Technical Standards for Facility Maintenance Technology

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