Environmental Services Technician

Veterans Health Administration•Amarillo, TX

10d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Environmental Management Services Division of a VA Medical Center and reports directly to the Housekeeping Supervisor or designee. The Housekeeping Aid performs janitorial and custodial services in patient and non-patient care areas. The employee may be assigned to any tour and to various areas of the medical facility, working independently with general supervision or as part of a team to complete cleaning duties throughout an assigned area. Work includes cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and rooms; floor and carpet care; waste and recycling removal; restroom cleaning and supply replenishment; bed-making and cleaning patient-room furnishings and equipment; handling and stocking clean and soiled textiles; cleaning windows, blinds, curtains, refrigerators, ice machines, glass, and other fixtures; and periodically cleaning specified non-critical Reusable Medical Equipment. The position uses hand tools and light and heavy industrial cleaning equipment, and may include providing guidance to a Compensated Work Therapy worker. Other duties may be assigned. The schedule is Monday through Friday, either 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. or 3:00 p.m.–11:30 p.m., with weekends 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Work is normally indoors with adequate heat, light, and ventilation, but may sometimes occur outdoors in varying temperatures and inclement weather. Personal protective equipment may be required because of potential exposure to contagious diseases, blood, and bloody secretions. The job involves physical activity and care to avoid injuries when using ladders, power equipment, or hazardous materials.

Requirements

Evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to demonstrate the ability to perform the work; no specific length of training or experience is required.
Applicants must provide detailed descriptions of relevant duties and responsibilities on their resume.
U.S. citizenship is required, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy.
Must be suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
Selected applicants in testing-designated positions must undergo urinalysis for illegal drug use before appointment.
Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
Must complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
Must serve a one-year probationary period.
Annual seasonal influenza vaccination or an approved medical or religious exemption is required; employees with an exemption must wear a face mask.
The work requires continuous walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, pulling, and pushing, and occasional use of heavy powered cleaning equipment weighing over 50 pounds.
Requires dexterity, hand, foot, and eye coordination, concentration, and visual acuity to identify dirt, dust, and debris; care is needed when using ladders, power equipment, and hazardous materials.

Responsibilities

Perform floor maintenance, wall washing, and cleaning of doors, doorframes, baseboards, corners, edges, and stairwells.
Sweep, dust mop, damp mop, wet mop, scrub, strip, refinish, buff, vacuum, extract carpets and runners, spot-clean, and dust at high and low levels.
Use, adjust, clean, and perform minor maintenance on powered cleaning equipment; change attachments as needed.
Empty trash and wastebaskets, replace liners, and transport general refuse, regulated medical waste, and recycling to central collection areas.
Clean, disinfect, and deodorize restrooms, bathrooms, and shower rooms, including fixtures, mirrors, sinks, and water fountains.
Replenish paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and soap in dispensers.
Move and arrange furniture, patient wardrobes, beds, and other items to accomplish cleaning tasks.
Make beds and clean mattresses, springs, bed frames, bedside stands, over-bed lights, blood pressure cuffs, and bed tables in patient care areas and OD rooms.
Remove bags of soiled textiles from patient rooms and transport them to designated soiled rooms; load and unload clean textiles and restock closets, cabinets, shelves, and carts.
Participate in textile inventory management activities.
Defrost and clean patient-care refrigerators and ice machines in nourishment kitchen areas.
Clean stainless-steel storage instrument cabinets and counters, elevators, diet kitchens, nurse utility rooms, and designated smoking-area fixtures.
Clean windows and window ledges from the inside, glass doors, and other glass surfaces; replace curtains and clean blinds.
Clean and/or replace needle boxes.
Periodically clean designated non-critical Reusable Medical Equipment in inpatient and clinical areas.
May work with and provide guidance to a Compensated Work Therapy worker, and perform other duties as assigned.