Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
OSHA’s illumination standards for construction (29 CFR 1926.56) and shipyard employment (29 CFR 1915.82) set minimum lighting requirements in terms of foot-candles, a term that has been somewhat indistinct for employers and one that OSHA itself has acknowledged does not provide clear direction on how much light is needed for specific tasks.
Drug use among employees is a broad concern for any organization, and with wide acceptance of medical marijuana and the legalization or decriminalization of recreational marijuana in many states, facility managers, along with HR and security personnel can have difficulty navigating these changes. While public attitudes regarding marijuana use are shifting, serious concerns remain about […]
OSHA’s final rule to increase its civil penalties by approximately 2.5% for 2019 has been published in the Federal Register and took effect immediately on January 23, 2019. The rule brings a new maximum single-violation penalty of $132,598 for willful and repeat violations. The increases adjust for inflation as required by the Federal Civil Penalties […]
On January 18, 2019, President Trump signed a bill providing another 15 months of funding for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program (CFATS). Trump signed the bill the day after the program was set to expire. News of the extension provides a moment to examine one of the more unusual […]
Mass notification systems utilize a number of integrated communication devices and software to alert building occupants about a potentially dangerous situation and facilitate the proper action and response. They represent a very beneficial added layer of life safety protection.
One chilling realization stemming from the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks was the inability for the first responders across all disciplines—police, fire, and paramedics—to communicate with each other using the same radio frequencies. Are private sector security practitioners any better at reaching or talking to each other in routine conditions and serious emergencies?
Healthcare facilities are hectic workplaces that are fraught with hazards, not the least of which are potent, potentially toxic drugs. As such, an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) panel began work on developing standards for the safe handling of hazardous drugs in healthcare facilities. The expert panel endorsed three sets of existing guidelines and […]
Dangerous chemicals necessitate adequate security to mitigate risks. If you are a facility with a chemical designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a chemical of interest (COI), you may only have 60 days after taking possession of the COI to initiate a security screening process under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards […]
Although the EPA is at the moment essentially crippled in the midst of the ongoing government shutdown, we have a few enforcement items that to report from late 2018. Our latest roundup of five cases includes RCRA, EPCRA, and TSCA violations, several of which were related to negligent activity within facilities.
The security concept known as CPTED—or Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design—started back in the 1970s with the publication of architect Oscar Newman’s book, Defensible Spaces. His thinking has influenced building designers, facility maintenance directors, security consultants, and even police agencies since that time. The question today is, does it still work?