Custodial Worker

Duties Summary

This position is located on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Plains Area (PA), National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), in Manhattan, KS. In this position, you will serve in the Custodial Services Group and will be responsible for performing the full range of custodial duties.

Requirements

• Qualifications will be determined under the Job Element Rating System X-118C, Qualifications Standard Handbook.
• The incumbent operates and controls floor maintenance machines; moves and controls moderately heavy equipment; and carries, sets up, and works from ladders.
• Work requires frequently lifting and moving objects weighing 40 and occasionally 50 pounds with appropriate support.
• The work requires standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, reaching, lifting, and moderate to heavy physical effort when mopping or moving furniture.
• The work also requires regularly shoveling snow off of walks.
• The work requires exposure to a large variety of cleaning agents.
• Physical Effort: The incumbent operates and controls floor maintenance machines; moves and controls moderately heavy equipment; and carries, sets up, and works from ladders.
• Working Conditions: Work is usually performed in offices, rest rooms/lavatories, common public areas and stairways, warehouses, and/or outdoor facilities.
• The work involves exposure to strong cleaning solutions, disagreeable odors, exposure to hot and cold conditions, high noise and vibration levels, and occasionally, harmful biological, chemical, and physical agents.
• There is a chance of minor injuries (cuts and bruises) and caution and adherence to instruction must be taken to avoid serious injuries when working from ladders and scaffolds and powered equipment.
• Physical well-being may be compromised by the prolonged usage of the PPE may lead to labored respiration, heat stress and dehydration.
• The health status of personnel is monitored periodically using biologic and serologic tests and physical examinations.
• Restrictions against contact with birds and livestock outside the laboratory may apply after entering high security animal facilities that are working with disease agents foreign to the United States.

Physical and Psychological Capability

To prevent the transmission of disease out of biocontainment and retention of the position, the incumbent must meet the following medical standards in a pre-employment medical examination conducted after the receipt of a preliminary job offer and on a periodic basis:

• Ability to shower out of biocontainment one or more times per day;
• Not have any skin condition which would prevent this;
• Body piercings must be able to be removed prior to entry;
• External medical assist devices must have the ability to be removed prior to entering or not impede the ability to enter biocontainment, and the individual must still be able to shower out safely without assistance;
• Ability to follow instructions regarding decontamination from biocontainment;
• Any medical condition which could create an unsafe environment for the individual or his/her co-workers, such as: insufficient control of a medical disorder which could result in sudden loss of consciousness;
• Inadequate vision and hearing required for safety in a laboratory environment.

Medical Standards

• Ability to shower out of biocontainment one or more times per day;
• Not have any skin condition which would prevent this;
• Body piercings must be able to be removed prior to entry;
• External medical assist devices must have the ability to be removed prior to entering or not impede the ability to enter biocontainment, and the individual must still be able to shower out safely without assistance;
• Ability to follow instructions regarding decontamination from biocontainment;
• Any medical condition which could create an unsafe environment for the individual or his/her co-workers, such as: insufficient control of a medical disorder which could result in sudden loss of consciousness;
• Inadequate vision and hearing required for safety in a laboratory environment.

Other Considerations

• The mission of NBAF includes research, diagnosis and training for animal diseases foreign to the U.S. for the purpose of protecting American agriculture and domestic food sources from their potentially devastating effects.
• NBAF is vital to successfully protecting U.S. agriculture from the intentional or non-intentional introduction of foreign animal diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth disease.
• The position supports the biocontainment facilities and may require entry into biosafety level (BSL) 3, 3 enhanced, 3 Ag and BSL-4 labs.
• The incumbent must demonstrate the physical and psychological capability to conduct normal duties that are appropriate to their position.
• To prevent the transmission of disease out of biocontainment and retention of the position, the incumbent must meet the following medical standards in a pre-employment medical examination conducted after the receipt of a preliminary job offer and on a periodic basis:
• Ability to shower out of biocontainment one or more times per day;
• Not have any skin condition which would prevent this;
• Body piercings must be able to be removed prior to entry;
• External medical assist devices must have the ability to be removed prior to entering or not impede the ability to enter biocontainment, and the individual must still be able to shower out safely without assistance;
• Ability to follow instructions regarding decontamination from biocontainment;
• Any medical condition which could create an unsafe environment for the individual or his/her co-workers, such as: insufficient control of a medical disorder which could result in sudden loss of consciousness;
• Inadequate vision and hearing required for safety in a laboratory environment.

Medical Clearance

• A baseline blood sample may be required for employees entering and working in the biocontainment facilities.
• For the health and safety of the incumbent and to prevent the spread of disease, immunization against diseases being studied at NBAF which are transmissible to humans may be required where the vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for safety and effectiveness under the provision of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended 21 USC 321-392.
• Where the vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for investigational purposes, the incumbent will be advised that such immunization is voluntary.

Biological Safety Regulations

• Biological Safety Regulations specify a personal quarantine for employees working in BSL-3, 3 enhanced, 3 Ag and 4 biocontainment.
• As a condition for employment, all personnel entering the BSL-3 or higher biocontainment facilities at NBAF shall not be in contact with specific susceptible animals and their premises away from NBAF for a period of five (5) days after leaving bio-containment.
• Currently, restricted species are cattle, sheep, goats, deer, other ruminants, and swine.
• Contact with horses, birds (agricultural and pet birds) and rabbits are normally permitted, but restrictions may be placed on staff working with or near contagious agents affecting these species.
• Restricted livestock or other restricted animals may not be housed on the premises where the employee lives and where quarantine cannot be enforced.
• Employees who violate this requirement may be removed from employment or subject to other disciplinary action.

Access to Select Agent Registered Spaces

• An approved SRA investigation is required for access to select agent registered spaces.

About USDA and ARS

Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. What we do matters in science and the world. For more information about Agricultural Research Service, go to https://www.ars.usda.gov/.