PHYSICAL PLANT

For emergency maintenance needs call (318) 357-4519; if no answer, call (318) 357-5886 (Power Plant).  Typical examples would include power failure to a structure, flooding inside a structure, alarm activation, or anything else that prevents the use of any structure maintained by the University Physical Plant.

• Physical Plant Guide to Services
• Moves and Setups - User Guide
• Key/Building/Parking Access Policy
• Key-Building-Parking Access Form Rev 07-29-21

• Air Conditioning/Heating: Installs and provide services to maintain steam heat and chill water to ensure a comfortable campus environment. Many Preventative Maintenance work orders are scheduled to ensure regular service of equipment. Other task include the maintenance of refrigeration and freezers.
• Carpentry Shop: Consist of skilled carpentry professionals that hold responsibility for remodeling, repair, and renovation plans for NSU. Many of these task included renovating rooms, moving walls, and altering building space. Carpenters also install ceiling, frames, door closure, and floor tile. Other task consist of concrete work, glasswork,
• Painting Shop: Offers a variety of services, including interior and exterior painting projects. Sheetrock and plaster work are also task performed by these personnel.
• Electricians: Install, service, and maintain electrical needs. At times take on small internal projects to improve and upgrade the university campus.
• Plumbers/Welding: Provide services and respond to plumbing needs, and support the power plant as well as ensuring consistent supply of campus domestic water.
• Central Power Plant: The campus Central Plant exist to provide steam heat, monitor chillers, energy management systems and to act as the emergency response office of after hour maintenance needs.Steam boilers provide building heat and hot water to all facilities by way of the campus Central Plant.  The steam boilers are generally turned on in the months of November or December each year and off in the month of February or March.  Regular inspections and annual certifications are conducted to ensure reliable campus heat.Campus chillers provide conditioned air to all buildings by way of Five (5) chiller loops.  Each chiller services a group of buildings and are monitored through the energy management system. These systems generally run from February to November to meet building needs. Energy Management services are monitored by Central Plant staff 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to identify problems with chillers and building air systems.Future plans are in place to add the monitoring of Electrical Meters, Elevators, and Fire Alarm systems where needed. The Central Plant staff responds to after hour calls to meet campus staff maintenance or emergency request. They are in contact with Physical Plant personnel for callout.
• Preventative Maintenance: In an effort to extend the life of university equipment and buildings, maintenance personnel are assigned the responsibility to complete Preventative Maintenance (PM) task.  The Work Control Center coordinates these activities and generates P.M. work orders that assist in completing regularly scheduled maintenance.  The Physical Plant staff has created (PM) work orders that ensure regularly scheduled maintenance is conducted on a regular basis.  These tasks include:
  1. A quarterly check/replacement of air filters in all buildings.
  2. Roof inspections are conducted bi-annually to inspect roof drains, surface conditions, water ponding, and other potential problems which could damage buildings and create water leaks.
  3. (PM) Work Orders are also generated to inspect and perform routine test to monitor chiller conditions to ensure maximum efficiency and life.
  4. Monthly inspection are conducted monthly to inspect Fire Alarm systems, Fire Extinguishers, Smoke Detectors, Exit Sigs, and Emergency Signs for safety inspections.

  Note: The (PM) program consist of over 100 routine building and equipment inspections to reach peak performance and maximum life.

• Grounds:  Services provided by the Grounds Department include cutting grass, weed removal, fertilizing, and ant control. Other services include landscape maintenance, planting seasonal flowers, tree trimming, fertilizing, and ant control. Other services include landscape maintenance, planting seasonal flowers, and tree trimming.

These services typically do not receive budget allocations, so the department, organization, or association would be responsible for cost incurred by the university for such requests.  Events and decorations that can affect a means of egress and overall general safety within a structure shall be sent to the Physical Plant for review and assistance in granting permissions from the regulatory agencies that govern NSU.  For assistance in reference to planning a specialized event please contact the Physical Plant at (318) 357-4519.  The organizing designee in response will receive written descriptions of permissions, materials or conditions that must be followed.  The initial request to Physical Plant shall be submitted 90 days in advance to the scheduled event, most regulatory agencies require a 30-45 day written approval prior to an event.

Northwestern State University Physical Plant has established the Work Control Center, which is responsible for entering and monitoring work request using a computerized work order system.  The Physical Plant receives an allocated budget for basic operational services that can be rendered.  These services directly relate to the overall operation and maintenance of the University.  Residence Halls, dining services, bookstores, and any other leased property on campus are considered auxiliary, therefore maintenance budgets for these areas are not controlled through the Physical Plant.  Maintenance request for these auxiliary services should be submitted to their respective management team.

NSU Physical Plant Work Control Center (WCC) is open Monday – Thursday 7:30 am-4: 30 pm and Friday 8:00 am-12: 00 pm.  However, services are available 24-hrs/day through the Power Plant if necessary.   WCC staff is here to ensure that all University visitors, faculty, staff, and students are comfortable in their environment. WCC staff issue appropriate work orders and coordinate maintenance personnel to meet the University’s maintenance needs. An average of 500-maintenance request are processed monthly.

Under no circumstances should any work be undertaken by personnel other than employees of the Physical Plant or contractors supervised by the Physical Plant, unless otherwise documented.

HOW TO FILE A WORK ORDER
Work Control Center Request Types

1.  Emergency Work Request:
   Daytime Emergencies:
   The following request are considered emergencies and may be called in at 4519: heat and A/C outages, power failures, stopped-up toilets, leaking showers/sinks, critical health and safety concerns.
   After-Hour Emergencies:
   For after hour emergencies please contact the Central Plant at 5886. The Central Plant maintains contact information for all personnel callout.The University Police should be contacted if the situation becomes dangerous to students and staff at 5431. Also to be contacted if the emergency is other than problems with facilities or grounds.
2. Work Order Maintenance Request: All request for maintenance may be submitted on the Physical Plant Work Order Request Form and routed for approval or through the Physical Plant Web Site. To check on the status of your work order call Work Control at 4519.
3. Campus Project Request: Request for campus projects to modify campus buildings must be submitted on the Work Order Request Form and routed for approval. Most project requests require the approval of the Facility Management Council. (FMC). Changes in space utilization will be evaluated and approved by the FMC.
4. Locksmith Services: Services needed to replace, repair, or rekey locks should be processed through the key request form found on the “Guides & Forms” page.  Locksmith Services is located under Maintenance of Buildings and can be reached at ext. 5300 or ext. 5151. Link to request key form.
5. Campus Digging Policy: All request which require digging on any of the three NSU’s campuses requires the completion of a utility “Locate” prior to proceeding. Should there be any questions related this issue, please contact Work Control at 4519. This process is required to avoid damage to underground campus infrastructure.
6. Request for Project Estimates: Any department requesting to alter space in which they utilize must submit a request on the “Work Order Request” form to the Physical Plant. The request should include a budget number unless otherwise approved by the Physical Plant Director. The Physical Plant will estimate the project cost and determine the effect on the existing systems in place, fire code compliance, etc. before approving a new campus project.
7. Space Changes and Utilization: The change of space must be approved by the Physical Plant prior to making changes to any facility. Prior to the change, the Physical Plant must address issues that affect the change in space and report all changes to the state on a bi-annual basis. Checking air flow and Fire code issues are just a few that have to be addressed before making such changes.