Cleaner

Role Overview

The Education Authority in Northern Ireland seeks a dedicated Cleaner to join their team in Ballymena. The role involves maintaining cleanliness across designated school premises, ensuring a safe and hygienic environment for students and staff.

Key Duties

• Perform cleaning tasks including sweeping, mopping, dry buffing, spray cleaning and waxing, machine scrubbing, stripping, and re-polishing floors using suitable equipment.
• Handle cleaning and stain removal from carpeted and soft floor areas with proper methods.
• Clean toilets, showers, fixtures, fittings, and related areas thoroughly.
• Wash and dust window ledges, walls, furniture, fixtures, and internal surfaces up to 3.35 meters height, polishing furniture where needed.
• Empty and sanitize internal litter bins, disposing of waste at designated points.
• Provide cover for absent colleagues as per organizational procedures.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Essential: Ability to use own initiative, work under pressure to meet deadlines, effective communication skills including comprehension of English instructions, strong organizational and planning abilities, teamwork orientation, and flexibility to follow instructions.
• Knowledge of school cleaning requirements, including experience with cleaning machinery and understanding health and safety regulations such as COSHH.
• Desirable: At least three months' experience in cleaning outside a home environment and experience handling various commercial cleaning equipment (e.g., buffing machines).

Training and Compliance

• Must complete Health and Safety training provided by the Education Authority's cleaning service, including COSHH compliance.
• Wear appropriate protective clothing and flat-soled, enclosed-toe footwear during cleaning duties.
• Utilize and maintain cleaning equipment responsibly and report any defects immediately.
• Complete all necessary paperwork accurately and promptly.

Legal and Organizational Standards

• Comply with Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978, statutory regulations, COSHH, and relevant codes of practice.
• Promote equality, good relations, and comply with all relevant equality legislation per the Northern Ireland Act (1998).
• This position requires an enhanced criminal background check under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007, with the certificate cost of £33 payable by the successful applicant.

Additional Information for Applicants

• Applicants must clearly demonstrate on their application how they meet the essential and desirable criteria to be shortlisted, including addressing both categories where applicable.
• The selection panel reserves the right to shortlist based on criteria strength and may apply desirable criteria to limit candidate pool.
• Compliance with the Education Authority's procedures for absence reporting, sickness cover, and acceptance of training for progression and skill enhancement is expected.