Chapter 4 Facility and Equipment PDF

Unit 1 Equipment Management Lesson 1 Issuing, Receiving, and Documenting Equipment Lesson Goal You will be able to manage the equipment necessary to keep a correctional facility operating smoothly and safely. Think About This Making sure that the facility operates safely and effectively 24...

Unit 1 Equipment Management Lesson 1 Issuing, Receiving, and Documenting Equipment Lesson Goal You will be able to manage the equipment necessary to keep a correctional facility operating smoothly and safely. Think About This Making sure that the facility operates safely and effectively 24 hours a day and 365 days a year depends on equipment being in good repair and having a sufficient amount of supplies. Facility operations also depend on the responsibility of the officers to respond to and correct any problems related to facility operations. Your job duties include managing the facility equipment. Inspecting Equipment Correctional officers are responsible for equipment and materials used to keep correctional facili- ties clean, safe, and secure. You need a basic knowledge of the standard equipment used, including weapons, hazardous materials, and sensitive supplies. You should also know about common prob- lems found when managing equipment; this will help you ensure the safe and efficient operation of equipment and provide a safe environment for inmates, staff, and visitors. A correctional officer is responsible for identifying and properly accounting for inventory and issu- ing and storing equipment. In addition, you must know how to safely and efficiently operate vari- ous types of equipment. Your equipment is your lifeline, so it is important to know how to use it and to check that it is functional. ✅ CO411.1. Know the common equipment assigned to specific areas and activities in a facility Equipment is assigned for use in specific areas, such as inmate living quarters, food service areas, building maintenance, health care services, and security. Though some equipment may be assigned to specially trained staff, you will be trained by your agency to identify, manage, and inventory all common equipment used at your facility. Common equipment and accessories that can be issued to officers include: security equipment, such as radios, restraints, weapons, and chemical agents housing equipment, such as search mirrors, restraints, and personal protective equipment (used while entering housing units to conduct searches to address disturbances and other situations) Chapter 4 Facility and Equipment / 107 ✅ CO411.2. Inspect common equipment used in a facility Inspecting your equipment ensures that it will be available and ready for use when needed. Inspec- tion is important for safety reasons; it also helps management train staff on the appropriate ways to maintain equipment. If not inspected periodically, equipment may be neglected. Neglect can result in damage, such as when poor vehicle maintenance causes mechanical problems. Likewise, poorly maintained or improperly inspected items, such as electronic control devices, can cause malfunctions, and even result in injury or death. To inspect an item means making sure that the item works, that it has the correct serial number or property identification number, and that it has not passed an expiration date, if it has one. Auto- matic external defibrillators (AEDs), fire extinguishers, batteries, and handcuffs in each pod must be inspected to determine that they are in working condition. Inspect your own equipment regularly to make sure it is sound, safe, and working properly. Also, inspect equipment before issuing it or receiving it back into inventory. Advise the inventory officer of any substandard equipment, so that it is removed from inventory. Use caution when inspecting items during issue and receipt. Mishandling equipment can result in injury to an officer or inmate, or breaking the equipment. Mishandling can include incorrectly identifying equipment, not using equipment for its intended purpose, or using equipment without proper training. Issuing Equipment Each agency has its own identification system to make sure that the person receiving or returning the equipment is authorized to handle the item. If one of your duties is to issue or receive equip- ment in the correctional facility, you will need to verify the recipient’s identity and document the activity for which the recipient will use the equipment. Check ID cards or a digital database to verify the person’s identity. ✅ CO411.3. Issue and receive common equipment used in a facility To make sure that the correct equipment is issued and received, compare the item to be issued against information found in a database or log, such as appearance or serial numbers. Inspect all equipment before issuing it. Document the time, date, item, item number, and the names of the issuing and receiving officers. Your agency may require you to record signatures or identification numbers. You may also need to document the condition of equipment when items are received back into inventory, but you should always document their receipt. 108 / Florida Basic Recruit Training Program (CO): Volume 1 Inventorying Equipment ✅ CO411.4. Inventory common equipment used in a facility Inventorying is the process of compiling a complete list of tools or equipment on hand. Common equipment and accessories that should be inventoried include: building equipment—used to complete common upkeep and repairs and includes main- tenance tools and materials sanitation equipment—used for inmate living areas, such as brooms, mops, cleaning carts, and cleaning supplies health care equipment and accessories—including medical supplies, dental tools, and restraints food service equipment—including serving utensils, trays, dishes, and cookware Counting equipment is an important part of inventory procedures. To count equipment efficiently, organize the equipment so it is easy to see. Have an orderly method or plan to physically count items by hand, such as laying items out in order, or grouping similar items together before the count. Keep track of items that cannot be grouped together, such as heavy equipment or sensitive supplies. You may keep a mental or written list as you count, to keep track of your progress before you record the official count. Compare the number of items previously listed in the inventory against the actual number of items you count. Some agencies use shadow boards to store items; an outline of each item is traced onto a board where the item is hung. When the item is not returned to the board, it is easy to see what is missing. It is important to correctly identify what is in the inventory. Inventory control techniques for iden- tification include: etching the inventory control number on the tool comparing the tool markings with recorded facility markings color-coding items by classification (e.g. restricted or non-restricted) using inventory lists with descriptions and numbers together using prepared spaces on a shadow board for storage Your agency will train you in the proper procedures for inventory control and documentation; the agency may use logs, inventory sheets, or an electronic database. Maintaining accurate logs during inventory is important for identifying the location of equipment. Reviewing logs is commonly done before, during, and after shifts to verify what equipment has been issued. Logs allow you to iden- tify when an item is missing or when an item has been issued, replaced, or repaired. Each agency’s Chapter 4 Facility and Equipment / 109 policies for inventory control will determine how responsibilities are assigned, whether by shift, area, job assignment, or equipment type. Catalog and preserve the documentation used in inventory and storage processes. Retain forms or logs so that they are available for later review and for public record. A master inventory log or a daily inventory sheet may document items in the inventory that are issued or returned. Storing Equipment ✅ CO411.5. Store common equipment used in a facility Correctional officers are responsible for properly storing all equipment in their care and control. If you are not paying attention, items can be stolen and used to aid in an escape or assault. Types of equipment that inmates can use in escapes or assaults include tools, chemical agents, electronic control devices, restraint devices, or other non-lethal weapons. Always store equipment in secure, designated areas with access limited to authorized persons. Secured storage areas may be considered temporary or permanent. Some of the secured stor- age areas typically found in a correctional facility can include an armory, a mini-arsenal, a caustic chemicals locker, a master tool room, a tool cage, an exterior building, or any designated room within the facility. Store equipment in its proper area immediately after inventory to preserve the integrity of the inventory, to ensure that equipment is ready for reissue, and to ensure security. Where you store an item is based on the type of equipment and agency resources. Managing Hazardous Equipment ✅ CO411.6. Know the types of hazardous equipment used in a facility You may need to use hazardous equipment or tools. Inmates may also use hazardous tools under staff supervision when completing work assignments. Consider tools that are automated, sharp, heavy, or awkward to manipulate especially dangerous. You are responsible for tool and equip- ment control for safety reasons; inmates can use these tools to commit a crime, such as to assault another person, to damage the facility, or to aid in an escape. Examples of hazardous equipment in a correctional setting include: basic construction tools—hammer, screwdriver, pliers, shovel, ladder, hoses power tools—electric drill, jigsaw, chainsaw cutting tools—band saw, handsaw, hacksaw building and grounds maintenance equipment—painting supplies, lawn mower, pipe wrench 110 / Florida Basic Recruit Training Program (CO): Volume 1  culinary instruments—knife, cleaver, cooking fork, spit, skewer medical or dental instruments with sharp points or cutting edges Stay vigilant regarding hazardous equipment, such as knives or peppery food items. Failing to safe- guard these items from inmates can kill you. Chapter 4 Facility and Equipment / 111