Housekeeper

Location: Middleburg Heights, OH | Department: Housekeeping | FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

About the Role

The primary purpose of this position is to perform the day-to-day activities of the Housekeeping Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations. You will ensure our facility is maintained in a clean, safe, and comfortable manner under the direction of the Administrator and/or the Director of Housekeeping.

As the Housekeeper, you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

Responsibilities

Administrative Functions

• Ensure that work/cleaning schedules are followed as closely as practical.
• Report all accidents/incidents to your supervisor immediately, regardless of severity.
• Coordinate daily housekeeping services with nursing services when performing routine cleaning assignments in resident living and/or recreational areas.

Personnel Functions

• Attend departmental and staff meetings as directed or called.
• Perform specific tasks in accordance with daily work assignments.
• File complaints/grievances with your supervisor.

Staff Development

• Participate and assist in department studies and projects as directed.
• Attend and participate in in-service educational classes, on-the-job training programs, and annual OSHA and CDC training for hazard communication, TB management, and bloodborne pathogens standard.

Safety and Sanitation

• Follow established fire safety policies and procedures.
• Adhere to safety precautions when performing tasks and using equipment/supplies.
• Wear/use safety equipment (e.g., back brace, mechanical lifts) when lifting or moving heavy objects.
• Maintain assigned work areas in a clean, safe, comfortable, and attractive manner.
• Keep work/assignment areas free of hazardous objects (e.g., protruding mop/broom handles).
• Follow proper techniques for mixing chemicals, disinfectants, and solutions; refer to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Follow policies governing labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).
• Report all hazardous conditions or equipment to your supervisor.
• Maintain established infection control and universal precautions practices.
• Participate in in-service training for tasks involving potential exposure to blood, body fluids, or hazardous chemicals.
• Report missing or improperly labeled containers of hazardous chemicals.
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling infectious materials, hazardous wastes, or chemicals.
• Follow established handwashing procedures.
• Dispose of refuse daily in accordance with sanitation procedures.
• Follow policies for use/disposal of PPE and infectious wastes.
• Coordinate routine/terminal isolation procedures with nursing service.

Equipment and Supply Functions

• Maintain an adequate supply of housekeeping supplies in utility/janitorial closets.
• Keep supervisor informed of supply needs.
• Report burned-out light bulbs, exit lights, overhead lights, fluorescent lights, and room call lights to your supervisor.
• Assist others in lifting heavy equipment or supplies as directed.
• Clean work/supply carts and equipment as necessary or directed.
• Ensure equipment is cleaned and properly stored at the end of the shift.

Housekeeping Services

• Perform day-to-day housekeeping functions as assigned.
• Empty and sanitize ashtrays daily.
• Clean/polish furnishings, fixtures, ledges, and room heating/cooling units in resident rooms and recreational areas.
• Clean, wash, sanitize, and/or polish bathroom fixtures, ensuring water marks are removed.
• Clean windows/mirrors in resident rooms, recreational areas, bathrooms, and entrance/exit ways.
• Clean floors, including sweeping, dusting, damp/wet mopping, stripping, waxing, buffing, and disinfecting. Ensure caution/safety signs are properly set up.
• Clean carpets, including vacuuming.
• Clean walls and ceilings by washing, wiping, dusting, spot cleaning, disinfecting, and deodorizing.
• Remove dirt, dust, grease, and film from surfaces using proper cleaning/disinfecting solutions.
• Clean hallways, stairways, and elevators.
• Discard waste/trash into proper containers and reline trash receptacles with plastic liners.
• Clean vacant rooms as assigned.
• Ensure work/assignment areas are clean and equipment/tools/supplies are properly stored at all times, including before breaks, meal times, and end of the workday.
• Perform isolation cleaning procedures in accordance with infection control procedures.
• Discard infectious wastes into appropriate containers.

Resident Rights

• Maintain the confidentiality of resident information.
• Knock before entering a resident’s room.
• Honor residents’ personal and property rights.
• Inform residents when it is necessary to move their personal possessions during cleaning.

Miscellaneous

• Turn in all found articles to your supervisor.

Working Conditions

• Works in all areas of the facility.
• Moves intermittently during working hours and may need to reschedule cleaning activities due to frequent interruptions.
• Interacts with residents, personnel, visitors, government agencies, and others under all conditions.
• May be subject to hostile or emotionally upset residents, family members, personnel, or visitors.
• Communicates with housekeeping and other department personnel.
• Works beyond normal working hours, weekends, and holidays when necessary, including in other positions as needed.
• May be subject to call-back during emergency conditions (e.g., severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster).
• May be required to work shifts other than the one for which hired.
• Attends continuing educational programs.
• Subject to injury from falls, burns, odors, dust, disinfectants, tobacco smoke, and other air contaminants.
• Subject to exposure to infectious waste, diseases (including TB, AIDS, and Hepatitis B viruses), and hazardous chemicals.

Requirements

• Minimum 8th grade education.
• Must be at least 18 years of age or possess an executed work permit.
• No prior experience required; on-the-job training provided.
• Must understand and communicate in English.
• Ability to make independent decisions, follow instructions, and accept constructive criticism.
• Ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, and the general public.
• Willingness to work harmoniously with other personnel and handle residents at varying maturity levels.
• Ability to seek out new methods and principles and incorporate them into existing practices.
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions for mixing cleaning compounds, liquids, and disinfecting solutions.
• Must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others in the workplace.

Physical and Sensory Requirements

• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.
• Must be able to speak and write English in an understandable manner.
• Must cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
• Must possess adequate sight/hearing (with or without prosthetics) to meet position requirements.
• Must function independently, with flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with residents and personnel.
• Must meet general health requirements, including a medical and physical examination.
• Must be able to relate to and work with ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and occasionally hostile individuals.
• Must be able to push, pull, move, and/or lift a minimum of 25 pounds.
• May be required to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergencies.