Technical Standards

Facility Maintenance Technology is a multi-trades program that combines the fundamentals of HVAC, electrical and plumbing in order to provide students with a core set of skills and aptitudes needed to be a contributor in a high-occupancy residential or commercial facility.

A student wishing to enroll in the Facility Maintenance Technology curriculum must meet the following standards related to the trades in which they work:

• Have sufficient visual capacity to read prints, schematics and other documents, as well as meters and testers
• Not have a debilitating fear of heights, crawl spaces or confined spaces
• Be capable of hearing equipment running and/or operating to determine if working correctly
• Be able to communicate with co-workers at a moderate distance without line of sight
• Be able to identify wire, components and supplies by color code
• Be able to climb ladders up to 35 feet in length
• Be able to lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds and install equipment overhead
• Be capable of working with many types of tools and be able to wear a tool pouch for up to 10 hours per day
• Must not have a fear or anxiety of getting clothes or hands dirty
• Must be able to locate and interpret N.C. General Statues, city codes, department rules and regulations
• Be able to wear hard hats, safety glasses, steel-toe shoes and other safety-related equipment as required by the industry

For Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration, students must also meet the following:

• Be able to tolerate exposure to noxious chemical compounds, including but not limited to acids, acid-like chemicals, solvents, glues, cleaners, oils and refrigerants
• Be able to work with hands (mechanical coordination skills)
• Must not have a debilitating fear of insects, spiders, snakes, lizards or vermin
• Sufficient physical endurance to work in extreme thermal environments
• Sufficient motor function to execute movements required to install and service HVACR systems, including heat pumps and furnaces

For Electrical Systems, students must also meet the following:

• Be able to clearly distinguish primary colors
• Have good peripheral vision and depth perception
• Be capable of hearing tones of various pitches emitted by testers and meters