Introduction

The Works Management Section (WMS) based within the University of Strathclyde Estates Services department is responsible for providing a complete Routine Maintenance Service to the University. This includes maintaining buildings and services, carrying out minor alterations, upgrading of the existing property portfolio and meeting accommodation client needs.

The WMS is responsible for the provision of all trades staff and heavy-duty handyman services, maintenance and control of the transport fleet associated with the Department and the staff provide a full 365(6) day, 24hour, Emergency Standby Service to the University Community.

The section also provides technical advice and guidance by supporting the Risk Management Structure within Estates Services and where required provides a professional and technical interface between the department, contractors and customers.

The normal repair processing procedure is to: a) report faults to the Help Desk who deal with approximately 350 calls per week, or b) forward maintenance requests (MRs) through the internal mail system or on-line. Day-to-day repairs are usually reported by building occupants, security or cleaning staff. The section completed 28,275 work requests last year. A total of 10,173 jobs were Routine repairs and 10,799 were Planned Maintenance repairs. The Helpdesk handled 25,212 calls and the section dealt with an average of 29.4 emergency & 118 urgent jobs per week. As with the previous 2 years the section successfully completed 100% of all Emergency & Urgent work within Service Levels (completed within agreed timescales listed below). The section responded to an average of 12 separate ‘out of hours’ emergency call-out incidents each week.

The Service Level Commitment we currently undertake is to complete:

• Routine Repairs within 2 weeks
• Minor Cost Estimates within 2 weeks
• Urgent Requests within 3 days
• Emergency Requests within 4 hours

Note: Although heating/power/water supply failure is classified as an Urgent repair, they have a target rectification/repair time of 24 hours.

Although all these trades have workshop premises within Estates Services, the vast majority of their work is carried out in buildings the length and breadth of the campus. Most University Departments will be familiar with at least some of the tradesmen and will have encountered them as they go about their business dressed in their distinctive blue overalls, although the chances are they might have been 6 ft up a ladder, or immersed in several inches of flood water at the time.

As with all employers, Estates Services has an occupational health responsibility for its staff and we would ask that you recognise this when employing the services of the Heavy Squad by:

• remembering when you are packing boxes that the heavy squad will carry out a manual handling risk assessment of all materials to be moved,
• packing boxes that you would be willing to attempt to lift yourself,
• ensuring that boxes are stacked sensibly, and
• using boxes that are sufficiently robust to carry the loads to be transported.

Your co-operation in ensuring that colleagues are aware of the guidelines will be very much appreciated

If you wish to contact the Works Management staff, please use the following number:

John Anderson Campus Ext. 2164