A Hard Day’s Night: Getting it Done Right

Last week was my second and final week of maintenance where I moved from grounds work over to building and utilities to see another side of the operation. With buildings and utilities I got to learn about the work order process and how prioritization of jobs within the park are decided. With this in mind I went out in to the field with a few different rangers to partake in a few of the work orders that needed to get done.

One of the work orders I joined was for the historic Commandant’s House. The large windows on the front face of the building had been painted over and were stuck from the paint drying over them.

As you can see we definitely want these beautiful windows to remain intact and operational in preservation of the house. Surveying the windows we decided to grab chisels, hammers, and a crowbar to take care of the situation. With the hammer and chisel we carefully cracked the seam over the window edge taking effort to not harm the rest of the paint or window itself. After going around what we safely could we were able to pry the window loose with a little help from the crow bar. Working steadily we were able to make our way through all the windows and safely open them all.

Another work order I assisted in was with a door that would no longer shut in one of the park housing units that was being renovated. Being an access door this was designated as a top priority in the work order list and resulted in our immediate attention. Upon surveying the older door we decided to use an electric portable planer. This was able to smooth the door almost enough. To finish the job we redid some of the old screws losing their hold and tightened the door into place. Now it is safe and secure ready to be used.

The door in place post work

Although work orders can be exciting, safety always must come first, and this week I also took place in a safety training for the maintenance workers to refresh themselves on safe operating procedures. This training was focused around chemicals and sewage in the park system and different types you may see if you find yourself at different parks. Make sure to stay tuned as I continue to learn on my internship here in Boston.