Custodial Services
The mission of the Custodial Services Division is to maintain a sanitary environment through sustainable cleaning, which is essential for the health of City employees and the public.
The Custodial Services Division operates on a citywide scale, cleaning and disinfecting a variety of public facilities, including: office buildings, libraries, police stations, jails, service yards and many more, through a combination of City-employed workers and contractors.
Services
The Custodial Services Division provides a variety of cleaning services on a citywide scale through City-employed and contracted custodial staff. The Division administers three Personal Services contracts: Custodial/Janitorial, Pressure Washing, and Carpet Cleaning. Currently, cleaning services are provided at two different levels:
- Basic-level Custodial Services ** – Provided for all funded facilities, except ‘full- level’ locations. Core services include daily cleaning and disinfecting of common areas, such as: lobbies, restrooms, breakrooms, locker rooms etc. Trash is removed from centralized trash bins and not from desk-sides.
- Full-level Custodial Services – Provided for public safety facilities (LAPD jails and stations) and special-funded facilities (libraries, El Pueblo and sewer construction yards). Core services include daily cleaning and disinfecting of common areas, such as: lobbies, restrooms, breakrooms, locker rooms etc. Trash is removed from centralized trash bins as well as from desk-sides, vacuuming and dusting are provided frequently, and all utility services are provided on a regular, on-going basis.
**Services to unfunded facilities are possible as well as increased service levels to current locations. Please contact the Division at GSD.CustodialSVS@lacity.org for further information.
Utility / Specialty Services
Utility or specialty services are provided to funded facilities on a regular, on-going basis; however, non-funded facilities may also request services, which may be provided on a limited basis —contact the Division for details.
Utility services include:
- Pressure Washing Services – provided for exterior areas such as building entrances, sidewalks, patios etc. and utilize cold or hot water at a pressure of 300 dpi, which can be combined with degreasing or disinfecting chemicals.
- Carpet Cleaning Services – provided for interior carpets within a building to restore the carpet’s appearance by utilizing agitation scrubber extraction methods. This service does not include area rugs.
- Floor Work Services – provided for various types of floorings and include stripping, waxing and polishing.
- Emergency Services – include clean-up of floods (clean, gray or black water), carpet extractions, blood-borne pathogens, and other potentially infectious material such as scabies, lice, bed bugs etc. The Division determines what type of service is needed to address each emergency and will use all necessary available tools to mitigate the resulting damage and complete the clean-up process.
Technology – Beyond Green Cleaning
Gone are the days when the industry standard was to use harmful, corrosive chemicals for cleaning. Today, technology allows for safer, more environmentally friendly chemicals which are now utilized by our City custodians – bleach is no longer the disinfectant standard, as GSD banned its use more than 10 years ago. The Custodial Services Division ensures that every chemical being used, from disinfectant to hand soap, meets the LEED GREEN chemical standards whenever possible.
Automated equipment is another area where the cleaning industry has used innovation and technology to make further strides in cleaning methods and approaches. Ride-on auto scrubbers containing sophisticated computer systems, dashboard data and on-board chemical mixing and dispensing systems have facilitated our custodians’ work and increased both the quantity and quality of the work performed.
The City of Los Angeles has experienced challenges in the area of potential exposure to infectious diseases, particularly in police facilities. Given the increase in exposure being reported, the Division made use of advances in technology and procured a Xenex LightStrike Robot, which utilizes a Pulsed Xenon lamp to generate broad-spectrum germicidal ultraviolet light that destroys multi-drug resistant pathogens. This robot is an exciting addition to our arsenal of technology and equipment for providing the best services possible to the City of Los Angeles.
First Line of Defense
While custodial work is thought to be “unskilled” labor, in actuality, it takes a great deal of on-the-job experience, formal training and dedication to become City Custodians, who are the first line of defense in maintaining clean, healthy and safe facilities.
For example, strict health and safety protocols must be followed when cleaning a jail cell containing blood, infectious matter, emesis, or fluids from an HIV+ individual – not exactly an unskilled task! How about cleaning a jail while inmates are being moved from one cell to another? This requires very specific safety training procedures provided by our Custodian Supervisors. Removing stains from a carpet requires testing using a pH scale to obtain the pH balance and then ensuring the use of a properly identified chemical with the correct (opposite) pH that will remove the stain.
Every aspect of a Custodian’s regular duties requires year-round specific training. A dedicated support team is indispensable and ensures that this ongoing training occurs. This team is comprised of operations supervisors and administrative staff who are highly trained and knowledgeable in multiple areas in order to provide the most current information and safe practices to all staff. Administrative staff are responsible for researching, designing and developing training and other programs, while supervisors, drawing from their frontline experience, implement industry changes and execute the training programs.
Targeted Local Hire (TLH) Program
The Custodial Services Division designed and established a local hiring and training program utilizing Vocational Workers nearly 20 years ago. Consequently, the Division has embraced the Office of the Mayor’s Targeted Local Hire (TLH) Program. The design of the Custodial Services TLH Program has two components:
- A training academy with classroom learning about safety, policies and procedures, as well as direct hands-on practical training on equipment and cleaning techniques and practices.
- A mentoring partnership which pairs the new TLH worker with a seasoned custodial staff member who ensures the training was understood and is being followed. Further, this mentoring partnership guides the worker for the first two to three months, before he or she is assigned to their own location.
The Custodial Services TLH Program represents a commitment by GSD to the Mayor’s TLH initiative, ensuring continued diligence in working to bring back jobs to the City. The program attains benefits for many stakeholders and is methodical in the approach to generate the best possible outcome while leveraging the best value to the City with “in-sourcing” and maintaining contract work.
FAQs
Q: How do I request services for our blue bins (recycling)?
A: Custodians remove trash. Blue recycling bins are serviced/removed by the Bureau of Sanitation. Contact Al Lopez, Labor Supervisor, at (213) 922-8300.
Q: How do I request pickup/cleanup of a dead animal?
A: Dead animals are handled by the Bureau of Sanitation. Contact the City’s 311 Call Center by dialing 3-1-1.
Q: How do I request the removal of bulky items?
A: Bulky items are picked up by the Bureau of Sanitation. Contact the City’s 311 Call Center by dialing 3-1-1.
Q: How do I request moving of furniture?
A: Contact GSD’s Moving Services at GSD.MovingSVS@lacity.org
Q: How do I request pest control (spraying for bugs)?
A: These services are provided via GSD’s Building Maintenance Division. Please make your request through the GSD Service Portal: https://gsdserviceportal.lacity.org
Q: How do I request removal of trash or debris inside flower/garden beds?
A: Removal of debris inside flower/garden beds, lawns etc. is handled by Recreation and Parks.
• Griffith Region – Stefanie Smith, stefanie.smith@lacity.org, (818) 243-1145
• Metro Region – Juan Benitez, juan.benitez@lacity.org, (213) 485-4833
• Pacific Region – Raul Leon, raul.leon@lacity.org, (310) 548-7598
• Valley Region, Therman Calloway, therman.callowayjr@lacity.org, (818) 756-8060
Q: How do I request graffiti removal?
A: Custodial Services Division does not provide this Service. Contact the City’s 311 Call Center by dialing 3-1-1.
Q: How do I request parking lot or parking structure sweeping?
A: Custodial Services Division does not provide this Service. Contact the City’s 311 Call Center by dialing 3-1-1.
Q: How do I request repairs or replacement of trash or recycling roll-off bins (dumpsters)?
A: Custodial Services Division does not provide this Service. Contact the City’s 311 Call Center by dialing 3-1-1.
Q: How do I request window washing?
A: Custodial Services Division does not provide window washing services.
Q: How do I request services to a building?
A: Please contact Custodial Services Division administrative staff at GSD.CustodialSVS@lacity.org. In order to better assist you, the facility’s address must be provided when inquiring about services to a location. Custodial Services Division does not provide services to all GSD leased and/or operated facilities. For leasing information please contact GSD Real Estate Services at (213) 922-8500.
Q: How do I know if Custodial Services Division provides services to a facility?
A: Please contact Custodial Services Division administrative staff at GSD.CustodialSVS@lacity.org. In order to better assist you, the facility’s address must be provided when inquiring about services to a location. Custodial Services Division does not provide services to all GSD leased and/or operated facilities. For leasing information please contact GSD Real Estate Services at (213) 922-8500.
Pressure Washing Services
Q: How do I request pressure washing services?
A: If you are in an LAPD facility please contact LAPD – Facilities Management Division at (213) 482-7320.
If you are in an LAPL facility please contact LAPL Facilities Management staff at FacilityManagement@lapl.org.
If you are in a contract-serviced facility or in a City-staffed facility, please contact Custodial Services Division administrative staff at GSD.CustodialSVS@lacity.org.
Carpet Cleaning Services
Q: How do I request carpet cleaning for my location?
A: If you are within the Civic Center please contact the Civic Center main point of contact listed in our contact information.
If you are in an LAPD facility please contact LAPD – Facilities Management Division at (213) 482-7320.
If you are in an LAPL facility please contact LAPL Facilities Management staff at FacilityManagement@lapl.org.
If you are in a contract-serviced facility please contact Custodial Services Division administrative staff at GSD.CustodialSVS@lacity.org.
Q: How do I request my carpets being replaced (new carpet)?
A: For carpet replacement information, contact GSD’s Construction Forces Division at (213) 978-2600.
Contact Us
Custodial Services Division administrative staff can be contacted via email at GSD.CustodialSVS@lacity.org. Administrative staff can address any questions, service requests, concerns, and provide information regarding custodial service contracts.
Below is a list of lead operational and administrative staff for inquiries about non-contracted facilities.
Civic Center Buildings:
Eddie Cromwell, Chief Custodian Supervisor – (213) 922-8006, eddie.cromwell@lacity.org
LAPD Buildings:
Angelo Howard, Chief Custodian Supervisor – (213) 978-6392, angelo.howard@lacity.org
Central District Buildings (Piper Tech):
Fred Abraham, Head Custodian Supervisor – (213) 473-2792, fred.abraham@lacity.org
Central Library:
Giovanno Dunn, Head Custodian Supervisor – (213) 228-7342, giovanno.dunn@lacity.org