School Maintenance
Maintenance system
The Department carries out audits of all schools to determine the maintenance needs of every building. The resultant data is prioritised and loaded onto a School Maintenance System to assist in statewide infrastructure and maintenance planning.
Each financial year, and based on priority, the Department determines those works to be included in its maintenance program.
Maintenance priorities
In assessing school maintenance priorities, auditors take account of:
- obvious safety issues including structural or fire hazards, as well as matters affecting mobility and personal safety;
- a decrease in the performance, functionality or usability of the space or facility; and
- the potential damaging consequence to other building elements such as a leaking roof on ceilings, walls, floors and equipment.
Each fault is assessed and reviewed, then allocated a priority based on the condition and impact on the functionality of the space.
Urgent works and essential services
Urgent works are those which ensure the health and safety of students and staff as well as school security. This includes repairs in the event of services breakdown and a response to vandalism.
Essential services are the safety items required in school buildings to help save lives in the event of a fire or emergency. The ongoing maintenance of these services ensures that they function properly throughout the life of the building.
Annual maintenance and cleaning contracts
In addition to maintaining their essential services, schools are also responsible for contracting out their infrastructure maintenance related to air conditioning and water treatment equipment, heating and ventilation, sanitary services and sewerage systems.
A Contract Cleaners Panel is maintained by the Department. This comprises approved cleaning contractors with skills and expertise appropriate to Victorian Government schools. For further information, see School Contract Cleaning.