OSCR360 is being adopted by school districts all over the country. These schools intend to use OSCR to plan and train for emergencies, to collaborate with first responders and improve school safety.
What schools may not realize, however, is that this multipurpose tool adds great value in another area: facilities management. See more information on how OSCR360 can assist your school facilities management team:
Current challenges of facility management teams
Schools of all sizes face challenges in the realm of facility management. Consider the following:
Chain of command
Only a select few people in charge of the buildings and grounds may know where utilities are located and how to safely power them on and off. In the event of an emergency, when every second counts, this may pose a problem.
Day-to-day buildings and grounds management
School buildings are akin to mazes with many assets to manage. From materials and supplies to technology and furniture, asset management can be downright overwhelming.
In addition to the assets the school already owns, the facilities team receives new shipments, confirms the accuracy of orders, and delivers packages to the appropriate building. In larger districts, this hefty workload multiplies.
Project management
Facilities management includes projects of all sizes, such as classroom repairs, waxing floors, fixing fences, leaky faucets, athletic field upkeep, repainting sidewalk lines, installing phone line drops, moving furniture within or between buildings, playground equipment maintenance, and so much more.
Building structural management
Newer facilities have strict requirements for safety monitoring. In NY, the Uniform Code of Public School Building Inspections, Safety Rating and Monitoring (Section 155.4) instructs schools to survey for “evidence of movement, deterioration, structural failure, probable useful life, need for repair and maintenance and need for replacement: building site (utilities, playgrounds, fields), roofing, exterior (walls, doors, windows, fire escapes), structural elements, interiors (finishes, doors, hardware), electrical systems, plumbing, heating/cooling systems, ventilation, AC, special construction (stairs, elevators, pools), fire protection systems, and environmental features.”
Staff turnover
The facilities team is typically comprised of buildings, grounds, and custodial staff. Particularly on the custodial side, high rates of staff turnover result in the need to train and re-train employees. Since training is time consuming, communication is limited due to shift work, and unexpected situations pop up on the regular, some job requirements are inevitably addressed with a “learn as you go” approach.
Older facilities
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average age of a main instructional school building in the U.S. is 49 years. Older school buildings come with a myriad of possible hazards, including asbestos, heating systems, and plumbing, that need to be constantly monitored and addressed.
Portable classrooms
As a solution to overcrowding, schools have added portable classrooms to their campuses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that districts are dealing with poor functioning HVAC and minimal ventilation, poor acoustics, chemical off-gassing, water entry, mold growth, and site pollution, all of which must be closely monitored and addressed.
OSCR360 aids and assists your school facilities management team
The easy-to-use OSCR360 System combines 360-degree imagery with maps and blueprints to clearly convey the locations of utilities, potential hazards, and other noteworthy sites. OSCR360’s Point of Interest (POI) feature gives users the ability to add specific notes and details within the 360 images, such as instructions, checklists, close-up photos and even videos.
8 examples of how OSCR360 can help your facilities management team
- Create and store emergency plans that outline where utility shut offs and emergency equipment are kept. Detail which staff members have access, keys, etc. Outline how they can be reached in case of a utility emergency (water leak/burst pipe over winter break? Document who to call and how other school staff can reach them).
- Track building updates. When was the plumbing and HVAC last serviced or inspected? Where is any remaining asbestos in the building located?
- Employees can refer to OSCR360 for all the background details they need to know when they receive a work order. No need to find a superior to explain or train them.
- Transfer the knowledge team leaders accumulated over the years into OSCR360, so others can handle issues that may arise in an emergency, such as utility shut offs.
- Add the details from recent repairs, such as date, staff member name(s), and what the project entailed. Even noting specifics like paint color can be helpful to others in the future.
- Train new staff using OSCR360, pulling up locations on a laptop and walking them through their job responsibilities. This approach is highly efficient, as compared to physically touring each location on campus.
- OSCR360 is quick and easy to update following the addition or removal of portable classrooms, construction projects, and outdoor facility projects.
- Track and manage the locations of furniture, technology, and more within OSCR360.
Facilities and Safety work hand-in-hand
The facilities team plays an integral role in the safety of students and staff, day-to-day as well as in emergency situations. The installation of locks or cameras, for example, is implemented by the facilities team with direction from the safety team. Fire protection systems are also kept up to date by the facilities team. Monitoring asbestos, HVAC, plumbing, air quality, and the structural integrity of a building are all vital roles the facilities team plays in protecting the health and well-being of the school community.
The OSCR360 System is shareable so approved parties, such as first responders and town officials, can access critical information. OSCR360 projects are easy to update, ensuring that photos and information remain current.
Discover more about how OSCR360 can fit into the processes of your facilities team, safety team and the areas in which the teams overlap. Check out these resources to assist your school facilities management team.
