On June 24, a Miami luxury condo tower collapsed in the town of Surfside in Florida. According to some reports, three years before this tragedy, in October 2018, Morabito Consultants found evidence of structural damage in the concrete of the slabs beneath the pool deck and seriously cracked columns in the parking garage of Champlain Towers South.
While the cause of the collapse remains unknown, the report indicates the complex´s management association knew the severe structural damage to this condominium.
Due to the weather conditions in South Florida, which include the corrosion of salt air, the conditions of the structural integrity of a building can deteriorate over time. For that reason, the Miami-Dade County Code requires inspections to evaluate the structural conditions of all condo complexes.
Avoiding similar situations to this building collapse in Miami is a must in the real estate industry. For that reason, it´s critical to keep up constant maintenance to make a building be functional, livable, and secure. To this aim, buildings, in general, require the intervention of many people with different skills and knowledge in the different areas of the construction industry, such as engineering; plumbing; electricity; carpenters; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); among others.
Since those employees are uniquely capable to discover safety risks and other violations that could exist in building projects, in this article we will talk about which are the typically duties building maintenance workers require to ensure the good performance of a property.
Among the experience building maintenance workers must have are the use certain equipment and tools and the most efficient and effective methods in woodworking, drywall repair, plumbing and more.
As a result, some of the main inside and outdoors responsibilities are:
- Performing cleaning activities like dusting, mopping, etc.
- Repair and fix equipment.
- Inspect all plumbing fixtures for leaks.
- Inspect HVAC ducts for dust buildup.
- Trim trees, mow and fertilize the grass.
- Inspect, fix, and replace inside and outdoor light bulbs.
- Clean drains and gutters.
- Confirm the trash container and recycling areas are in good condition.
- Inspect windows, locks, latches, hinges, and doors.
- Check common areas, ceilings, and floors to confirm their good conditions.
- Replace the HVAC air filters.
- Inspect and check the functionality of safety systems such as the fire alarm or security camaras.
- Report to facilities or maintenance manager for any issue founded.
Additionally, they require very good communication and interpersonal skills, it is a bonus if those maintenance workers have the following certifications:
- General Industry Certification
- Facility Management Professional
- Maintenance & Reliability Certification
- Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians
- International Maintenance Institute certification
- Building Systems Maintenance Certificate