Category: Design and Construction

Electrical panel with clear safety warning

Illuminating Arc Flash: Unearthing Insights for a Safer Future

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, it’s critical for facilities and building operators to ensure the safety of their electrical infrastructure. One of the two primary electrical hazards are arc flash events, which can result in significant injury to workers and major disruptions to power operations. What Is an Arc Flash? Arc flash: a term […]

Are These the Best Public Restrooms in America?

What do a convenience store, an NFL stadium, and a zoo all have in common? They’re all finalists in Cintas’ 2024 America’s Best Restroom contest. Now in its 23rd year, the annual contest celebrates businesses that develop and maintain innovative restroom facilities. After receiving submissions from the public, Cintas selected the top 10 finalists of […]

FMA Shorts: What Is the Importance of Worker Safety?

On this latest episode of FMA Shorts, Scott DeBow, principal of health/safety and environmental at Avetta, discusses some of the main consequences of neglecting worker safety. This clip was taken from a webinar titled “Mythbusting the Top Contractor Risk Management Megatrends of 2024.” The full session is available for FREE on-demand here.

GSA Adopts New Accessibility Guidelines for Federal Buildings

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a final rule amending the Federal Management Regulation to adopt the new accessibility guidelines issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board). The Access Board’s guidelines establish that pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way dedicated to transportation are readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. The […]

5 Ways to Use Your Surveillance Cameras Beyond Security

Over several decades, surveillance systems have evolved from recording and storing footage for playback later, to smart solutions enabling active security. The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) has eliminated the need for someone to sit there reviewing hours’ worth of footage (if they even know what they’re looking for), and even then, if criminal activity […]

EPA Orders Ohio Schools to Address Asbestos and Lead Paint Hazards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an agreement with Accel Schools Ohio LLC to address lead paint concerns and asbestos at three of its schools in Ohio: Youngstown Academy of Excellence, Niles Preparatory Academy, and STEAM Academy of Warren. Accel is a public charter school system that operates 77 in-person charter schools, primarily in Ohio, and 15 […]

3 Top Tech Trends for Facilities Management

Driving efficiency is a competitive imperative in the modern-day market. Facilities management is, for many, a large component of a significantly larger initiative. The pursuit of creating a business environment where systems work in tandem to ensure productivity, employee comfort, and process optimization has nearly universal appeal. However, instituting a cohesive facility optimization strategy can […]

Survey Shows Why Clean, Touchless Restrooms Are Good for Business

In a recent survey by Bradley Company, nearly 70% of Americans reported having a particularly unpleasant experience in a public restroom due to the poor condition of the facility. The top restroom aggravations include clogged or unflushed toilets, unpleasant smells, and an old, dirty, or unkempt appearance. Unfortunately, businesses that neglect restroom cleaning and maintenance […]

GSA Investing in Smart Building Tech for Hundreds of Federal Facilities

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has announced plans to invest $80 million from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into smart building technologies that will help reduce emissions, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance comfort across an estimated 560 federal buildings. The GSA said the investments, impacting 49 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, […]

Philadelphia Eagles’ Stadium Scores Top Green Building Certification

The National Football League’s (NFL) Philadelphia Eagles announced that its home stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, has been certified as a LEED Platinum building for its commitment to operational sustainability. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a globally recognized standard developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Lincoln Financial Field is one of only […]