Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Facilities managers depend on standards to efficiently and consistently do good work, and when it comes to safety, there are many resources for them to consult. The U.S. Chemical and Safety Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a Safety Spotlight recommending that employers closely apply industry consensus standards to safeguard employee and public safety. Titled “The […]
An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms, and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. While it’s very tempting to think “it could never happen here,” training for the worst […]
In this day and age, when many companies house much of their critical information and infrastructure online, it’s imperative to plan ahead. What would you and your company do in the event of an emergency or sabotage?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires facilities to have a detailed fire prevention plan when applicable standards require it. However, the agency “strongly recommends” that all facilities develop and implement a plan. How does your facility’s fire prevention plan stack up?
With hurricane season here to stay until the end of November, it’s important to think about how prepared (or unprepared) your workplace is for a disaster. Tornadoes. Fires. Floods. They’re all happening much more frequently than they did decades ago, and they’re dangerous and expensive.
Consider for a moment, what’s your worst-case scenario? Fire? Explosion? Flood? If you’re just thinking of the disaster itself, you’re not thinking broadly enough: the true worst-case scenario is a disaster for which your facility and your workers are completely unprepared.
A roof is an easy thing to take for granted, at least while it’s functioning as intended. However, winter, especially in the northern climes, too often reminds us of the importance of roof maintenance. Rather than waiting for the signs of serious roof damage to appear, your best bet is to be proactive and address […]
Lots of people have allergies—some people break out in sniffles when the pollen count is high; others can’t have pets because dog hair or cat hair makes their eyes swell up and water. But none of those allergies resemble the dramatic, life-threatening reaction that is anaphylaxis. As a facilities manager, you should know the risk […]
As facility professionals, we pay close attention to newsworthy workplace disasters. Based on the scale and severity of these incidents, perhaps we assume they could not occur in our own organizations—after all, this is what we work to prevent. But the fact is, disasters can happen anywhere.
It’s important for facility managers to be ready for any emergency, and that includes preparing for weather emergencies. So, when that dreaded alert from the National Weather Service pops up on your computer or phone: “Area Flood Warning” predicting storm activity such as high winds and heavy, sustained rainfall for your area, will your team […]