storeroom. University shipping and receiving is handled at the Physical Plant. Official weather data, including hourly temperature and precipitation readings, are recorded on instruments stationed at the plant for the U.S. Weather Bureau. Computers are used for inventory control, payroll, employee records, tracking of maintenance schedules and vehicle use, and to control energy usage.
One hundred thirty-eight (138) people, assisted by student and seasonal employees, are employed in 15 sections of the Physical Plant that care for 41 buildings (with 1.5 million square feet of floor space) which spread over the 252 acre campus. In recent years an annual operating budget of well over one third of a million dollars is used to pay for materials used on a daily basis. Over two million dollars are paid annually in salaries, and another 1.5 million dollars in utilities.
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Physical Plant Organization Chart
Custodial and General Services
Wanda Endicott, Director of Custodial and General Services, Ext. 4776
A Message About the Physical Plant to Faculty and Staff
Pittsburg State University approaches one hundred years of increasing service to the community, state and nation and has become a nationally recognized institution. As those charged with maintaining and improving the university's infrastructure and visual impact, employees of the Physical Plant take great pride in being an integral and essential part of this history and direction.
We believe that the many positive contributions of the Physical Plant stem from a number of strengths and unique services in our organization. These web pages were prepared to better acquaint faculty and staff with the overall operation and responsibilities of the Physical Plant, as well as offer a guide to these services.
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Administration
Jo Ramage, Accounting Specialist, Extension 4789
Joyce Row, Administrative Specialist, Extension 4788
Anna Meyer, Administrative Specialist, Extension 4777
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Environmental Safety and Health
Rules and regulations concerning hazardous materials have become increasingly complex. Combined with the positive trend on campuses toward developing safety and health programs, the full-time services of an Campus Environmental Officer were begun in 1987. Duties and responsibilities of the job are divided into three broad and equally important areas:
(1) To develop, implement, and monitor safety and environmental conditions at the university.
(2) To help insure compliance with governmental regulations for handling and disposing of hazardous waste and to advise related procedures.
(3) To plan control of asbestos materials, prepare abatement contracts, and to see that asbestos removal projects on campus are conducted and completed according to federal and state regulations.
Policies and guidelines have been prepared and adopted as official university standards in each of the three areas. These have been distributed to appropriate departments and sections. Copies are available at the Physical Plant.
Assistance with handling or disposing of hazardous materials can be obtained through the Physical Plant. Call extension 4774 for answers to questions on any of the three areas mentioned above.
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Trades Maintenance
Tom Amershek, Director of Building Trades and Landscape Maintenance, Ext. 4775
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Custodial Services
The Physical Plant is responsible for custodial services in all campus buildings except the Overman Student Center and the Wilkinson Alumni Center. Most custodial work in occupied areas is performed between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Floors are swept, wastebaskets emptied, chalkboards cleaned, chairs arranged, restrooms cleaned, and other tasks performed on a daily basis.
A morning shift is assigned to each building. Work during hours when classes are held is coordinated to minimize interference with school activities. Offices usually are cleaned by the day shift between 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM or by the night shift after 4:30 PM. Custodians can be called to perform custodial tasks generated during daily activities. This activity is directed by the Custodial Manager whose office is at the Physical Plant building, extension 4787.
Custodial Work Performed
- Clean restrooms and replenish supplies; dust and clean offices, classrooms, conference rooms, laboratories and elevators; polish furniture.
- Vacuum carpets; dry mop and wet mop floors; strip, wax and polish floors; shampoo carpets.
- Collect and remove waste; sweep steps and sidewalks.
- Clean light fixtures; change light bulbs; clean drinking fountains.
- Clean windows and glass doors; clean blinds; wash walls.
- Report needed maintenance and repair items to supervisors; request supplies; lock and unlock buildings, offices and rooms; make minor repair of furniture; move furniture, equipment and supplies.
- Store cleaning materials and supplies; keep storage closets and custodial rooms in order.
- Perform related work as required.
Tasks Usually Not Performed by Custodians
- Move heavy furniture.
- Run errands.
- Perform personal service.
- Watch laboratory equipment (turn off equipment, etc.)
- Any major moving of furniture.
- Collect mail from offices.
- Loan keys to anyone.
- Answer telephones
Contact the Director of the Physical Plant for special requests.
Floors
- Where the surface is appropriate (wood, tile, concrete, etc.), floors are scrubbed, sealed as required, and waxed once or twice a year. Additional waxing or finishing is provided if needed whenever such service can be worked into the schedule.
Opening and Closing of Buildings
- The security of all campus buildings, offices and equipment is an important part of the custodial service. The objective of this department is to assist with building security through key control.
- Each building is opened and closed according to a prearranged schedule. As a rule, only the outside doors and selected classrooms are opened by Physical Plant employees, and it is the responsibility of the departments to open their own offices and laboratories.
- Request for buildings and rooms to be opened at special times MUST be made at least 24 hours in advance.
- The evening shift is responsible for locking or securing buildings. Keys are assigned to custodians by their supervisor. It is the custodian's responsibility to see that the keys are not lost or stolen. All keys are checked in at the Physical Plant at the end of a shift and picked up again at the beginning of the next shift. Keys are not loaned.
Trash Removal
- Emptying waste baskets, sweeping floors, and removal of material which is obviously trash is the responsibility of the Physical Plant and is usually done in the early mornings by the custodial crew.
- The trash is taken to pickup points where it is removed from campus by contracted trash service.
Custodial Manager, Extension 4787
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Garage and Motor Pool
Skilled mechanics at the Physical Plant Vehicle Maintenance Garage are responsible for repairing, maintaining, and reconditioning autos, vans, trucks, tractors, loaders, lift trucks, mowers, and small engines on miscellaneous equipment. Work often involves routine preventive maintenance and other functions of a major full-service garage. In addition, mechanics participate in the technical repair and testing of complex systems. These systems include computer ignition, electronic fuel injection, electric hydraulic systems, and air conditioning on both gas and diesel equipment.
Central Vehicle Pool
The Physical Plant Vehicle Maintenance Garage maintains a vehicle motor pool. University-owned motor pool vehicles are made available to faculty and staff. Automobiles and passenger vans are usually scheduled on reserved basis and are maintained at the Physical Plant Vehicle Maintenance Garage. Vehicles are not reserved through the Online Work Order System.
Garage and Motor Pool Staff
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General Services
General Service's employees are responsible for pickup, delivery, and other movement of freight, equipment, furniture, and supplies. The General Services section participates in minor maintenance jobs such as installation of pencil sharpeners, bulletin boards, and classroom partitions. Responsibilities also include assistance with setup and cleanup of special events such as commencement.
General Services Staff
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Grounds Maintenance and Landscaping
The Physical Plant has the responsibility for the visual impact of the university. Appearance of the grounds and buildings is very important. National surveys indicate that more than half of all prospective students consider this when deciding where to go to school. Appearance also makes a difference in faculty attitudes and influences legislators, parents, and the general public.
The grounds department maintains an office at the corner of Joplin and Lindburg Streets and a greenhouse nursery next door to Chandler Hall. In addition, an outdoor nursery and related materials are located near the east perimeter of the campus.
The grounds crew is responsible for maintenance of trees, grass, shrubs, flower beds, new plantings, and athletic fields. Also, responsibilities of grounds maintenance include clearing snow from campus sidewalks, removing leaves and other debris, and keeping storm sewer inlets clear and unobstructed.
The work of the landscaping department is most notable in the spring when flower beds are in full bloom and the trees are alive with new color. Flower beds are used to their maximum to achieve the greatest effect. Spring flowers are replaced with summer flowers in May and removed after the first killing frost.
Grounds Maintenance Staff
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Power Plant
The main campus is heated by steam that is produced by natural gas fired boilers and piped to buildings through utility tunnels. Each building receives steam at a temperature of nearly 300 degrees Fahrenheit and at a regulated pressure of about 60 PSI (pounds per square inch). The plant literally recycles steam -- using 85 to 88 percent of the steam energy that is normally lost as "waste heat". Steam that has been used (condensed in the system) is circulated as condensate back to the boiler room at the Physical Plant and still contains some heating energy (about 180 - 190 degrees F.). The condensate is converted to steam and brought back up to about 400 degrees F. before being released back into the steam "recycling" system thereby achieving a high level of energy conservation. The steam heating system has other economical advantages. In milder weather, the water temperatures can be lowered to correspond with the weather conditions.
The Weede Building has an independent boiler system in the basement mechanical room, while both the McPherson Building and Timmons Chapel are equipped with electric heating and cooling systems.
The heating system is controlled by a computerized energy management system. A computer terminal, located at the Physical Plant, monitors information from thermostats in individual buildings and controls valves that regulate the flow of steam and heat. It also analyzes flue emissions to key the boilers at peak efficiency.
The plant keeps 40,000 gallons of fuel oil in underground tanks for use if the natural gas supply is curtailed. This reserve would heat the university for four to six days in weather below 30 degrees F. and longer in milder weather.
Steam Tunnel Distribution System
Steam is distributed through a system of tunnels beneath the campus. Pipes in the tunnels transport steam throughout the main campus. Temperature of the pipes run as high as 300 degrees F. and therefore present a danger to anyone who is not trained to work in these tunnels.
Air temperatures reach as high as 180 degrees F. in some of the tunnels during normal operations. The temperatures are allowed to become high because complete ventilation would be a waste of heating energy.
The Physical Plant has a policy of never allowing a worker to negotiate a steam tunnel alone. Only experienced workers may service a steam tunnel. They must know where the exits are, where the access doors are, and have keys to get through these passages. Anyone not familiar with the tunnels runs the risk of being trapped in a dead-end or a passage blocked by a locked door. A person trapped in the tunnel faces serious consequences if a steam pipe ruptures and releases high-pressure steam.
Because of building security, the Physical Plant must lock access doors between the buildings and the tunnels to prevent unauthorized access. This creates a dangerous situation for anyone without keys. The Physical Plant therefore prohibits unauthorized persons in the tunnels.
Power Plant Staff
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Storeroom
A perpetual inventory of equipment, materials, and supplies is maintained and controlled on computer in the storeroom of the Physical Plant. Storeroom employees order stock, maintain necessary inventory levels, check all inventory received for damage, and insure that shipments correspond to orders. A complete office supply store is maintained for the University offices for purchasing of supplies. Storeroom personnel fill office supply orders on a daily basis. Storekeepers check out tools and supplies to maintenance personnel and distribute custodial supplies. Freight, UPS, Federal Express, and all other express delivery services deliver to the storeroom where the items are logged and prepared for campus distribution. Office Supply Storeroom and Shipping and Receiving may be reached at Extension 4057.
Storeroom Staff
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Carpentry
The carpentry/cabinet shop at the Physical Plant is staffed by craftsmen with many years of experience. Work includes alteration of existing facilities, construction of walls and partitions, paneling, hanging doors and windows, repairing furniture, laying floor tile, and repairing roof flashing. Carpenters also perform skilled work in cutting and fitting glass.
Skilled masonry work includes paving concrete floors, steps, driveways, sidewalks, and various construction forms.
Customized cabinetmaking can also be requested. Cabinetmaking projects include designing and fabricating furniture, bookcases, counters, bulletin boards, plaques, tables, door frames, large cabinets, desks, picture frames, musical instrument cases, benches, and a host of specialized pieces of equipment and furniture. This work often requires precise lathe work to reproduce legs, spindles, and various items necessary for furniture restoration and equipment repair.
Locks and Keys
As a rule, all locks used in campus buildings must be keyed to the Best Master Key System so that all areas are available for emergency service and response by Physical Plant.
There are exceptions to this rule. The Cashier's Office, Registrar's Office, hazardous chemical storage in Heckert-Wells, and a few specialized storeroom areas on campus are exempt.
All requests for Best keys must be approved and signed by the Director of Physical Plant.
All inside key permits must be approved and signed by the department head or area supervisor. Security can be seriously compromised by having several people in a department designated to approve key requests.
Carpentry Staff
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Electrical
The electrical shop at the Physical Plant serves as base for electricians who have the responsibility of installing and maintaining lighting, electrical equipment, cable systems (except telephone), clock systems, elevators, motors and special equipment. In addition, emphasis is placed on checking all electrical systems for compliance with codes. Electricians also stand by at special events, such as football games and commencement, to assure that any malfunctions in electrical equipment are quickly corrected.
Part of the responsibility of the electronic section is to staff and maintain a Honeywell Delta 1000 Energy Management System. Terminals are located in the boiler room at the Physical Plant, the computer room at the Hartman Hall, and in the dispatcher's office at the University Police and Parking Services office in Shirk Hall.
Sensors are placed at strategic places throughout campus buildings so that temperature, humidity, and security are monitored at respective terminals. Temperature is programmed to maximize energy conservation by automatically altering day and night temperature changes.
Electricity
Electrical power supplied directly from Westar Energy is distributed at 12,470 volts to the buildings on campus. Transformers located near most buildings further step down electricity to 480, 277, 208, and 120 volts.
As transformers are taken out of service because of age, malfunction, or obsolescence, they are replaced by ones with similar capacity that are owned by Westar. All transformers owned by the university have been tested by an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved laboratory for the concentration of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl's). PCBs are a family of 209 manufactured chlorinated organic chemicals widely used in electrical equipment. Because of their toxicity, PCBs are regulated by the EPA. Transformers containing concentrations of PCBs greater than 500 PPM (parts per million) are no longer allowed near public buildings. All transformers containing PCBs in concentrations greater than 500 PPM have been removed from campus and disposed of by a licensed contractor according to federal regulations.
Electrical Staff
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Electronics
The Electronics staff installs, trouble-shoots, and maintains computerized emergency light system, complex electronic control equipment for score boards, message centers, public address systems; both fixed and portable, and specialized electronic circuitry in campus equipment
Our staff also has responsibility for campus-wide energy management system, fire alarm, and security monitoring equipment. Sensors for HVAC, lighting, fire system, and security monitoring have been placed in strategic locations throughout campus buildings so that temperatures, humidity, smoke and fire, and security can be monitored and controlled by various departments on campus.
The Electronics staff also stands by at special events, such as football games and commencement, to ensure that any malfunctions in electronics equipment are quickly corrected.
Electronics Staff
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Painting
The painting of all building areas on campus is the institutional responsibility of the Physical Plant.
Exterior and interior painting are scheduled on a cyclical basis, modified when necessary based on actual need. Every effort is made to program exterior painting frequently enough to avoid deterioration of facilities. All street crosswalks and curbs are repainted every summer.
Special interior color schemes are developed for major public spaces of the university. For all other scheduled interior painting, surfaces are normally repainted in the same color unless room occupants request another hue. Colors may be selected from a series of color schemes.
Painting Staff
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Plumbing
The Physical Plant has the responsibility to maintain the general plumbing system on campus including maintenance of steam vents, sewage lines, water lines, gas lines and the steam piping system. All work is performed according to codes and regulations.
General plumbing duties involve repairing and installing pumps, safety valves, hot water tanks, water lines, plumbing fixtures, and various specialized kitchen and laboratory equipment. In addition to repairing all types of clogs, plumbers install, repair, and insulate water, sewer, gas, and laundry systems. The plumbing section tests for water and gas leaks, maintain signs, and is responsible for high pressure steam distribution systems.
Metal Working and Welding
Part of the plumbing section includes welding and sheet metal work. Skilled craftsmen design and fabricate metal duct work, ventilation systems, metal roofing, flashing, vent hoods, electrical boxes, and various metal fixtures that often require a great deal of innovation and creative design. Examples include metal cages and signs, guard rails, accessories for lawn mowers, truck and tractors, door locks, handles and hardware, fence posts, gates, and brackets. Welding is also performed on steam and water lines.
Water and Sewage
Water for the campus is purchased from the City of Pittsburg at a usable pressure so that it is not necessary to "re-pump" the water to maintain working pressure.
The university has adopted a policy of strict adherence to city pretreatment ordinances that specify substances that cannot be poured or flushed down the sanitary sewer. A copy of this ordinance is on file at the Physical Plant and has been distributed to all departments.
Tests have been conducted to identify any potential cross connection between the storm and sanitary sewer that could cause mixing of sewage and runoff during periods of heavy rainfall. None have been identified and any backup of water is considered to result from hydraulic overload in the city's nearby interceptor sewer.
The sewer system on campus is owned by the university and maintained by the Physical Plant. Sewage from the campus is discharged into the city sewage system at the perimeter of the campus. The university pays a monthly charge to the city for handling sewage.
Plumbing Staff
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Refrigeration, Heating, and Air Conditioning
The plant is responsible for 16 chillers with a total cooling capacity of more than 2,350 tons. In addition, they are responsible for 214 window type air conditioners, 218 split system or package type air conditioning units, 125 refrigerated drinking fountains, more than 70 refrigeration units (such as walk-in coolers and freezers), and more than 60 large air handling units. This equipment is inventoried and furnished by the physical plant as institutional expense.
All technicians are certified, as required, with the Environmental Protection Agency in regard to safe and proper handling of CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons).
Refrigeration Staff
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Additional Information
Fire Extinguishers
The Physical Plant furnishes the appropriate type of 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 at the Physical Plant.
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Issuance of Furniture and Furnishings
The Physical Plant furnishes chairs and teachers' desks for classrooms. Any other furniture is a departmental responsibility.
Physical Plant has a supply of folding tables and chairs that are available on campus to departments for official functions. The tables and chairs cannot be taken off campus nor are they available on a permanent loan basis.
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Manholes on Campus
There are manholes located throughout the campus, which serve a variety of uses. Only authorized and trained personnel are allowed to enter the manholes.
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Natural Gas
Natural gas is distributed throughout the campus for use in laboratories and also is piped into the Weede Building for heating boilers.
The gas is purchased from a wholesale company and delivered by Western Resources, Incorporated. It is distributed through a university owned gas system to the buildings using it. There is no charge made for this gas to departments using it except for Auxiliary Services.
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Pest Control
Insect and rodent control is accomplished by a regular routine maintenance program performed by contracted agencies. 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.
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Underground Utilities
Most utilities on the university campus are underground. These include electricity, natural gas lines, telephone lines, water lines, sewer lines, and computer lines.
Under no circumstances should anyone drive a stake, rod, or pointed object into the ground on campus. There is always the danger of hitting a buried utility line.
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