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Operations

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On Demand Work Request System
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LOCATION

Main Building – Room MB79
Phone: 718-482-5580
Fax: 718-609-2044
Email: buildingops@lagcc.cuny.edu

31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, N.Y. 11101

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DIRECTORY

Building
Operations

WORKING WITH BUILDING OPERATIONS
Here you will find a breakdown of information related to the work done through Building Operations including information on how to submit work, expected turnaround time for completion of work, a listing of services associated with Building Operations that are, at LaGuardia, the responsibility of other areas.
Those items are listed, along with the department and contact number for requesting such services. The list is not meant to be all-inclusive, simply a guide to users.
We have listed our routine services as well as some specialized services we provide. These include contact and liaison with outside contractual services when needed, a brief statement about projects at the College with contact information, information on Special Events, with emphasis on Building Operations’ role in the process and a section explaining charge backs for services provided by or through Building Operations. What follows are some brief informational paragraphs regarding communicating with the department and handling of various common and special situations.
If you wish to comment or question anything, please email us. Send all comments, concerns, suggestions, and questions to this address. You will receive an answer as soon as possible. We hope you find all sections of our website informative and most of all a quick and easy way to gain access to the information you will use on a regular basis. We thank you for using the website.
Building Emergencies

The following are examples of building emergencies
Fire – visible or suspected ,smell of smoke, gas or chemicals
Flood – toilet overflowing, broken waste/water pipes, roof leaks, etc.
Building structions that pose an immediate hazard.
Persons trapped in elevators
PROCEDURE: In the event of a building emergency, immediately call the Office of building Operations at ext. 5580 to ensure immediate response to any building related emergency. If the emergency occurs outside of "normal" office hours (Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) or on a weekend, please immediately call the Office of Public Safety at ext. 5555. For all non-building related emergencies, please call Public Safety at any time.

Charge Backs

Examples of work that may require charge backs to requestors include, but are not limited to:
Special Events – setups, breakdowns, request for an engineer on premises (when involving overtime charges for the staff involved)
Electrical work that requires a licensed electrician
Plumbing work that requires a licensed plumber
Moves –when involving overtime charges for the staff involved
Some general repairs such as installation of floor or ceiling tile in occupied space when it involves overtime charges for the staff involved
Furniture Assembly – when assembly is authorized to be done by Building Operations
Contractual work – whether done in conjunction with in house staff work or contractual work done alone to complete requested task.
Please contact the Business Office for information on the method in which funds are transferred from your departmental budget to the Building Operations budget to pay for work charged in this manner.

Communication

Each department has one or two individuals designated as “authorized requestors” who submit work requests through the department’s computerized on-demand, web-based ON DEMAND WORK REQUEST SYSTEM (WRS). All other staff are to submit all requests other than trouble calls or emergencies to their area’s WRS Coordinator. However, any faculty or staff member may phone Building Operations at ext. 5580 concerning hot and cold complaints (trouble calls) or building related emergencies.
Daily Interactions – To check the status of an existing request please ask one of your area's authorized requestors to log into the ON DEMAND WORK REQUEST SYSTEM to check the status of one or more work requests. If you have a question regarding any aspect of Building Operations, first check this website for the information. If the answer cannot be found, email the office using the address specified on our HOME page. If the question is an urgent one, call our main number, ext. 5580 to ask for assistance from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
If you have a major request in progress or one about to begin, and wish to discuss any aspect of the job, please call the main office to request scheduling a meeting with the Director and/or Assistant Director. Please be sure to give the reason for the meeting, the specific concern(s) to be discussed and anything of a relevant nature. It will be helpful as well when scheduling to identify the job as entered into the WRS and supply the assigned WRS number, or state that it is an entirely new task.
Submission of Work Requests– the computerized ON DEMAND WORK REQUEST SYSTEM is now the sole method for submission of work requests to Building Operations. There have been numerous workshops held through Human Resources and this Department to provide the entire College community with all needed information. However, if an authorized requestor still has questions, he/she may telephone the System Administrator at ext. 5591 for information on access. For routine information not included in the Frequently Asked Questions section on this website, please call our dispatcher at ext. 5580 for assistance.

Construction Renovations

All major construction or renovation projects are handled through the Office of Campus Facilities, Design and Construction. Please contact that office if you have any questions regarding major projects on campus.

Contractual Services

As previously discussed under the electrical and plumbing headings, there are certain requirements that make it necessary for the college to call in outside contractors to handle some work requests. If licensed plumbers or electricians are required, we must hire outside contractors to handle that type of work. There are other instances where our staff is not large enough, overbooked or does not have all the necessary certificates and/or permits to perform certain work. In those cases, when we receive a work request from another department we will recommend outside contractors to perform the work they require and will even coordinate all the scheduling, gathering of price quotes, etc.
The cost of the completed job will be charged back to the requesting department, however, you can be assured Building Operations carefully scrutinizes every price quote, oversees the work being performed, and then carefully checks invoices submitted to ensure we have been properly charged and the work has been performed to our satisfaction.

Electrical Work

Submit all preliminary work requests directly to the Building Operations Department. However, there are three possible outcomes for electrical requests:
electrical work of a simple nature is done in-house;
work is performed by an outside electrical contractor because of the need for a licensed electrician;
work is split between our in-house contractual crew and an outside licensed electrical contractor. Note: any work done by outside contractor is billed to the department. If a job requires overtime for our staff, the overtime costs are billable to the department requesting services.
(For more information on charge backs see the section on “CHARGEBACKS” later on in this document.)
Simple electrical work includes, but may not be limited to, tasks such as replacement of a blown fuse, resetting circuit breakers, replacement of bulbs and ballasts, repair, or replacement of light switches and/or electrical outlets. However, there are many jobs which require a licensed electrician. For those jobs, Building Operations will coordinate the work and recommend the electrical contractor retained by the College or another contractor used by the department to perform the tasks requiring a licensed electrician. Again as stated earlier, all work done by outside contractors is billed to the department that made the request.

If the work request includes a combination of simple electrical tasks as well as tasks that require a licensed electrician, Building Operations will arrange for an electrical contractor to perform only those portions of the job requiring a licensed electrician. In this way, the department requesting the work will pay the minimum amount possible for outside work. As stated before and detailed more clearly later on our website, work done by outside contractors will be billed to the department that requested the work.

General Information on Chargeback Costs

When chargeback costs are for services of Building Operations staff, the charges are for labor based on our staff’s contractual rates either regular and overtime for the worker’s title and the number of staff needed to complete the job. In some cases, a department may also be required to pay for supplies used in a job.

Contractual work –If an outside contractor is used, the requesting department will be charged the cost incurrd to provide the service.
Please note: Quotes are not “hard fact.” Jobs may cost more or less than the quote. When the invoice is received, it is carefully checked to ensure that the billing is correct and fair.

General Repairs

These include but are not limited to:

Replacement of floor and/or ceiling tile

Minor work on doors (i.e. installation or repair of door closure, repair of minor problem with lock)

Installation of shelves

Moves

All moves are coordinated through the Office of Administrative & Support Services. The Property Manager in that area ensures that all college owned furniture and equipment moved from one location to another is noted and re-entered in the property inventory. Administrative & Support Services and Building Operations work together to generate a plan for each move including a schedule for pre-move items such as painting, obtaining boxes, taking down and re-hanging shelving, etc.

Note: Upon request, Building Operations will provide empty moving boxes to an area preparing to move. Building Operations does not pack, label or unpack boxes.

Moves that do not require moving equipment or furniture out of an existing suite to another also do not require changes to the Property Management database. Consequently, these type of moves do not require the approval of the Office of Administrative Services. These are considered “intra-office” moves and can be done simply by submitting a work request through the computerized on demand work request system.

On Demand Work Request System

The On Demand Work Request System is an intranet system and may only be accessed on campus. Therefore, you may only submit your requests directly to the system while on site. To submit a work request from off-site whether during normal work hours or after hours, use the email address. Please copy our dispatcher, Vianey Pelaez-Quinones. Additional copies should be sent to Jin Lee, Edgar Taylee, and Yury Fastovsky. This will ensure that the request is handled expeditiously.

You must be an authorized user to do this. When sending, mark the message “PRIORITY.” Upon receipt, it will be reviewed and if approved, entered into the on demand work request system.

Please note work requests submitted in this manner will not appear in your own list of work requests. Therefore, it is suggested that you wait until you are on campus to enter the request if possible and that you place a call to Building Operations to discuss the nature of the work and the importance of the work to your department. If you feel you must submit the work request through an email to this office, it is strongly suggested you print a copy of the email, label it as a work request and call Building Operations at ext. 5580 as soon as possible, to request the WRS number assigned to the job. This will ensure you have the information needed to periodically check the status or progress of the job.

Note: This method of submission (via email) is only suggested when you will not be in the office for several days, work must be done as a priority, and no other means of conveying your request is available.

Whenever possible it is best to submit all requests directly through the automated On Demand Work Request System.

WRS - To reach the web site for the Work Request System, simply click on the above link. This will bring you to the front, or login page, for the WRS.Directions for use of Web-Based WR/WO SystemWhen you access the WRS website you will see a page requesting your user id and password and supplying two options – a) Submit a work request or b) View all submitted requests.

When you access the WRS website you will see a page requesting your user id and password and supplying two options – a) Submit a work request or b) View all submitted requests.

If you are a new user, your only option will be to submit a request.

Before submitting a request for the first time, change your password to something meaningful to you. Do not write it down and leave it where it can be found and used by unauthorized personnel, as access to the program is, of necessity, strictly limited.

Your user id will most often be your email address less the “lagcc.cuny.edu” portion.

When you click on "View Submissions," you will see all requests you have submitted using the id assigned to you as well as the status of each request.

Paint

All paint requests are handled based on need and the appropriateness of the request. There is a review/approval process in place for all painting requests. The process considers the need for the request relative to all College requestors and “public space” requests. In addition factors such as budgetary and personnel constraints within Building Operations are considered. Painting is primarily scheduled on a priority basis.

If there are special circumstances please contact the Director or Assistant Director of Building Operations to discuss the situation.

For all painting: prior to the commencement of work, the department requesting the paint job is required to prepare the area to be painted. This includes boxing all items on shelves and desks, and removing any other personal items from the area.

Plumbing

Plumbing work requests are much like electrical work requests. All requests should initially be submitted to Building Operations to commence processing. There are, as with electrical requests, three possible outcomes regarding handling of the work.

work is done totally by our in house crew;

work must be done by an outside licensed plumber;

work is such that in house crew can do a portion and the balance requires the services of a licensed plumber, most often our contracted plumber. As with electrical work, if an outside contractor is required the cost of these services will be charged back to the department requesting work be done.

More detailed information about “charge backs” can be found in charge backs section.

Routine Requests-Heating, Cooling and Ventilation

Building Operations is responsible for the provision of air conditioning or heat during the appropriate season(s). Our engineers and/or outside contractors perform preventive maintenance on all equipment. This ensures all equipment is in good working condition. Our goal is to provide a comfortable work environment for all members of the College community year round.

All City agencies are however bound by law to adhere to temperature guidelines as set forth by the New York City Department of General Services.

In winter no building’s temperature may exceed 78 degrees. In summer no building’s temperature may be lower than 68 degrees.

If any staff person has a temperature related complaint at any time, he or she should call ext. 5580 to report the problem. Be sure to include your name, the location (building, floor and room) and the complaint.

An engineer will be dispatched as soon as possible to respond to your call. Please be advised that in some cases temperature adjustments are made remotely eliminating the need for an engineer to be physically present in the ‘problem’ area. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE CALL HAS NOT BEEN HANDLED. PLEASE NOTE: Should you notice odors or other conditions that affect the environment please call our office immediately. If the problem is serious or of an on-going nature, we will contact the College’s Director of Environmental Health and Safety to take additional steps to resolve the problem.

Services Not Provided By Building Operations

LaGuardia Community College’s maintenance of the physical plant, both inside and out, is divided among several departments. Following is a list, not meant to be comprehensive, of service not provided by Building Operations. Where possible, the correct department or area is noted.

Task or Service-Department/Contact:

Trash Removal - Custodial Services, ext. 5577

Recycling - Custodial Services, ext. 5557

Sweeping - Custodial Services, ext. 5557

Mopping and Waxing of Offices - Custodial Services, ext. 5557

Loading Dock Services - Loading Dock, ext. 5565

Automotive Services - Administrative & Support Services, ext. 5501

Furniture Assembly - All departments are encouraged to request that purchased furniture be assembled by the vendor. Most often the cost of assembly is less than the cost charged by Building Operations. However, if for any reason your department purchases furniture which requires assembly, pre-approval must be obtained from Building Operations, ext. 5580. In addition, your department will be charged for the cost of assembly by our crew (based on number of crew and individual hourly rates).

Computer Installation – Information Technology/Help Desk, ext. 6134

Mail Delivery & Pick Up – Mail Center, ext. 5564

Snow Removal – Administrative & Support Services, ext. 5501

Clean Up of Building Exteriors – Custodial Services, ext. 5557

Telephone Services – College Operations, Dial ‘0’
Note: Regarding work requests that are not our responsibility, our dispatcher will notify the individual who submitted the request that the job is the responsibility of a different area. When possible, our office will provide contact information as well as forward the request by interoffice mail or return the request to the requestor, if preferred.

Special Events

The Office of College and Community Relations/Special Events has the responsibility for scheduling and coordinating all on-campus events, utilizing established College procedures and an Events form (available through the Events Office). Please submit all such requests that require the services of Building Operations to the Events Office as far in advance as possible to avoid conflicts related to scheduling and/or staff availability. Submit changes to approved events, including cancellations, directly to the Events Office. Events Office personnel contact all departments concerned regarding any changes or cancellations.
Events’ setup or broken down during regular business hours do not incur charges for our services. Requests that require our staff to work overtime during the week or on weekends require that we charge the sponsor department for the overtime costs. Please read the section on CHARGEBACKS for further information.

Using On Demand Work Request System

Enter your user name

Enter your password.

Select Enter Work Request or Review Submissions

If you chose, “Review All Submissions" you will see all work you have submitted under your logon id, along with the status of each request.

If making a new request, after you have entered your log on id and password, use drop down lists available to provide pertinent information such as the building, floor, and room.

Your name and department will automatically appear and the requisition number assigned your request will also appear. You will have space in the “Comments” section to provide detailed information or directions related to your request. When you have completed your request, you will be able to print out a confirmation of your request, which contains your name and department, as well as the Work Request Number.
This number is essential as it is used to track your request through the entire system and any inquiries you make regarding your work will require you have this number.
More detailed assistance can be obtained by calling Building Operations at ext. 5580.
For Immediate Assistance, Please Contact Building Operations at Ext. 5580
Building OperationsRoom MB79D
Ext. 5591
Or
ON DEMAND WORK REQUEST SYSTEM Dispatcher
Building Operations Room MB79
Ext. 5580
Send all questions, comments, suggestions, or requests for specialized assistance by email to the following address: buildingops@lagcc.cuny.edu