Key information

  1. Reference: ST0171
  2. Date updated: 03/01/2023
  3. Level: 2
  4. Route: Construction and the built environment
  5. Regulated occupation: No
Print occupational standard

Details of the occupational standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in the construction and built environment sector, where properties across the housing, healthcare, social care, hospitality, education, commercial, leisure, retail, and private and public sectors, require maintenance to keep them in a safe working condition, and to optimise their quality or performance.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to conduct the general day-to-day maintenance required to keep a range of properties in a good state of repair. Property maintenance operatives conduct routine maintenance tasks, and minor planned and responsive repair works, using a broad range of fundamental trade skills including carpentry, joinery, plumbing, plastering, brick and block work, external works and associated finishing trades including tiling, painting, and decorating. Operatives use a wide variety of hand and power tools, materials, components, fixtures and fittings, ensuring work that is carried out is compliant with health and safety requirements, and meets building safety regulations and legislation. This requires them to know and understand the key principles of buildings and their construction, the range of building services that support a buildings operation, including electrical, plumbing, plant, safety systems and equipment, the techniques, and processes to prevent damage. Operatives are also keenly aware of the limits of their own competence, and will respond appropriately to, and report faults and defects to, others as necessary. Increasingly, property maintenance operatives are required to support in the optimisation of building performance and minimisation of environmental impact; operatives now need to record and report building information digitally, and consider sustainability and environmental choices, such as the use, recycling, and disposal of materials and components, in order to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other maintenance staff, specialist trades people, landlords and property owners, and the staff that work within or the residents that occupy buildings. Property Maintenance Operatives assist in the location of the repair works to be carried out, and to obtain further information and clarification as required from the customer, using a range of information gathering and communication techniques, whilst recording and reporting information in a variety of ways, including using digital technologies. Whilst much of the time may be working inside properties, operatives will be regularly required to work outside, conducting maintenance and repairs to properties, including to external drainage, brick and blockwork, glazing, fencing and groundworks.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for performing planned maintenance and responsive repairs to properties, maintaining a high level of quality to the works they complete, providing maximum satisfaction to customers, clients, staff or residents within those properties. Generally, operatives work alone, but receive their direction from their supervisor or manager who selects and allocates jobs relative to the skills and experience of the operative. If on arrival the job is not as originally outlined, operatives have the responsibility to recognise their own level of competence, and report back to their supervisor or manager who will make the decision to amend the works required within the competence of the operative or assign the job to a more senior colleague or specialist professional.

Typical job titles include:

Maintenance assistant Maintenance technician Multi-skilled technician Multi-skilled trade operative Property maintenance operative Property technician

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Support the planning, preparation and delivery of property maintenance tasks in accordance with building safety regulations and legislation.

K1 K2 K3 K5 K6 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 K24 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31

S1 S2 S3 S5 S6 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 S21 S22 S23 S24 S25

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

Duty 2 Create a safe working environment by implementing the necessary control measures, through the identification, mitigation and reporting of risks and hazards, and in line with health and safety legislation, policies and procedures.

K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 K24 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31

S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 S23 S24 S25

B1 B2 B3

Duty 3 Access and utilise appropriate work plans, job sheets, specifications, drawings/diagrams, information & data sheets, taking in account factors such as regulatory requirements and legislation, performance and quality criteria, efficiency, sustainability, and the need to reduce waste.

K1 K2 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 K24 K25 K26 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31

S1 S2 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 S21 S22 S23 S24 S25

B1 B2 B3

Duty 4 Select, check, use and maintain tools, equipment, materials, components, compounds and parts appropriate to the task being undertaken, handling, positioning and storing these safely, and clearing away and disposing of waste safely on completion of work, and in accordance with codes of practice.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K26

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S22

B1 B2 B3

Duty 5 Safely isolates electrical, electronic and emergency systems to enable property maintenance operations to be performed around isolated electrical components, and the reporting of faults as required.

K3 K8 K9

S3 S8 S9

B2

Duty 6 Perform fault diagnostics to implement a range of minor reactive or responsive plumbing and drainage repairs to a satisfactory conclusion.

K3 K10 K11

S3 S10 S11

B2

Duty 7 Carry out preventative and corrective maintenance, minor repairs and replacement of components within water, environmental and energy management systems in accordance with current legislation, industry standards and with the manufacturers requirements.

K3 K12 K13 K26

S3 S12 S22

B1 B2

Duty 8 Use carpentry and joinery skills to complete minor repairs or refurbishment to fixtures within and around properties, such as doors, windows, frames, worktops, ensuring associated fixtures and fittings are selected, installed or repaired, and working correctly.

K3 K14

S3 S13 S14

B2

Duty 9 Carry out minor plastering repairs using appropriate materials and surface finishing techniques.

K3 K15

S3

B2

Duty 10 Carry out remedial painting and decorating works to a range of surfaces, ensuring the appropriate and safe use of compounds, materials, tools and access equipment.

K3 K16

S3 S15

B2

Duty 11 Carry out minor tiling and flooring activities or repairs using a variety of materials, tools, adhesives and sealants.

K3 K17 K18

S3 S16 S18

B2

Duty 12 Carry out planned, responsive or temporary repairs to buildings and their immediate surroundings to make buildings safe and secure for their occupants or clients.

K3 K19 K20 K21 K22

S3 S17

B2

Duty 13 Communicate effectively verbally and in writing, using digital technologies to access, identify, record and report information, liaise and coordinate with other team members, and provide customer service to internal and external customers, and respecting others.

K3 K4 K5 K6 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K23 K24 K25 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31

S3 S4 S5 S6 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 S21 S23 S24 S25

B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

Duty 14 Maintain and develop competence in the property maintenance industry, recognising own levels of competence and when to escalate concerns to others, resisting the pressure to follow unsafe working practices.

K3 K4 K5 K6 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20 K21 K22 K27 K28 K29 K30 K31

S3 S4 S5 S6 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S21 S23 S24 S25

B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The principles and requirements of planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance. Back to Duty

K2: The range of building types and characteristic uses, their common methods of construction and typical defects, and the impact that property maintenance operations may have on building safety. Back to Duty

K3: Health and safety regulations, relevance to the occupation and the operative's responsibilities. Health and Safety at Work Act Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). Manual handling. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Working at height. Safety equipment: guards, signage, fire extinguishers. Back to Duty

K4: Risks and hazards associated with property maintenance activities, and their mitigation using risk assessment. Back to Duty

K5: Key regulatory and legislative requirements (including building regulations, the building safety bill, and BSI Flex 8670), and an awareness of how these apply to varying property types, and their impact on property maintenance operatives’ responsibilities. Back to Duty

K6: Importance of establishing a safe and tidy work area, using appropriate access equipment, providing protection to adjacent areas, and consideration for the safety of other property users. Back to Duty

K7: Common hand and power tools and equipment used in routine property maintenance tasks and how to use safely. Back to Duty

K8: The common components of electrical and electronic systems, how to safely isolate electrical supplies and the procedures for correctly reporting identified faults. Back to Duty

K9: The common forms of emergency equipment and signage, their importance within buildings and the preventative and possible corrective maintenance required. Back to Duty

K10: The principles and components of plumbing systems, how to safely isolate, store and drain down water supplies to diagnose faults and clear blockages. Back to Duty

K11: The principles and components of common above and below ground drainage systems, the issues that poor drainage can have on properties and how to diagnose faults and clear blockages. Back to Duty

K12: The principles of good water hygiene to preserve and maintain the health of water systems within buildings and how these are checked and legally certified to minimise water hygiene and legionella risks. Back to Duty

K13: The principles and components of common environmental and energy management systems and their methods of operation. Back to Duty

K14: The common defects found in windows, doors, and glazing systems, the characteristics, uses and limitations of the materials and components used within them, and how these are used to meet statutory regulations. Back to Duty

K15: The common types of materials and processes used to prepare, repair and finish plaster defects. Back to Duty

K16: The common causes of painting and decorating defects, and the types of materials, chemicals and processes used in painting and decorating activities. How paints and chemicals are stored and disposed of safely. Back to Duty

K17: The common causes of tiling defects and the types of materials and processes used in tiling activities. Back to Duty

K18: The common causes of flooring defects and the types of materials and processes used in flooring repairs. Back to Duty

K19: The common forms of masonry and damp proofing defects, materials and processes used in masonry repair activities: Mixing mortars, replacing defective pointing, laying and bonding of masonry, coping repairs and damp-proofing. Back to Duty

K20: The common types of roof structures, defects and the types of materials and processes used in remedial and temporary repair. Back to Duty

K21: The common types of fencing and railing systems, their typical defects, and the types of materials and processes used in repairs. Back to Duty

K22: The common types of groundwork and landscaping systems, their typical defects and the types of materials and processes used in remedial repair. Back to Duty

K23: Technical sources of information and data used in property maintenance operations. Back to Duty

K24: The methods to record information and data via written and digital means and the importance of data protection and security. Back to Duty

K25: The purpose of quality assurance and continuous improvement and how these improve commonly occurring faults or inefficiencies. Back to Duty

K26: Environmental regulations and requirements: Environmental Protection Act, safe disposal of waste, minimising waste (re-use and re-cycle), waste contractors permit, energy efficiency, and contribution to net zero outcomes. Back to Duty

K27: Methods of communication and when to use industry terminology to match the style to the audience. Back to Duty

K28: The importance of customer service to their organisation, how to provide feedback to ensure customers are informed of property maintenance. Back to Duty

K29: The roles and responsibilities of property maintenance operatives and the purpose and inter-dependencies of other trade operatives. Back to Duty

K30: The rights and responsibilities of an employee and employer and an awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion, safeguarding and prevent. Back to Duty

K31: The purpose of continuing professional development (CPD) and how this supports them to understand their limits for personal authority and competence. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Plan the sequence of work required to carry out routine property maintenance operations. Back to Duty

S2: Identify and select the appropriate materials and components for property maintenance tasks, ensuring these are compliant with relevant regulatory requirements and manufacturer's specifications. Back to Duty

S3: Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and requirements. Back to Duty

S4: Comply with risk assessments, and organise the workplace, to safeguard themselves and the property. Back to Duty

S5: Comply with key regulatory and legislative requirements, including building regulations. Back to Duty

S6: Uses safe working practices when carrying out property maintenance tasks including the use of PPE, signage, barriers, access equipment and ensuring work area is prepared and reinstated. Back to Duty

S7: Select, and use work tools and equipment for property maintenance tasks, applying all safeguards, and ensuring the correct functioning of equipment. Back to Duty

S8: Safely isolate and secure electrical or electronic supplies prior to performing property maintenance operations. Back to Duty

S9: Apply and implement routine emergency system checks, testing and routine maintenance, identifying and reporting faults as required. Back to Duty

S10: Perform maintenance and repairs to plumbing systems, including fault identification, safe isolation of supply, replacing components and clearing blockages. Back to Duty

S11: Perform maintenance and repairs to external drainage systems, including clearing blockages and replacing components. Back to Duty

S12: Perform maintenance and repairs to environmental and energy management systems, including fault identification, safe isolation of supply, replacing components. Back to Duty

S13: Use carpentry and joinery skills to perform repairs to windows, doors and glazing units, and their associated fittings. Back to Duty

S14: Perform repairs to plastered surfaces, including surface preparation, fixing and mixing materials and compounds. Back to Duty

S15: Use painting and decorating skills to prepare surfaces for decoration, apply paint using brushes and rollers, and complete sealing activities using gun appliances. Back to Duty

S16: Perform tiling repairs, including setting out, surface preparation and cutting around obstacles. Back to Duty

S17: Perform flooring repairs, including setting out, surface preparation and cutting around obstacles. Back to Duty

S18: Perform planned, responsive or temporary repairs to buildings or their immediate surroundings, attending to minor defects within either masonry, roofing, fencing or railing, groundwork or landscaping. Back to Duty

S19: Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data to address property maintenance problems. Back to Duty

S20: Record and report information, using digital and written techniques. Back to Duty

S21: Inspect own work, ensuring it is delivered to the given specifications. Back to Duty

S22: Comply with environmental regulations and procedures. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal. Back to Duty

S23: Use and adapt communication methods for different situations and when, working with colleagues and stakeholders, using industry terminology as appropriate. Back to Duty

S24: Provide customer feedback whilst maintaining customer service. Back to Duty

S25: Escalates issues beyond their level of competence and authority. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Prioritise and promote sustainable working practices. Back to Duty

B2: Prioritise and promote health and safety. Back to Duty

B3: Takes responsibility for completion of own work, Back to Duty

B4: Team focuses to meet goals. Back to Duty

B5: Contribute to equality, diverse and inclusive culture. Back to Duty

B6: Seek learning and development opportunities. Back to Duty


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