Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Chemical exposure is a big safety and environmental hazard. But for a lot of facilities, the only chemicals they regularly use are cleaning supplies. However, only some employees (such as janitorial or facilities management staff) may be using stronger solvents, while other materials are being used by all employees throughout the entire workforce. So, who […]
Every day, facility managers have their hands full juggling their day-to-day duties, not to mention putting out proverbial fires, so they need to trust that their team members or other workers at their organizations will notify them of unsafe conditions in their buildings. Far too often, however, people witness actions or conditions in the facility […]
The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires pictograms on labels to alert users of the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed. Each pictogram consists of a symbol on a white background framed within a red border and represents a distinct hazard(s). The pictogram on the label is determined by the chemical hazard classification.
Facility managers, or someone on their facilities team, are often designated by their organizations as first aid providers in case of an emergency. As such, you’ll likely find yourself (and your team) required to undergo first aid and CPR training. While that first aid training is indispensable, it turns out that designated first aid/CPR providers […]
Mold is everywhere—mold spores are part of the air we breathe, and they’re just looking for a nice, moist, overlooked spot where they can take root and grow. Although mold growth and the health problems it causes are most concerning in the wake of large-scale disaster like Hurricane/Tropical Storm Florence’s historic floods, it’s important to […]
According to a recent OSHA citation, a Louisville, Colorado, psychiatric treatment hospital failed to protect employees from bloodborne pathogen exposure and workplace violence. The agency charged UHS of Centennial Peaks, LLC, with two serious, two repeat, and two other-than-serious violations. OSHA inspected Centennial Peaks Hospital, an acute psychiatric treatment facility, after receiving a complaint of […]
In the facilities management and commercial real estate sectors, the disconnect between building owners and tenants can slow the switch to energy efficiency. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star® program, a significant portion of a building’s energy use is under the direct or indirect control of the occupants.
Every facility needs to have an adequate fire prevention and preparedness strategy. This is especially true for facilities with warehouses on site, where facility managers need a unique strategy depending on the types of products or materials that are stored on site. These concerns were on attendees’ minds in the standing-room-only crowd for Tim Dietz’s […]
Anyone who has ever worked a 9-to-5 job have stories about someone in the workplace whose bad habits or hygiene bothered everyone. Their idiosyncrasies went far beyond a messy desk; issues ranging from having loud-personal phone conversations and wearing too much fragrance to someone clipping their toenails or even snoring at their desk! Certainly, these […]
There is a host of reasons for a facility to invest in a new security system, from upgrading older (or dead) equipment to meeting the changing demands of a growing organization. Sure, it’s important to choose the proper high-definition cameras, system devices, and management software to meet your security needs. However, it’s often easy to […]