Janitor
Encyclopedia
A janitor or custodian (called caretaker in British English
but also janitor in Scottish English
, see American and British English differences
) is a professional who takes care of buildings, such as hospitals and school
s. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often (though not always) some maintenance
and security
. Similar but more managerial duties (and usually not including cleaning, for example) are performed by a superintendent
, often called building superintendent.
Office cleaning staff perform many of the same duties as janitors, however the tasks are divided among different members. Additional tasks include:
Office cleaning often takes place after hours or later in the evening or even overnight.
services. Some of the reasons for this include:
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
but also janitor in Scottish English
Scottish English
Scottish English refers to the varieties of English spoken in Scotland. It may or may not be considered distinct from the Scots language. It is always considered distinct from Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language....
, see American and British English differences
American and British English differences
This is one of a series of articles about the differences between British English and American English, which, for the purposes of these articles, are defined as follows:...
) is a professional who takes care of buildings, such as hospitals and school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often (though not always) some maintenance
Maintenance, Repair and Operations
Maintenance, repair, and operations or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical or electrical device should it become out of order or broken...
and security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
. Similar but more managerial duties (and usually not including cleaning, for example) are performed by a superintendent
Building superintendent
A building superintendent or building supervisor is a manager responsible for repair and maintenance in a residential building. They are the first point of contact for residents of the building. They are expected to take care of minor issues and repairs, such as small leaks or blockages, the...
, often called building superintendent.
Occupational tasks
Typical janitor duties often consist of the following tasks:- Cleaning and restocking bathrooms
- SinkSinkA sink is a bowl-shaped plumbing fixture used for washing hands, for dishwashing or other purposes. Sinks generally have taps that supply hot and cold water and may include a spray feature to be used for faster rinsing...
s - ToiletToiletA toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
s - Urinals
- Cleaning floorsFloor cleaningFloor cleaning is a major occupation throughout the world. The main job of most cleaners is to clean floors.-Reasons for cleaning floors:The principal reasons for floor cleaning are:...
(sweeping, mopping) - Clearing garbage bins
- restocking toilet paper and/or paper towel dispensers
- Cleaning mirrors
- Sink
- Cleaning floorsFloor cleaningFloor cleaning is a major occupation throughout the world. The main job of most cleaners is to clean floors.-Reasons for cleaning floors:The principal reasons for floor cleaning are:...
(mopping, sweeping, polishing) - Cleaning (vacuum) carpetCarpetA carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene,nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their...
ing - Cleaning stainless steelStainless steelIn metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
and other special surfaces - Clearing lunch room/kitchen
- Cleaning tablesTable (furniture)A table is a form of furniture with a flat and satisfactory horizontal upper surface used to support objects of interest, for storage, show, and/or manipulation...
in cubicles, meeting rooms, etc... - Emptying trash and recycling binRecycling binA recycling bin is a container used to hold recyclables before they are taken to recycling centers. Recycling bins exist in various sizes for use in homes, offices, and large public facilities...
- LockingLockingLocking may refer to:* Locking , a style of funk dance invented in the early 1970s* Locking, Somerset, a village in the United Kingdom...
and unlocking buildings at the beginning and end of the day - Stripping and waxing floors using Floor bufferFloor bufferA floor buffer is an electrical appliance that is used to clean and maintain non-carpeted floors, such as hardwood, marble, tile or linoleum. It is also known as a floor polisher or burnisher if it is a high speed floor buffer with a pad that rotates at over 1000 RPM.Somewhat resembling a large...
- Mopping
- Cleaning air-conditioner vents
Office cleaning staff perform many of the same duties as janitors, however the tasks are divided among different members. Additional tasks include:
- watering plants (pruning as well)
- cleaning sinks, refrigerators, microwaves and toasters in office kitchens; clearing recycling and garbage bins
- dusting furniture and computer equipment (monitors and desk area, but excluding keyboards) and tables
Office cleaning often takes place after hours or later in the evening or even overnight.
Outsourcing
Cleaning is one of the most commonly outsourcedOutsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
services. Some of the reasons for this include:
- Basic cleaning tasks are standardised, with little variation among different enterprises.
- The nature of the job and required standard of performance can be clearly defined and specified in a contract, unlike more technical or professional jobs for which such specification is harder to develop.
- Many organizations which predominantly employ higher paid workers feel uncomfortable dealing with labour relations with low paid employees; by outsourcing, these labour relations issues are transferred to a contractor whose staff are comfortable and experienced in dealing with these issues, and their approach can benefit from economies of scaleEconomies of scaleEconomies of scale, in microeconomics, refers to the cost advantages that an enterprise obtains due to expansion. There are factors that cause a producer’s average cost per unit to fall as the scale of output is increased. "Economies of scale" is a long run concept and refers to reductions in unit...
. - If a janitor is unavailable due to sickness or leave, a contractor which employs many janitors can easily assign a substitute. A small organisation which employs one or a few janitors directly will have much more trouble with this.
- 17% to 22% of the employed illegal immigrant population in the United States work in the cleaning industry. In addition to this population offering an abundant source of inexpensive labor, janitorial duties are mostly undertaken at night, making it an appealing option for undocumented workers seeking clandestine employment.