Photo essay: A day in the life of a UW custodian
Custodian Francis Garcia stands atop a riding vacuum in the basement of the Hans Rosing Center for Population Health. Misty Shock Rule/University of Washington
October 2 is National Custodian Day, a day to recognize these essential members of the community who work every day to keep our buildings clean, comfortable and healthy. UW Facilities custodians are on campus 24 hours a day, with many of them beginning their day before 5 a.m. Outside of work, they are mothers, fathers and important members of their communities, with rich life stories.
Francis Garcia, a custodian at the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, began working at the UW 10 years ago, shortly after he immigrated to the United States. In the Phillippines, he was a videographer for a cable company, working in studio as well as capturing proceedings in the Filipino Congress and covering protests and rallies.
In this photo essay, Garcia shares a behind-the-scenes look at the work of UW custodians as they go about their day. Garcia captured his colleagues' work on September 20.
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
"We line up in early morning to wait to clock in. It's 4:53."
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
Custodians for the Nanoengineering & Sciences and Molecular Engineering & Sciences buildings gather for a morning huddle.
"This is Shirley [Hammond] and Fam [Saechao] during the huddle. There's a chart that you can put the ideas on. It's part of brainstorming. If an idea is already approved by the management, it's on the positive side. Or sometimes it's pending or doesn't work so you leave it for now."
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
The 8th floor of the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, one of the floors Garcia cleans.
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
Ben Rearick, the building coordinator for the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health. "Ben is a nice guy. He helps if I have a question regarding, 'Do I have to move this or dispose this?' Or sometimes he asks me, 'Could you do some floor work over there?'"
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
"You finish your work and then you put a sign up. ... One person told me if he sees his work well polished and very clean, that's an inspiration or accomplishment."
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
"[Elsa Tesfai] is the one who did that work [depicted in the previous picture]. She's very proud. Floor work is very hard — you know, you have to strip and wax."
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
Custodians in UW Facilities are divided into areas. This is a meeting of the area to which Garcia belongs, Area D, which covers about a dozen buildings.
"We get along well. There's a lot of talking. You know, we love each other and also help each other when we need some help in other buildings."
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
Deepa Rao, Vice Dean for Faculty in the School of Public Health, and Victoria Gardner, Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Public Health, give flowers to custodian Jhay Constantino.
"They also say, 'Thank you' every day. Like, 'I appreciate what you're doing.' Sometimes they give me a thank you card, stuff like that," Constantino said.
Francis Garcia/University of Washington
Jae Lee "stretching after hard work ... [We prefer] stretching in early morning, but when the clock in starts, everybody's just rushing to work, right? So we don't have the time to have group yoga. So every custodian does it himself."
